It's back to school

Cannabis, security deposit, Régie du logement reform... a look back at the major issues of the summer season. And the arrival of autumn does not mean that we will slow down, quite the contrary. Welcome back to school!

The summer season rhymes with vacation, but not at CORPIQ. The association was active on the government scene and more present than ever in the media during the summer, addressing several issues of importance to landlords.

CORPIQ initiated two petitions whose signing period has just ended.

They asked the Government of Quebec to legalize the security deposit and allow better regulatory conditions for housing renovation. These petitions, signed by thousands of people, have been very successful.

More than 12,000 of you mobilized and thus helped to give a strong message to the government. They will be officially tabled in the National Assembly in the coming days, then the Minister responsible for Municipal Affairs and Housing, Andrée Laforest, will respond in writing.

In support of their petitions, CORPIQ broadcasted three radio messages directly to the government on the urgency of taking action in the rental housing sector. Knowing that it costs $150 million annually in damages to apartments left by moving tenants and $250 million in unpaid rents, while the private rental housing stock is facing a maintenance deficit of about $2 billion per year, it is high time to curb these losses and reallocate the money to preserving our built heritage.

The government open to the security deposit

On July 1, Minister Andrée Laforest told a Radio-Canada journalist that the legalization of security deposits was a measure under consideration by her government. CORPIQ can only be pleased to see its actions finally bear fruit and is ready to work in collaboration with the government to implement this long-awaited practice, while respecting the rights of tenants and landlords. Security deposits are permitted anywhere in Canada and around the world in one form or another.

Several current topics were discussed during the summer period. CORPIQ gave more than 47 interviews during moving week, a record. Whether concerning the security deposit, the availability of housing, the cost of rents, tourist accommodation, cannabis, the prohibition of animals in leases or fraudulent advertisements for rental housing, CORPIQ has jumped on all media fronts at once: television, radio, print media, web and social networks, in all regions and in both languages.

To be monitored

CORPIQ works tirelessly to defend the rights of property owners and firmly believes that the time is right for change.

This fall, the association will closely follow the detailed study of Bill 16, which aims, among other things, to modernize the internal functioning of the Régie du logement. It will try to convince the government to withdraw section 95, which would have the effect of preventing landlords from appealing (reviewing) a decision on the terms of a lease unless there is a substantive or procedural defect.

The association also followed Bill 2 on cannabis regulations. Last March, they questioned Minister Lionel Carmant about the use of cannabis by tenants for so-called medical purposes. CORPIQ is calling for legislation to curb abuse.

Read Radio Canada's recent French article: "Cannabis: les décisions contradictoires de la Régie du logement dérangent" (Cannabis : the Régie du logement's contradictory decisions are disturbing).

Finally, important hearings involving CORPIQ will take place this fall. They will defend some of its members against the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ). The latter is claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars retroactively for employees who have worked to maintain rental housing, but who should have been paid according to the pay scale provided for in the collective agreement in the construction industry, says the CCQ.

CORPIQ's actions can be monitored via the Proprio+ newsletter, on its social networks and website.

Finally, CORPIQ will hold three conferences in early October in Quebec City, Montreal and Gatineau to review and answer questions from its members on its legal and government actions. Register in the "Events and Training" tab of www.corpiq.com.