The Popular Action Front in Urban Redevelopment fears that the housing crisis will become a “ticking time bomb” if it is not addressed as a priority in 2023.

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“Individuals and families who are poorly housed in search of decent housing that they can afford are currently abandoned to their fate, since the glaring lack of social housing cannot be resolved at all”, worried Véronique Laflamme, door - word of the Popular Action Front in Urban Redevelopment (FRAPRU) by press release.

The housing rights body fears the gap could widen further between affordable housing supply and household needs without “strong action” from governments in 2023.

"We are preparing a time bomb," warned the spokesperson.

The summer of 2022 had already reached a peak according to the organization, while at least 4,000 households would have called on the assistance services of their municipality, “where there were some”. On this, 600 still had no home the day after July 1, and a third remained homeless 3 months later, said FRAPRU.

“The proportion of social housing out of all rental housing in Quebec has decreased for the first time in history between the last two censuses, going from 11.2% in 2016 to around 10.1% in 2021”, a she added.

According to the organization, the two levels of government must “readjust the shot quickly” and should plan the financing of 50,000 new social housing units in five years, as much by the purchase of rental buildings built as by the construction of new buildings.