July 1st: Tradition continues

It’s now a tradition in Quebec, the 1st of July moving day.

The streets of Montreal were teeming with trucks for the occasion. It was a very busy summer day for the movers who failed to meet demand.

Against the backdrop of the housing crisis, parents, friends and professionals were involved in moving furniture and boxes.

Residents interviewed by TVA Nouvelles said they had to be patient and be a bit lucky to find their new home.

“I found a roof, so it’s better than nothing,” says one citizen. He did several months of research before finding an apartment that suited his needs.

For her part, Marie-Philippe is moving for the third time in three years.

“We have friends who are back in France, they have a very nice apartment and the owners were kind enough not to raise the rent too much,” she says.

She’d rather buy a house, but with interest rates rising, she doesn’t want to put that financial pressure on herself.

“I don’t want to get into so much debt that buying a home could be,” she says.

This year, more than 200,000 Quebecers took advantage of July 1 to move into their home.