MONTREAL — Tenants in dozens of Montreal apartment buildings are blocking workers from replacing their heating systems, fearing the renovation will violate their leases. Élodie Fortuné has posted a notice on her door stating the landlord lacks legal authorization to enter. Her building is part of the Norgate apartments, a complex of more than 70 buildings in Saint-Laurent bought by private investors in 2024. Fortuné's lease specifies her landlord covers heating and hot water costs, but the switch from gas to electric heating would transfer those expenses to her hydro bill. "My rent represents three-quarters of my budget," Fortuné said.
Nicolas Sima, a spokesperson for the owner Norgate Québec Inc. and the management company Gestion Capital Montréal, said the current systems are obsolete and must be replaced. He stated the company will reimburse tenants for additional electricity costs based on a comparison with the previous year's usage. The Comité logement Saint-Laurent, a tenants' rights group, says it is assisting about 200 residents who oppose the changes. The group's director, Maria Vasquez, said the owners also attempted to make tenants fully responsible for heating costs during recent lease renewals. She argues the Tribunal administratif du logement must rule on those cases before any work proceeds.
"This is changing your contract, and this needs to be a tribunal decision," Vasquez said. She reported that building managers have told tenants they risk losing heat and hot water if they refuse access to workers. In some instances, managers have threatened fines of $500 per day for blocking the work, which Vasquez called intimidation. Fortuné added that the installation of individual water heaters will require tenants to empty a closet, sacrificing valuable storage space. Sima denied any intimidation, arguing the work does not alter lease conditions and therefore does not require approval from the housing tribunal.
Sima explained that if a tenant who has been properly notified still denies access, the company may seek to recover damages through the tribunal. He said the management firm offers to install cabinets or shelving to compensate for lost storage. Fortuné countered that this does not restore the actual square footage of her apartment. Housing lawyer David Searle said the legal situation is not clear-cut. Tenants can contest major work within 10 days of notification, but otherwise they are generally obligated to allow it. If they believe a lease is being breached, they can ask the tribunal to intervene, though it may not halt the renovations.
"It would require research to look into how this specific situation has been treated before," Searle explained. He noted tenants could be caught in a dilemma between protecting their lease terms and being accused of non-cooperation if they later complain about a lack of services. The Coalition of Housing Committees and Tenants Associations of Quebec said the proposed reimbursement model is problematic. Organizer Jean-Christophe Bureau argued it places too much power with the landlord. "If the renter isn't happy or does not reach the same calculation as the owner, the owner has the power to reimburse them or not," Bureau said.
Fortuné said the conflict has caused her significant distress. "This is the first time in the 16 years I've been in Quebec that I've had this knot in my stomach," she said. She vowed to continue fighting to maintain the original conditions of her lease. "If the idea is to change the terms in a way that ends up increasing my rent even further, well, no."