Thousands of tenants can’t pay rent tomorrow while landlords are openly threatening evictions.

The situation is urgent. François Legault, Danielle McCann, Andrée Laforest: Cancel rents now!

Premier François Legault is still holding to a position urging landlords to be understanding, mentioning that federal benefits will be available later in April, and that evictions are currently suspended at the Quebec Rental Board (Régie du logement).

Premier Legault is wrong. In reality:
i) the overwhelming majority of landlords are still insisting that rent is paid tomorrow;
ii) federal benefit money will not be disbursed until at least April 16, and many tenants will not qualify;
iii) many landlords are threatening to start initiating evictions proceedings, using late payments during the crisis as the basis to declare tenants in frequent delay, a reason that allows the Régie to cancel a lease and evict a tenant; hearings at the Régie are currently only suspended until April 7.

Taking into account these facts, and in these circumstances, journalists must ask Premier Legault and Health Minister McCann why they are not offering rent relief.

Premier Legault began his press conference yesterday urging Quebecers to not be ashamed to seek help for mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, due to the current crisis. However, one of the main factors of anxiety for thousands of Quebecers right now is the fear associated with not paying rent, and the fear of losing housing after the end of the health crisis.

This issue can be solved immediately by decreeing the cancellation of rent, and be ensuring no one will suffer negative consequences for late payment of rent during the crisis.

Landlord associations — from the Quebec Landlords Corporation (CORPIQ) to the Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) — have publicly insisted that rent is due on April 1st, and have shown absolutely no willingness to accommodate tenants who can’t pay, despite the comments of Premier Legault and Mayor Valérie Plante.

One landlord group has actually published public legal advice to landlords that begins: “Remind your tenant, politely, that their rent must be paid on April 1st … Have written proof. The goal: build a case for frequent delay against a tenant who is taking advantage of COVID-19.” The post, from a lawyer, also states: “Take the time to ask for your tenant’s e-mail. The goal behind this is to be able to legally signify an eviction request by bailiff, who can do so by e-mail. The new ministerial directive permits bailiffs to signify by e-mail.” (Original French: “Lui rappeler que son loyer, avec politesse, doit être payé le 1er du mois … Laisser une trace écrite. Le but : constituer un dossier pour retard fréquent face à un locataire qui profite du covid-19. Prenez le temps de demander son courriel. Le but derrière est de pouvoir signifier sa demande pour expulsion via huissier, qui lui, fera via courriel. Le nouvel arrêté ministériel permet à l’huissier de signifier par courriel.” (link: www.facebook.com/groups/mordusdimmobilier/permalink/2893134757447083/)

“Frequent delay” is a pretext for eviction, which shows that many landlords are trying to exploit the current situation to force late-paying tenants out of their housing once the Régie allows for eviction hearings again (as early as April 7).

The on-the-ground reality, in neighborhoods all over Quebec, is desperate:

Jesse Dekel, a tenant in already substandard housing in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, says: “Nine months ago I was homeless, but I finally managed to land on my feet with a part time job. But then recently, I was fired like everyone else.”

Rachel Tremblay, a tenant from Hochelaga-Maisonneuve who will not be able to pay rent tomorrow, states: “It’s stunning to me that this situation has been left to linger so long. It’s hypocritical for Premier Legault to express concern for the mental health of residents when he should know that one main factor of mental health is knowing you have secure, long-term housing.”

Jesse Dekel adds: “Quebec hasn’t yet issued a province-wide rent freeze, and is instead supporting businesses and ignoring the most vulnerable people affected by the pandemic. The only thing I, and so many other working class people in Quebec can do, is withhold our rent.”  

Thousands of tenants, some organized into groups, some not, will not pay rent tomorrow. In the petition (link: http://chng.it/XJctK2Tw) launched by Rachel Tremblay last week, three clear demands have been articulated:

– an immediate cancellation of rent payments in Quebec;
– a moratorium on any evictions related to the inability to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, either now or later;
– the opening up of vacant housing — such as empty Airbnb units, vacant condos, hotels — to house people who are homeless, or currently living in unsafe, unhealthy or abusive housing situations.

A compilation of over 80 testimonies from tenants who have signed the petition in favour of rent cancellation is available here: https://grevedesloyers.info/en/testimonies-2/  

Meanwhile, the White Sheets for a Rent Strike (Draps blancs pour la grève des loyers) campaign continues to call  for the cancellation of rent and mortgage payments, including interest, for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. We invite the public to display the white sheet symbol on the front of their homes to show their solidarity with those made most vulnerable by this crisis, with those who are unable to pay their rent, and with those who will support them through a rent strike. We also invite landlords, also affected by the crisis, to join this call, as has been the case by some landlords in Toronto (link: https://nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/real-estate/small-landlords-rent-strike-toronto-coronavirus).