Quebec looks to curb evictions with new housing bill

Quebec’s housing minister has tabled a bill that would impose a three-year moratorium on certain types of evictions and boost protections for low-income senior renters.

France-Élaine Duranceau’s proposed legislation would prevent landlords from evicting renters in order to subdivide, enlarge or change the use of a unit.

An owner would still be allowed to take back a unit in order to move in a close family member.

The moratorium would last three years, but it would end early if the apartment vacancy rate for Quebec cities with more than 10,000 people reaches three per cent.

Duranceau’s bill would also extend Quebec’s law against evicting low-income seniors to cover people beginning at age 65 instead of 70, and it would raise the income at which a person becomes eligible.

The government estimates that some 24,000 households would be protected by this new measure.