Bill 65, Loi limitant le droit d’éviction des locateurs et renforçant la protection des locataires aînés : Why does the Government table a bill to only protect seniors in the housing market?
The Association of Quebec Landlords (APQ) is surprised by the reversal of the Legault Government’s position through its Minister responsible for Housing, Ms. France-Élaine Duranceau, regarding evictions and seniors.
During the consultations on Bill 31, An Act to modify various legislative provisions relating to housing, all the requests and replies from Québec Solidaire, whom wants to reduce the protection of seniors to 65 years from the current 70 years and reduce the required a duration of life in a dwelling to 5 years instead of the current 10 years, the APQ was glad that Ms. Duranceau hadn’t upheld these requests.
Even Bill 198, An Act to amend the Civil Code to ensure greater protection for elderly tenants against repossessions or evictions, from Québec Solidaire has remained at the level of debate since March 28.
It is important to remember that Bill 31 places the burden of proof on the shoulders of housing owners, with the latter all becoming presumed owners in bad faith. We are already of the opinion that Bill 31 encroaches on the right to property, and these new obligations would only discourage those who want to become plex owners.
The Government does not seem to be aware of the laws in place and the difficulty of being a property owner. The fact that the tenant is kept in the premises and entitled to compensation if a landlord wants to take back his property, are only aberrations from a property law point of view.
Before wanting to change the law, while tenants are already protected in an incredible way, it would be appropriate to draw up a list of modifications which affect private rental law and which require real change. Especially since the recovery of housing has been the subject of a lot of attention with Bill 492 and Bill 31.
However, the Association of Quebec Landlords (APQ) is asking the Government why not do more for tenants without it being a new right taken away from owners?
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Why just tenant evictions? When will we see a bill prohibiting banks from repossessing real estate?
Will the Government table a bill to limit interest rates for 65-year-olds?
These new laws apply to all owners in Quebec and tarnish interest in investing in residential real estate.