For people who can prove they’ve lost their jobs. We invite you to modify this text if you wish, to adapt it to your context.
Dear __________,
In these times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all affected by social distancing, voluntary isolation and the closure of many businesses, services and institutions. As good citizens, we feel that we must do our part to help limit the spread of the virus by all the means at our disposal. In these difficult times, we feel that we must support our neighbours and our community.
Governments are demanding from us that the entire population participate in emergency health measures. As a result, it is currently impossible for us to earn a salary, and in doing so, pay our rent. We are not alone in this condition. It will be impossible for many people to pay April’s rent and, if the crisis continues, even more people will be unable to do so in May. We know that this situation also puts pressure on landlords: you need rent payments to pay your mortgage and take care of your property.
However, as a result of measures taken by the federal government, banks are offering mortgage holders the option of deferring their payments. Eviction hearings at the Quebec Rental Board (Régie du Logement) are postponed until the end of the health emergency declared by the provincial government. The situation is unprecedented and particularly affects the most vulnerable segments of the population.
These measures are a good start, but more is needed! If we don’t pay our rent during the months of crisis, how will we be able to pay back all that money as soon as the crisis is over? We don’t want to lose our homes, and we don’t want you to lose your investment. The solution is simple: a complete moratorium on rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis and compensatory measures commensurate with the crisis. We need a grace period that lasts long enough for all of us to get through it.
We are sorry it has come to this, but the situation requires it, we will not pay our rent on April 1 because we cannot afford it. We will not be able to pay rent until the crisis is over. We do not want to end up on the streets and contribute to the general crisis and overburdening of the health care system. We will not pay those months of rent again because we cannot afford to. Hundreds of thousands of other tenants across the country are in the same situation. As a landlord, as a citizen, you have the opportunity to be part of the solution. Together, we need to put pressure on the banks and politicians to demand a rent freeze, a mortgage freeze, and decent compensation. We do not see how turning against us, forcing us into an even more difficult situation than the one we are currently experiencing, will contribute to the solidarity needed to get out of this crisis.
This crisis affects everyone, so we must face it together.
