The way rent is calculated in Quebec has been revamped with a new approach that took effect on Thursday.
The government aims to streamline the process of determining rent increases for both tenants and landlords.
Under this updated method, landlords now have the ability to allocate a larger portion of renovation expenses to tenants while keeping rent hikes in line with the cost of living.
However, concerns have been raised by housing advocates who believe that tenants may not have full access to the data landlords use to compute these increases, creating uncertainty about the fairness of the rent.
Émile Boucher, a community organizer with Regroupement des comités logement et associations des locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), criticized the new regulation for failing to address the underlying issues in the rental market. Boucher called for an immediate freeze on rent hikes until more stringent measures are in place to protect tenants.
In response to the changes, nearly 15,000 tenants and their supporters signed a petition in opposition to the regulation, expressing fears of potential significant rent spikes and criticizing the government for missing an opportunity to tackle Quebec’s persistent housing crisis.
