The party has committed to introducing a corresponding bill by the end of the parliamentary session. Last June, Québec Solidaire submitted a petition with 33,000 signatures making the same demand.
While Quebecers’ mental health is being eroded, owning a pet seems like a simple and effective way to bring them some comfort, said Solidarity co-spokeswoman Manon Massé. People love their dog or cat because it makes them feel good, she argues. Several studies have shown that pets have a positive impact on human mental health.
Ms. Massé added that for many Quebecers, having a pet is vital to their well-being and even their overall health.
A third of people who have pets notice lower blood pressure, she says. Two-thirds who see a decrease in their stress levels. Seniors who have a pet see their doctor 30% less often than those who don’t have a pet.
Limit dropouts
For his part, his colleague from Laurier-Dorion, Andrés Fontecilla, sees a form of discrimination in prohibiting tenants from keeping a pet, which for many is a full family member. It looks like a different treatment. Landlords have the right to an animal, but not their tenants. For what? he asks.
The director general of the Montreal SPCA, Me Sophie Gaillard, who was present at Thursday’s press conference, pointed out that the ban on keeping a pet is the cause of a very large number of animal abandonments, and this since the extension of the Lease begins in March.
As every year, we will see heartbreaking scenes where responsible animal rights activists who love their animals and take good care of them are forced to abandon them at a shelter because they can’t keep them in their homes, she laments.
Enlarge picture (New window)“As moving season approaches, the Montreal SPCA is concerned about the lack of shelters that accept pets,” said Mr. Gaillard.
Photo: Radio Canada / Ivanoh Demers
According to Me Gaillard, relocations are responsible for the equivalent of one abandoned animal per day in the Montreal SPCA alone, and this is the main reason people are shedding their pets at the provincial level.
Whether he loses his pet or his roof, the choice is crucial, adds Mr. Fontecilla. We believe in a simple, pragmatic, and no-cost solution for the state that would allow renters to keep their pets, reduce animal abandonment, and positively impact the mental health of thousands of renters.
CORPIQ surprised and against the project
Supporting MPs recalled that this is how French and Ontario elected officials legislated in the 1970s and 1990s. Have we seen a revolution in Ontario? asks Ms Massé, who was asked if she expected an outcry from homeowner groups.
Enlarge picture (New window)QS emphasizes that pets have a central influence on the mental health of the population.
Photo: Radio Canada / Ivanoh Demers
In response, the Corporation of Quebec Real Estate Owners (CORPIQ) said it was surprised by Quebec Solidaire’s announcement given the housing crisis.
Their spokesman Marc-André Plante regretted that the political party is prioritizing the legislation issue of animals over the glaring lack of housing units to accommodate all tenants looking for a roof. He reminded that 65% of the current owners accept the presence of animals with certain restrictions.
CORPIQ is opposed to systematically enforcing the right to animals in apartments because there are tenants who are molested by animals and who also have rights, says Mr. Plante.
He says he fears the perverse effects of such a bill, which, among other things, could leave landlords in an awkward position to settle disputes between tenants over the presence of an animal.
What Québec solidaire advocates is enforcing the right to an animal in Québec’s 1.5 million homes, regardless of the fact that an ideal environment is provided for both animals and all tenants, he continues.
An unfair and unreasonable proposition, says the APQ
In a press release, the Quebec Landlords Association (APQ) said it was not surprised by Quebec Solidaire’s recurring request. The organization, which provides services to owners of rental housing, believes that it would be unfair and unreasonable to impose such a decision, which has significant financial consequences for tenants and owners.
The President of APQ, Martin Messier, insists that Quebec Solidaire’s proposal does not take into account reality, especially since France and Ontario, unlike Quebec, allow bail.
Should we silence people who are afraid of living in a building with animals? Or even people with animal allergies? Renters have requests from visiting the property before signing to avoid buildings that accommodate animals in several cases, he recalls.
The association also points out that the problems related to the presence of animals in homes are often the fault of their owners, who leave them alone, do not collect their excrement in public areas or are careless. We regret problems against which the law is of little use.