More than 2,000 Quebec households still without housing after July 1

More than 2,000 renting households in Quebec are still without a home after the province’s July 1 moving day, according to new data from the Société d'habitation du Québec. The number is slightly higher than last year, even as the province’s vacancy rate has increased. Housing advocates say the situation shows that building more apartments alone will not solve the affordability crisis. FRAPRU said many new units remain too expensive for low and moderateincome tenants, and that the market is not meeting demand for cheaper homes. The data show 2,039 households are receiving help from housing search services, including at least 476 people living in shelters, temporary accommodations or with friends and family. The largest numbers were reported in Montérégie, Quebec City and Montreal. Quebec’s housing minister says the government has invested heavily in housing since 2018 and points to thousands of completed, planned or underway social and affordable homes. The province says it has also updated rent rules, strengthened eviction protections and expanded municipal powers.