The vacancy rate and housing prices in the Saguenay metropolitan region are still worrying, according to the most recent data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
There were only 1.3% of unoccupied housing in the Saguenay CMA as of October 2023 compared to 0.9% in October 2022. “That means only 203 vacant housing throughout the territory. This means that either the housing is too expensive or, if not, that it is of too poor quality, so it will never be accessible for people in need and tenants in general,” indicated the coordinator of Loge helps me, Sonia Côté.
The average rental price is also increasing. It went from $686 to $775 per month. This is an increase of 8.6% which is well beyond the index suggested by the Administrative Housing Tribunal which is 4% for the year 2024.
Owners in difficulty too
The Corporation of Real Estate Owners of Quebec is less alarming. Its general director notes that the Saguenay region is doing much better than other places in the province. “Elsewhere in Quebec, it’s more around $1,000, $1,050 per month. So these are still low numbers in my opinion. Citizens from large centers who arrive in the regions are used to paying much more,” said Benoît Ste-Marie.
He even affirmed that owners would have difficulty meeting their expenses, in particular because of mortgage rates. He also pleaded for changes to be made to the Quebec government so that the construction of new housing would be facilitated.
For its part, Loge m’entraide takes the opportunity to remind tenants that they can refuse the notice of rent increase that they receive from their landlord. The organization can inform them about the steps to contest it.
2024-02-01 00:05:29
#housing #crisis #resolving #Saguenay
