Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Table Logement du Haut-Saint-Laurent has launched its second annual awareness campaign to mitigate the impact of the housing crisis in the region.

The campaign aims to remind tenants they have rights, and that in the current context, renters hoping to stay in the area should ideally have found a new home before telling landlords about plans to move.

Tenants must provide landlords with a notice of non-renewal at least three months before the end of a rental agreement when terminating a lease.

Anyze Goyette of the local housing table says it is important that tenants consider the rapid rise in housing costs between two moves, as well as the possibility of discrimination against tenants and the availability of clean, well-maintained and safe affordable housing options before deciding to move.

Another campaign objective is to remind those who will not be renewing their lease to start looking right away.

The Comité Logement de Beauharnois, which serves Beauharnois and its neighboring regions including the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, reported a vacancy rate of only 1.4 per cent in 2021.

According to a representative for the committee, there has been a dramatic increase in housing prices since then, where the average cost of housing has doubled and even tripled in some instances.

Data from the 2021 census shows just over 25 per cent of households are renting in the Haut-Saint-Laurent. Median rent was about $690 per month, and over 25 per cent of renters spent more than 30 per cent of their income on housing. More than 10 per cent reported urgent housing needs.

There is new housing, but escalating rental costs are unaffordable for most tenant households rooted in the region.

“This often leads to excessive increases or the threat of repossession by the landlord,” says the committee representative, noting the situation is stressful and will mean more families having to make difficult decisions to get by.