Projet Montreal proposes landlord certification to protect tenants from rent hikes, renovictions

Projet Montreal is proposing the creation of a responsible landlord certificate "to protect the affordability and quality of Montreal's rental housing network."

This comes after what some have called "abusive" increases in rental prices, as well as the growing phenomenon of renovictions, where tenants see themselves evicted under the guise of significant home renovations.

"The certification will be required of landlords who have buildings with eight or more units throughout the City of Montreal, representing nearly 216,000 units," the party states.

However, for the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), the measure doesn't go far enough.

"[We are] disappointed that this measure would only be mandatory for buildings with eight units or more," the organization states. "What will happen to the other dwellings that make up the majority of Montreal's rental network? For RCLALQ, all tenants in the city -- and in the rest of Quebec -- must be protected from abusive rent increases and evictions, especially in the context of a housing crisis."