More than 600 households without a home the day after Moving Day, housing group says

More than 600 Quebec householdsfind themselves without a home the day after Moving Day in the province a number which could continue to climb in the coming days,according toa Quebec housing advocacy group.

The Front d'action populaire en rmnagement urbain (FRAPRU) tabled its annual report Saturday morning the day after many leasesendedin Quebec.

"For the moment, the 600 households identified are accompanied by an assistance service," said FRAPRU spokesperson Vronique Laflamme. She said most people are housed with relatives, others by theirmunicipality or the Red Cross.

"That number is the tip of the iceberg.It's a pale reflection of reality," said Laflamme. She said this number could still rise this month as last year the group saw the situation continue to deteriorate in the days following July 1.

FRAPRU foundhouseholds across Quebec to be without housing this year. This includes118 in Montreal, 135 in Drummondville,55 in Quebec City, 50 in Sherbrooke,24 in Trois-Rivires and 20 in Granby.

The group says the province is facing a tough mix of low vacancy rates and rent increases.

According to recentdata collected from municipal assistance services,FRAPRU found that at least 4,000 households requested help from municipal authorities to find housing this year. Of that number, at least 600 still haven't found housing. Only about 60 of those households are in emergency housing.

FRAPRUsays that the number of people in crisis is likely even higher, since some household don'treach out for help.

'Worst housing crisis in recent Quebec history'

Martin Blanchard, a spokesperson for a tenant's rights group, said the province should have seen this crisis coming in the context of rising rents between tenant changes and the emergence of the phenomenon of renovictionsthe practice of kicking out tenants, making renovations and then jacking up rents for those who move in.

"This is the worst housing crisis in recent Quebec history," said Blanchard, spokesperson for theRegroupement des Comits Logements et Associations de Tenants du Qubec(RCLALQ), in an interview with Radio-Canada'sFaits d'abord.

FRAPRU isdemanding concretecommitments fromparties running in the provincial electionthis fall, saying the province needs to add50,000 social housing unitsover five years, as well asstrengthenlegal protectionsfortenants.

Moving Day action plan a success: housing minister

When reached for comment, Quebec Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister AndreLaforest saidJuly 1 was a "very busy time for our teams,"but thata government initiativeto help people find housing was a success.

"The action plan for relocations that we put in place has been effective. No one slept on the street,"Laforestsaid in a statementSaturday.

On Wednesday, Quebec government said it would spend $2 million as part of "Operation July 1'' to help people find housing andprovide temporary housing and furniture storage for people who can't find somewhere to live.

Laforest said teams are available "seven daysweek until July 18,so if you are in need, do not hesitate to contact them."

But Laflamme said the government needs to ensure that the aid measures are kept in place until everyone is relocated.

According to the province's housing department, more than 8,000 "social and affordable'' housing units have been built, or have been under construction, since 2018.

The City of Montreal said it's still waiting for Quebec and Ottawa to reach a funding agreement that will allow it to build or renovate 6,000 social housing units.