Relocating is always tricky this time of year for Montrealers, but with rising rent and a labour shortage, this season is especially tough.
Meldrum the Mover, a moving company in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, says business has only gotten busier during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a boom in the real estate market.
But while demand is high, the supply of workers is not.
"There is a real labour crunch," said Paul Filgiano, the company's owner. "It makes it a little more challenging to get the qualified movers and people in place, so the availability of services has been limited."
He said the rising fuel costs also mean higher moving costs for consumers, who are already facing skyrocketing rents.
Catherine Marcox, community organizer for housing advocacy group RAPSIM, says a lack of affordable housing and the rising cost of living has been particularly challenging for vulnerable groups.
"It is really difficult for people with low income or in poverty to find affordable, truly affordable, housing," she said.
The average rent for a one-bedroom in Montreal currently sits at around $1,400.
The city is offering emergency assistance to people priced out of their homes come July 1. Last moving day, almost 400 households needed the temporary help.
But outreach workers say the city's criteria are too restrictive, and what's really needed is more funding from the province.
"The government of Quebec must act proactively and invest massively in social housing," said Marcox.
