Two months after moving day in Quebec, the number of households still without a lease or receiving assistance has not budged.
Typically, July 1 marks the peak of the year’s housing crisis, followed by a decline. However, this year, a new report shows the numbers aren’t going down.
On July 4, 1,667 Quebec households were without housing or receiving rehousing assistance. By Sept. 4, this number had increased to 1,671, according to the latest figures from the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), obtained by Radio-Canada.
The number of unhoused Quebecers currently rehoused in hotels or with relatives has also increased from 413 to 487 over the past two months.
Caroline Gariépy, 49, is one of them. The Lanaudière resident lost her job in March, and, after a few late rent payments, she was evicted and had to move in with her sister.
“I’ve cried a lot, it’s not like me … I’ve worked all my life and had never missed a rent payment until recently,” she said.
Gariépy says she’s had to borrow money just to meet her needs, including buying groceries.
“I didn’t think the housing crisis was that serious until I lived it for myself,” she said.
Lanaudière had the highest number of households in precarious situations in September, with 291 requests submitted to housing offices.
The SHQ notes that the reasons for the prolongation of some active requests can vary. For instance, a household may be searching for more affordable housing, which can be difficult to find.
Housing group demonstrates in Quebec City
Véronique Laflamme, spokesperson for the housing group Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU), explains that the number of tenants in precarious situations has remained steady since July due to ongoing resolutions of some cases and the addition of new requests throughout the summer.
“[The housing crisis] is no longer as concentrated on July 1 as it used to be,” Laflamme said. “There are also individuals who hoped to find housing over the summer but have realized that it’s not working out and are now seeking assistance.”
Véronique Laflamme pictured at a demonstration this weekend in front of the National Assembly in Quebec City. Her housing group is calling on the Legault government to create more social housing. (Philippe L’Heureux/Radio-Canada)
FRAPRU is holding demonstrations in front of the National Assembly in Quebec City over the weekend, demanding more action the Legault government on social housing construction.
At the start of the fall session, the group is calling on the government to make the housing crisis a “real priority.”
“We need to make the necessary investments in social and community housing,” said Laflamme. “Failure to do so has a social and economic cost.”
Quebec has committed to providing 23,000 affordable housing units by 2029, but FRAPRU considers this target too ambitious. They are urging Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau to establish a more “concrete” social housing goal.
FRAPRU argues that the housing crisis disproportionately affects low-income individuals, highlighting the urgent need for additional accessible units.