In Montreal, borough governments are under pressure to take action against the housing crisis – with varying responses.
In Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais submitted a notice of a motion to ban apartment fusions on Feb. 5. The motion, which builds on a 2020 rule banning subdivisions in the borough, is a direct response to the rise of evictions, and will be studied at the borough’s Comité consultatif d’urbanisme on Feb. 13.
But housing organizers say the problem with these measures is that landlords keep finding loopholes to exploit. That’s the case in Parc Extension, which already has measures in place limiting subdivisions and fusions.
Now the Comite d’action de Parc Extension (CAPE) is calling on Villeray-Saint Michel-Parc Extension to refuse any permit that would lead to eviction. At a Feb. 6 council session, Mayor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde told a member of CAPE that while housing is a concern, the borough lacked the means to refuse permits when the criteria are met.
