The countdown is being felt for thousands of renters who will have to vacate their homes in the coming days. They struggle to find movers who are unable to meet the demand themselves.
• Also read: This is how you negotiate painlessly with your mover
“We have an unprecedented volume of calls. People keep calling for the same day or for the next day, we’ve never experienced that! says Chantale Paquet, owner of Prix modique – Moving and Storage in Quebec City.
As affordable housing is particularly scarce this year, it has taken people longer to find the rare pearl and then contact movers, she explains.
Photo agency QMI, Marcel Tremblay
Clan Panneton at work to help a family move to Saint-Lambert, near Montreal.
A situation also observed by Clan Panneton co-owner Pierre-Olivier Cyr on the Montreal side.
“I’ve never had so many July 1st calls at this stage of the year. However, we have been complete for at least 3 months! ‘ he says, noting the sense of panic these last-minute customers feel.
The increase in moving costs, which for some is up to 50% more than in previous years, does not seem to deter them. “They’re ready for anything, they’re in a bad way,” explains Ms. Paquet.
Cannot be deployed
One of the causes of this problem is also the labor shortage. Low Price – Moves and storage is limited to twenty moves per day, which has lost 30% to 40% of its staff and trucks.
Photo agency QMI, Marcel Tremblay
A sketched scene at Lac-Beauport.
As for the Quebec branch of Déménagement La Capitale, we are limited to a dozen “jobs” a day, while on July 1 we have a requirement to do 70.
“But I lack the staff. Of course, to have the best, we had to pay the price,” says the site’s managing director, Jean-Sébastien Bonin.
For its part, Clan Panneton is committed to reaching out to agencies in the Montreal region to meet the need.
“But in the rest of Quebec, it’s a complete lack,” says Pierre-Olivier Cyr.
perfect storm
The latter also explains that a perfect storm is in store for movers and their customers.
In addition to a scarce and expensive labor force, movers have difficulty repairing their trucks or purchasing new ones due to supply problems with spare parts.
Added to this is the galloping inflation, which is noticeably doubling the price of the boxes, and the gas prices, which have risen drastically as a result of the war in Ukraine.
“We are planning difficult weeks for the movers, we don’t want to pass the bill on to the customers. We’re not even sure [d’être rentables] this year,” laments Mr. Cyr.
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