Quebec’s housing minister has tabled a bill banning certain types of evictions for the next three years, or until the vacancy rate for the province’s urban centres reaches three per cent.
France-Élaine Duranceau tabled Bill 65 Wednesday at the National Assembly, which would prevent landlords from evicting a tenant to subdivide a dwelling, enlarge it or change its use. The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government hopes to pass the bill into law by the end of this parliamentary session, June 7.
Repossessions with the purpose of having a landlord’s family move in would still be allowed if the bill is adopted.
Last year, Duranceau’s Bill 31 was passed into law and was heavily criticized for a provision effectively ending lease transfers, a tool seen by many as having helped keep rent affordable in the province.
Duranceau stresses Bill 31 was meant to “modernize the relationship between landlords and tenants in the law, regardless of the housing crisis” and increase housing stock. In the meantime, it’s important to take steps to protect vulnerable tenants, Duranceau said at a news conference Wednesday.
The bill also seeks to expand a protection for low-income seniors, as opposition party Québec Solidaire tried to do last year but was shut down by the CAQ. Two QS MNAs, Andrés Fontecilla and Christine Labrie, worked with Duranceau to draft Bill 65.
Seniors 65 and over would be protected from evictions and repossessions if they have lived in their dwelling for at least 10 years and their income at 125 per cent or lower of the level eligible for subsidized housing. This protection, commonly known as the “Françoise David law,” is currently in place for seniors as of age 70 with no more than 100 per cent that income.
The expansion of the Françoise David law would be permanent and would protect 24,000 households from potential eviction, many of whom are single women, said Duranceau.
Quebec is adding to the list of resources that exist to help tenants find and afford housing, but experts say those resources are in high demand.
According to provincial housing tribunal data cited by the CAQ, 41 per cent of eviction disputes brought forward by tenants last year were related to the subdivision of a dwelling, while nearly 36 per cent contested a change in use and 23 per cent contested expansions.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data shows that the vacancy rate in Quebec’s major urban centres has been going down since 2021, and as of 2023 was just slightly above one per cent.
“I think we can all agree it’s an exceptional situation that requires exceptional measures,” said Duranceau.