Protesters gathered on Saturday in the streets of four Quebec municipalities to denounce the housing crisis and high rents affecting the entire province. The rallies, organized by the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), took place in Montreal, Amos, Sainte-Adèle and Joliette. The RCLALQ also wishes to highlight the imminent filing of its petition calling on the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government to reject the draft regulation amending the calculation of rent increases, which has gathered more than 12,000 signatures. “This is an opportunity, just before the petition is submitted, to remind the CAQ government that even if it appoints someone else to the Ministry of Housing, our demands remain the same,” said Éloïse Bolduc, community organizer for the RCLALQ. The former minister responsible for housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, was appointed chair of the Treasury Board during the cabinet reshuffle carried out by Premier François Legault this week. Sonia Bélanger has now taken over the housing portfolio. “We would really like her to come and meet with us and sit down with us, because that’s something we weren’t able to do with Ms. Duranceau,” said Bolduc. She stressed that the RCLALQ wishes to share its demands with the new Minister of Housing, including the introduction of an absolute cap on annual rent increases and the creation of a public register of rents that is accessible free of charge. Bolduc emphasized that the organization is also asking Bélanger to abandon her predecessor’s plan to change the method used by the Administrative Housing Tribunal to set rent increases. Last May, Le Devoir reported that Duranceau admitted in a brief submitted to the cabinet that the new calculation method could disadvantage tenants. “We really want tenants to be at the centre of decision-making because right now, no matter what recommendations we make, nothing is ever listened to,” lamented Bolduc. “It’s really time for the CAQ to show some empathy towards us.” The community organizer pointed out that even though the July 1 deadline has now passed, housing committees are still being called upon. “The groups are tired. They have never received as many calls as they have this year with the highest increase in the last 30 years,” she said. Bolduc calls on the CAQ to “rely on tenants’ actual ability to pay and stop giving gifts to landlords.” The RCLALQ represents more than 60 tenant rights organizations across the province. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 13, 2025.
