A group for the defense of the right to housing came to protest loudly against the inaction of the CAQ in the face of the housing crisis during the national congress of the party on Saturday.

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"There is nothing to be proud of when hundreds and hundreds of households are on the verge of becoming homeless during the moving season, when rents have become unaffordable for a growing number of tenants, when more and more households are being evicted and that the construction of social housing is being done in dribs and drabs,” denounced Véronique Laflamme, spokesperson for the Popular Action Front in Urban Redevelopment (FRAPRU).

As the housing situation continues to deteriorate and July 1 promises to be particularly difficult, around 100 tenants loudly made their voices heard in front of the Centrexpo Cogeco in Drummondville, where members of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) are in national congress.

According to FRAPRU, the city of Drummondville, where the CAQ convention is taking place, is itself a symbol of the housing crisis. For 3 years, the rate of unoccupied housing there has plummeted, currently reaching 0.2%, which is fifteen times less than the percentage deemed to be balanced.

Last year, 34 tenant households found themselves homeless there; 760 households used the housing search assistance service set up by the Drummond Housing Office.

FRAPRU also deplores the fact that Bill 37 tabled a few days ago, which provides that owners of new homes will be able to continue to increase their rents without limit for up to three years, rather than five, does not provide anything against fraudulent evictions which nevertheless contribute to the increase in the number of households at risk of becoming homeless.