Montreal to buy 78 rooming houses to protect them from developers
Some renters in Montreal who can't find affordable housing are turning to rooming houses, where renters pay for a bedroom in multi-tenant houses and share common living spaces.
The city says it's investing in over 70 of them to protect them from developers.
"Rooming housing is the last defence against homelessness for many people," said Montreal executive committee member Robert Beaudry. "This is huge to fight homelessness right now."
The city plans to protect 78 rooming houses in nine boroughs by using the right of first refusal, allow it to purchase the homes at market value.
"It prevents the effect of gentrification or speculation on this housing," Beaudry explained.
"Sometimes we have to create new housing but other times we have to preserve what is already built," he added.
One housing advocacy group says it's a way to ensure the houses don't get flipped or torn down altogether.
"We've seen with how fast the speculation is going in Montreal, they're targetted because it's easy to transform them and make way more money," said Catherine Lussier of FRAPRU.
But she worries if the city gets involved and fixes them up, it could eventually price out residents.
"In the past, some transformations of rooming housing forced people to leave the place."
Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission said while it's a good move, it's not a permanent solution.
"It's one of the least optimal options for housing," he said, noting that rooming houses often don't meet modern standards.
"However someone who has a roof over their head that has a level of permanance to it is far better than the alternative."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.