Verdun residents fight against renovictions 2

Le Comité d'Action des Citoyennes et Citoyens de Verdun (le CACV) held an anti-renoviction gathering in the Verdun borough. The event, hosted on Friday, September 8th, invited residents of Verdun and beyond, to attend to voice their concerns for renovictions and how to mobilize to prevent more renovictions from occurring.

Many Verdun residents shared their own story about being renovicted, evicted or pushed out of their housing accommodation due to the cost of rent or cleanliness issues.

In the last few years, the price of rent has risen drastically and more people have found themselves evicted, while the number of social housing units in Verdun is still low. Only 4% of housing in Verdun is dedicated to social housing. As 71% of families in Verdun are renters, Le CACV labelled the situation as worrisome.

Lyn Lee is a Community Organizer with le CACV. When asked to describe the situation in the community, she said, "Verdun is deeply affected by all forms of eviction. The rents are tripling. Speculators want to flip buildings. They know there is a massive amount of money to be made. They are doing that with obviously no regard to the people already living in the buildings."

With the high rate of renovictions and gentrification progressing rapidly in the borough, residents of Verdun are also denouncing the lack of action from the government to protect tenants. When the issue was brought up to the borough Mayor, le CACV was told that only an average of 20 households found themselves evicted per year.   

Le CACV also invited residents of Verdun to get further informed on Bill 31, and participate in to future protests around the issue. Bill 31 is a provincial bill tabled by Quebec Housing Minister France-Elaine Duranceau. Consultations for Bill 31 are expected to be held in the Fall.