Quebec’s new rental guidelines could lead to significant rent hikes for tenants, raising concerns about affordability.
Montreal: So, it looks like tenants in Quebec might be in for a rough ride with their rent. The province just dropped some new guidelines that could push rents up quite a bit.
Every year, Quebec’s rental tribunal, called the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL), gives landlords a formula to figure out how much they can raise rent. This year, it’s based on what landlords are spending on their properties.
Here’s the scoop: if you don’t have heat included in your rent, you could see a jump of 5.9%. If heat is included, the increase depends on the type of heating you have. For electric heating, it’s 5.5%, for natural gas, it’s 5%, and for heating oil, it’s 4.1%.
To put that in perspective, if you’re paying $1,000 a month now, you’d be looking at $1,059 after the increase. These new rates kick in from April 2, 2025, to April 1, 2026.
Renting in Quebec, especially in Montreal, has been getting pricier over the years. Many folks think the TAL isn’t doing enough to keep things affordable. Just last year, rents in Montreal shot up by an average of 7.7%, which was way above what the TAL suggested.
And if a tenant doesn’t agree with a rent increase, they can refuse it. If the landlord and tenant can’t come to an agreement, the landlord can take it to the TAL to sort it out.
The tenants’ rights group RCLALQ is not happy about these new guidelines. They say it’s going to make life even tougher for low-income folks in Quebec. They believe the way TAL figures out these increases needs a serious rethink.
They pointed out that no area is safe from these hikes, which are making it harder for many tenants to keep their homes. It’s a tough situation for a lot of people.
More to come.
