Quebec Solidaire wants to ban no-pet clauses in rental leases

Quebec Solidaire (QS) introduced a motion Thursday to ban “no-pet” clauses in leases for rental housing, which the party called “unacceptable” as moving day approaches.

The legislation, packaged within Bill 494, would amend the law to prohibit no-pet clauses once passed. Quebec Solidaire housing critic Andre Fontecilla, who introduced the bill, said Quebecers with pets are facing an “uphill battle” to find housing.

“It’s unacceptable that thousands of Quebecers have to choose between giving up their four-legged friend or finding a place to live, when the solution is simple,” said the MNA in a press release.

The law would apply only to companion animals, like cats, parrots and dogs, and not animals kept for food or breeding purposes.

In June of last year, QS MNA Manon Massé tabled a petition signed by more than 33,000 people calling to nullify all no-pet clauses in the province.

In that petition, Massé wrote that more than half of Quebec households have a cat or dog, but that a minority of landlords accept tenants with animals.

She also wrote that no-pet clauses push “countless” people to surrender their animals in favour of housing and that they disproportionately affect low-income residents, who already face a reduced pool of affordable lodgings.

Montreal SPCA Director Sophie Gaillard said in April that her shelters were receiving about 20 surrendered animals per day.

Up to that month, the organization took in 113 more cats and 81 more dogs compared to the same period in 2022.

She blamed the rising cost of living for the increase, telling The Canadian Press that more people were giving away their animals because “they can’t afford to take care of them.”

It’s possible the rate could increase as Quebec approaches moving day on July 1.

“As is the case every year, moving season hits us hard at the Montreal SPCA,” she said Thursday in a press release announcing Bill 494.

"Trouble finding animal-friendly housing is one of the main reasons why animals are abandoned at shelters."