Flush out fake news, verify the statements of politicians, find the real figures: our Bureau of Investigation, based in Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa, specializes in the art of establishing the facts. Every Saturday, our journalists and researchers present their findings to you to allow you to see more clearly in the news of the week.
THE STATEMENT
On Sunday, Manon Massé indicated that a minimum wage employee must work 58 hours a week to be able to afford average housing in Montreal. “Fifty-eight hours, that’s just for the rent.” Faque forget about eating, dressing, transporting yourself. Fifty-eight hours of work just for your accommodation, “she was indignant at the national congress of Quebec solidaire.
FACTS
It’s wrong. Working the equivalent of 58 hours a week at minimum wage means that about 30% of her gross salary is used to pay the rent, and not 100% as Ms. Massé claims. Not exceeding 30% of your gross salary for housing is a recommendation from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This leaves 70% of his income for food, clothing, transportation, etc. Asked to explain, QS acknowledged that Ms. Massé had made “an error of good faith in a moment of frenzy”. “But fundamentally, the situation remains unacceptable. We shouldn’t have to work 58 hours a week to survive,” insisted Camila Rodriguez-Cea, party press secretary.
– Pascal Dugas Bourdon
That’s the number of years that landlords of newly built homes will be able to raise rents as they see fit, according to a new bill tabled May 25. Currently, “clause F” in rental leases allows for such an increase for five years. This measure will not come into force until the bill is passed.
Tenants living in housing built less than five years ago cannot appeal to the Administrative Housing Tribunal to fix the rent. If they cannot afford the increases, they have no choice but to move, which is sometimes complicated in the current context of a housing shortage. This phenomenon has been reported in several news reports over the past few months.
– Marie-Christine Trottier
