(Quebec) Criticized from all sides since the tabling of her housing bill, Minister France-Elaine Duranceau denies being “insensitive” to tenants. She also expected Bill 31 to “create a stir”.
The Minister responsible for Housing made an act of contrition on Wednesday by admitting that certain statements made in the wake of the tabling of her bill last Friday may have made her seem “insensitive” to the cause of tenants.
“You can’t use a right that isn’t yours, to assign a lease to someone else, on terms you decide when it’s not your building. The tenant who wants to do that, he has to invest in real estate, ”she said in an interview with Noovo on Friday.
Wednesday, M.me Duranceau wanted to reframe his statement: “I said that and I’m sorry if it seemed insensitive, I was in a legal and economic description of things. On the contrary, I am very sensitive to what is happening in terms of housing, ”she pleaded on her arrival at the Council of Ministers.
Moreover, the Minister responsible for Housing indicated that she expected her bill – tabled on the last day of the parliamentary session – to receive a difficult reception.
I’m not surprised. Clearly, we’re changing a lot of things, we’re changing things that we haven’t touched for 40 years and it’s causing a stir. I think it will be for the best.
France-Elaine Duranceau, Minister responsible for Housing
She assures that Bill 31 is part of a set of measures that the Legault government is putting forward to tackle the housing crisis – a situation that it has been slow to recognize.
« [Le projet de loi] it is one of the measures. There will be a multitude of measures put forward to help with housing. The bill is one of them, it does not solve everything. He is there to settle certain irritants on the owner’s side, on the tenant’s side, ”she explained.
City requests
Approaching 1is July, the mayors of several cities, including Quebec, Laval, Longueuil and Montreal, asked the Legault government on Wednesday to speed up housing construction. They were supported by the Association of Construction and Housing Professionals of Quebec (APCHQ) and the Urban Development Institute of Quebec, who signed an open letter on Wednesday in The Press in favor of a concerted action plan of industry players.
“Their release today is a good thing, we must continue to talk about it and that everyone is aware that we must continue to speed things up,” said M.me Duranceau. “The municipalities have their part to do, there are permits that must be issued, you have to have a speed that is a little greater and I think they are aware. I collaborate with them to help where it is in my scope,” she added.
2023-06-15 02:10:37
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