Many Montrealers getting priced off the island, meaning Moving Day will be busy
The cost of living in Montreal continues to rise, and Moving Day is right around the corner at a time when many Montrealers are getting priced off the island.
Bill Rusnak lives in Montreal's NDG borough and is moving to Brossard where he bought a house.
Rusnak said he couldn't afford a place on the island.
"It’s wild right now," he said. "These are stories you grow up hearing about Toronto or Vancouver, where people are paying $100, $150,000 over. And I just couldn’t stay in NDG."
This year's July 1 moving day comes as the cost of living in Montreal is exploding.
"My rent didn’t change, but the next guy going in for sure will be paying more," said Rusnak.
For movers, it means some logistical hurdles, as it seems more people are making the move off the island this year.
"When it first happened last year, yes there were a lot of cancellations and things that were pushed off to a later date," said Bust-A-Move co-owner Bob Clark. "We know the rush is coming. It’s just something we get used to, it’s busier."
The average rent cost on the Island of Montreal is more than $1,300 a month, and a lot of people who put off moving during the pandemic may be making up for lost time now.
The rising rents has created something of a housing crisis that the city's administration is looking to improve.
"We’ve been working for more than six months to create units for people who find themselves in the street who couldn’t find an apartment," said Mayor Valerie Plante.
Plante said the city is adding about 300 affordable housing units, about a third more than last year, in a bid to head off a housing crunch.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.