Screwed Over Ahead Of Montreal's 'Moving Day'? The City Might Be Able To Help

Moving Day is around the corner and, with housing getting costlier by the month, more Montrealers are struggling to find new accommodations by July 1. The city has implemented several emergency programs to prevent residents from ending up on the street, including help finding housing, along with temporary lodging and storage.

Low-income households are the top priority for city resources. If you're not sure if you're eligible for help, you can call 311. Those who do qualify can have belongings temporarily stored by the city — a free service coordinated by 311.

Meanwhile, dialling 211 will redirect you to a multilingual helpline (operating in 200 languages) that offers social and community help to city newcomers and people who could become homeless. The directory is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can put callers in touch with social housing options, cooperatives, emergency accommodation, and housing advocates.

If you're under intense housing stress and in need of non-emergency health advice, Info-Santé 811 will connect you with a nurse. The phone service is offered 24 hours a day, year-round. Quebecers can call the line for themselves or for a loved one for advice related to mental health issues and physical wellbeing.

The city also offers a $100 per month allowance to help low-income families pay rent. The Allocation-logement program is open to low-income families with at least one dependent child, single people aged 50 or over, and couples with at least one partner who is 50 or over. People cannot apply if they already get rent supplements, live in low-cost housing (HLM) or state-funded space, or have assets over $50,000 (excluding the value of a residence, land, furniture, and car).

Since 2019, the City has invested more than $7.6 million in a referral service by the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM). The program is available year-round and offers telephone support, housing search assistance, and accompaniment during housing visits. Low-income Montreal households that have rented for the past 12 months and have exhausted their own resources are eligible for the service.

For tenants' rights support, Le Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain est un regroupement national pour le droit au logement (FRAPRU) and Le Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ) can both help. The Tribunal administratif du logement, formerly the Régie du logement, can be contacted for information about lease rights and legal recourse in housing matters.

Meanwhile, the cost of living continues to rise and drive up housing, food, and gas prices in the city. Canada is now seeing some of the highest inflation in 30 years, while Quebec's rate hit 7.5% in May, up from 6.8% in April.