Housing for all
Protectingthe social safety net, not profits: Projet Montréal wants to protect all rooming houses and take them off the market
Montreal, October 3, 2025 — Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal, announces his intention to protect rooming houses throughout Montreal by prohibiting their conversion and buying up the buildings to protect them from speculation. This announcement is part of Projet Montréal's vision to “house everyone” by intervening at every stage of the housing ladder — from emergency shelters to home ownership — to ensure that every person, regardless of their situation, can find safe, stable, and sustainable housing that is within their means.
These units are essential for low-income individuals and those in highly precarious situations, as they offer more affordable prices. While these buildings have been disappearing for decades on the island of Montreal, Projet Montréal intends to act quickly to preserve this housing stock and ensure its sustainability.
Since 2020, eight boroughs led by Projet Montréal have already banned the conversion of rooming houses. These measures, demanded by community organizations, have saved housing, such as on the Plateau-Mont-Royal, where a building was renovated and maintained in its original use despite a conversion project.
"Too many Montrealers are worried about not being able to stay in their apartments and ending up on the streets, especially those who live in rooming houses. These dwellings are often the last safety net before the streets and one of the crucial steps in getting out of homelessness. Protecting them means protecting and reassuring the most vulnerable people and offering them an alternative. Under Projet Montréal, the City has already taken action, but we must go further so that no borough turns its back on these essential housing units," said Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal.
Concrete measures to protect this housing stock
Projet Montréal proposes to ban the conversion of rooming houses throughout Montreal, so that this protection applies everywhere and not only in boroughs governed by the party. Projet Montréal is therefore proposing to purchase rooming houses throughout Montreal and resell them to non-profit organizations.
Projet Montréal will continue to use the right of first refusal, allowing the City to buy back buildings, including rooming houses, before they fall into the hands of private developers. Nine buildings, representing 138 rooms, have already been protected through this mechanism.
These measures will be implemented in the first year of the next term of office. The objective is clear: to protect as many rooms as possible, consolidate this threatened housing stock, and give people in vulnerable situations the security of a roof over their heads.
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Source :
Simon Charron
Chief's press officer
Projet Montréal
