Manon Massé Calls Out Ridiculous Montreal Rents In A TikTok Video Like Only She Can

As apartment hunting season reaches its peak, Québec solidaire spokesperson and meme icon Manon Massé is calling out ridiculous Montreal rents. In a video posted to the party's TikTok account, Massé deploys her characteristic no-B.S. attitude to criticize a selection of online apartment listings.

"This doesn't make any sense," the QS spokesperson says of an ad for a studio at $1,875/month.

""In the past, it was $100, $200 per bedroom!" she remarks, exasperated, while examining a one-bedroom apartment listed for $1,950/month. "Who can pay this?!"

Then, of course, there are unauthorized requests for security deposits or rent advances.

"While [Montrealers] search for an apartment there's a price problem, but in addition to that, there's this," Massé says referring to a listing asking for a $500 deposit. "That's illegal!"

Montrealers have seen a precipitous rise in rents in recent years.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) put the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Greater Montreal Area (including the less expensive North and South Shores, as well as Laval) at $932 in October 2021, an increase of 3.9% from October 2020.

A renter in that apartment would have to make over $36,000 a year in order to not spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

A movement to address the lack of quality and affordable rental units has gained at least a little momentum recently.

In February, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante announced a plan to introduce a "responsible landlord certificate" and rent registry for buildings with eight or more units.