Quebec solidaire Relaunches Solidarity Pact to Aid First-Time Home Buyers
In the wake of the demonstration against Bill 31, Quebec solidaire‘s housing spokesperson, Andrés Fontecilla, announced a renewed effort to aid first-time home buyers. The initiative centers on a crucial transparency measure: the mandatory disclosure of concurrent offers on properties.
As the housing market in Quebec is projected to see a 13 percent sales drop in 2023, Fontecilla attributes this downturn to a lack of open bidding, which he argues precipitates excessive pricing. “We are trapped in a speculative bubble that spans across sectors,” Fontecilla remarked, emphasizing the dire need for reform. He advocates for the abolition of blind bidding to combat this speculative frenzy.
Fontecilla presented the perspective that this speculative bubble disproportionately impacts younger families, hindering their ability to compete in the property market without incurring significant debt. He stressed the importance of market transparency, suggesting that this alone could curb the current trend of overbidding and speculation. “Our proposal may not be a cure-all, but it aims at mitigating the issues wreaking havoc in the property market,” he stated.
Seizing the moment, Fontecilla aims to harness the momentum from the anti-Bill 31 movement to pressure the government into adopting this policy. “We need to push the CAQ into action,” he asserts, emphasizing the strategy to leverage public sentiment for policy change.
With no response from the Office de protection du consommateur regarding the proposed measures, the spotlight is on Quebec Solidaire’s push for transparency and fairness in the housing market. As the debate unfolds, this initiative could represent a crucial step towards rectifying the challenges faced by first-time home buyers in Quebec.
