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QUEBEC — As the housing crisis continues, the Quebec government passed a bill Thursday that will impose a three-year moratorium on renovictions and protect more seniors from the practice.
The new law from Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau improves protection against evictions for seniors who have lived in their home for at least 10 years. It lowers the age of eviction protection to 65 from 70 and increases the income limit to qualify by 25 per cent.
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During the study of the bill, Québec solidaire and the Parti Québécois tried to further expand protection for seniors, but Duranceau refused, saying a balance had to be maintained.
As the vacancy rate is currently very low, the new law will also prohibit evictions aimed at “subdividing the accommodation, substantially enlarging it or changing its use.”
The moratorium will end sooner if the vacancy rate of all urban centres in Quebec with a population of at least 10,000 reaches three per cent.
The bill was recently amended to allow the moratorium to be maintained in certain regions even if the overall vacancy rate reaches three per cent.
The law is a significant change of course for the CAQ government. During the study of another piece of housing legislation, Bill 31, a few months ago, Duranceau rejected amendments from QS and the PQ aimed at protecting more seniors from evictions. At the time, she said her bill already contained measures to protect everyone, regardless of their age. Duranceau says her stance on the issue has “evolved” since then.
Bill 31 provoked a lot of resistance, in particular because it restricted lease transfers as a way to keep rents low.
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