Lodging difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic

Help for those seeking housing in Brome-missisquoi

FMRC Brome-missisquoi

or many, the 1st of July is not only Canada Day but Moving Day. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, several landlords and people who need to move are wondering if visiting rental units is permitted. Even though the provincial government strongly suggest renewing existing leases, looking for and visiting apartments or other kinds of lodging is very much permitted.

A guide, published by the Quebec government, detailing good health practices to follow before, during and after a move is available at: http:// www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/ internet/documents/covid-19-movingbrochure.pdf

To add to this guide, the members of the Lodging Committee in collaboration with the Sac à mots produced a good health practice memo for visiting rental units during the pandemic. The memo will be available on the MRC’S website at: www.mrcbm. qc.ca as of Monday, May 11.

Help to find a dwelling

With a high occupancy rate throughout Brome-missisquoi and knowing that finding lodging during the pandemic may not be an easy task, an outreach worker from l’office d’habitation de Brome-missisquoi is available to help people who are having problems finding a new dwelling. For help finding a rental unit, please communicate with the Office d’habitation at: 450 263-2143 extension 106, or at 1-833-843-2143 (toll free number).

With COVID-19, discrimination felt by certain tenants

The Lodging Committee works in close collaboration with many community organisations that support populations that are sometimes excluded or marginalized. Committee members have noticed that certain people who face certain obstacles be it their financial situation (example: people receiving social assistance) or their lived reality (transgender people, single parents, people with mental health issues, etc.) are facing more discrimination with the rental shortage and the self-isolation measures currently in place. To minimize discriminatory behaviour, we invite the population be more conscientious, open and accepting. For anyone who feels aggrieved regarding their rights of access to housing, we invite you to contact ACEF Montérégie-est at 450 375-1443 extension 322.

Help for emergency lodging:

Furthermore, in regards to COVID-19, an emergency fund for temporary shelter has been established. Emergency lodging is available for people without a permanent home or for people who must move quickly for various reasons. This “last resort” help, which is for those who have exhausted all possibilities, provides shelter for the time needed to find more permanent lodging. To access this help, people can communicate directly with a community organisation in Bromemissisquoi. The Lodging Committee wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Centraide, the Caisses populaires Desjardins de Brome-missisquoi and de la Pommeraie and MNA Isabelle Charest for their generous financial contribution to this fund.