JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The West Island Tenants Action Committee (CALODI) is inviting renters to one of four upcoming information sessions to learn about their rights when facing eviction.

“The reality is that there are a lot of protections in place for tenants, but the most important thing is to understand (their rights),” said Lily Martin, a community organizer for CALODI.

The aim of these information sessions, Martin explained, is to educate West Island tenants about new protections they have under legislation passed in the National Assembly this past summer.

Bill 65 declared a moratorium on the province’s landlords using renovation as a pretext for evicting residents for the next three years.

The issue of “reno-victions” – landlords renovating buildings, leading to raised rental costs and evicting existing tenants – has become a hot topic for renters across Quebec.

“That’s something that we’re really going to highlight to people,” said Martin. “If you get that specific type of eviction notice, it is completely illegal.”

Though only around 20 per cent of West Island residents rent rather than own their own homes, renters in these municipalities have not been immune to the trend of landlords wanting to repossess their properties.

A document from the Tribunal administratif du logement shows that applications for repossessions by landlords have been on the rise in the West Island in recent years. The number of applications gradually grew from just nine in 2017 to 33 by 2023.

“It’s a good indication of the desire for landlords to repossess,” Martin said.

CALODI will hold four information sessions – two in English and two in French. Participants are able to choose to attend either an in-person or online session in their language of choice. Participation in these sessions is free, but registration is required on CALODI’s website.

The first session in English is on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Pointe Claire Library.