Quebec municipalities call for major action on housing

By Gordon Lambie
Quebec municipalities call for major action on housing
(Photo : Gordon Lambie)

Anticipating the preparation of the provincial budget and an election to follow in the fall, several representatives of the union of Quebec municipalities (UMQ) signed an open letter at the end of last week calling for a new approach to housing needs in the province.

In the letter, the signatories share that, according to the Quebec Association of Construction and Housing Professionals (APCHQ), between 40,000 and 60,000 new housing units are needed now simply to rebalance the rental market in Quebec.

“This serious lack of housing is one of the main factors in the explosive price increases that only exacerbate the situation. One Quebecer in five is now forced to spend more than 50% of their income on housing alone. It’s a real crisis. And it’s even worse among the young, the disadvantaged, and those who are on their own,” the letter states, arguing that the consequence is great difficulty for 1.7 million Quebecers when it comes to finding a place to live.

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