Tenants of Quebec public lands call proposed rent increases 'unacceptable and indefensible'

A group representing tenants of public lands in Quebec is speaking out against the province's plan to increase the rent for many of its members, describing the proposal as "unacceptable and indefensible."

The province rents out public land, mostly in wooded areas and near bodies of water, to Quebecers who can use them as camp sites, hunting camps or to build cottages.

Under the Natural Resources and Forestry Ministry's proposal, people with vacation lots would see their minimum rent go up by 46 per cent, meaning it would go from $343 to $500. For those with rough shelters, the hike would be 52 per cent, going from $198 to $300 per year.

The new prices, outlined in Quebec's Official Gazette, would take effect next January.

The Regroupement des locataires des terres publiques du Québec said the increase would affect about 26,000 members in total. 

"We understand that it has to increase, but why so much?" said Bertrand Grenier, an administrator of the association who has rented his own public land lot near Chibougamau since 1981.

The Ministry said in a statement to Radio-Canada that the rents hadn't been revised in 15 years, and that "it's only fair to update the rates to better reflect the fair value of the land." 

But Grenier says that the rates have been increasing steadily for years, with his own lot going from 263$ a year in 2010 to 577$ in 2024. 

His own rent would be raised by less than 46 or 52 per cent because he pays more than the minimum fee, but he is speaking out on behalf of those affected by the steep increases, he said.

He added that the association have known of the proposed increases since the winter, and had been in negotiations with the Ministry.

"The rent of the land is one thing, but we pay municipal taxes," he said. "And we also, believe it or not, we also pay school taxes."

He added that the high demand for the land allows the government to increase prices to their liking. In 2021, over 28,000 people signed up to access the 189 lots made available that year, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The province uses a lottery system to give out these lands. 

Grenier says the association hopes to put enough pressure on the government to accept their proposal to spread the increases over five years. 

In a statement, the ministry wrote that "draft regulations are currently under consultation, and we are listening to all stakeholders."