Eviction Protections — Quebec

Quebec has some of the strongest tenant protections in Canada, rooted in the Civil Code of Quebec (CCQ), Book V, Title II (articles 1851-2000), which governs the lease of dwellings. Evictions in Quebec are handled by the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL), formerly known as the Regie du logement.

• A landlord cannot evict a tenant simply because the lease has ended. In Quebec, residential leases automatically renew at the end of the term under the same conditions unless the tenant gives notice of non-renewal. This right of renewal (right of maintained occupancy) is a fundamental protection.
• A landlord can apply to the TAL to evict a tenant only for specific legal reasons: non-payment of rent, late payment of rent on a frequent basis, serious disturbance of other tenants' peaceful enjoyment, or other serious breaches of lease obligations.
• A landlord may also recover a dwelling (reprise de logement) to live in it themselves or to house a close family member, but must follow strict rules including giving 6 months' notice for a fixed-term lease and providing the tenant's right to contest the repossession before the TAL.
• Eviction for major renovations (eviction for subdivision, enlargement, or change of use) is permitted but the landlord must give proper notice, pay relocation costs, and the tenant has a right of first refusal to return.
• The TAL must authorize any eviction. A landlord cannot lock out a tenant, change the locks, or remove a tenant's belongings without a TAL order.

The 3-year moratorium on evictions for subdivision and change of use (since 6 June 2024)

Under Bill 65 (SQ 2024), the grounds for eviction for subdivision, enlargement, or change of destination of a dwelling are currently suspended under a 3-year moratorium that began on 6 June 2024. During this period a landlord cannot file for these grounds at the TAL. The moratorium does not suspend repossession (reprise) for the landlord's own use or for a close family member — those cases continue to be heard.

Reprise (repossession) — separate from eviction

Under CCQ arts. 1957-1964, only a natural-person landlord can repossess a dwelling to live in it themselves, or to house their child, parent, or ex-spouse still dependent on them. Notice periods: 6 months before lease end (lease longer than 6 months), 1 month (lease of 6 months or less), or 6 months (indeterminate lease). The tenant has 1 month to accept or refuse — silence is deemed refusal, and the landlord must then apply to the TAL to obtain authorization. Pretextual repossession exposes the landlord to damages and a wrongful-termination order.

Senior protection — CCQ art. 1959.1 (amended 6 June 2024)

Reprise is prohibited against a tenant who is 65 years of age or older, has occupied the dwelling for 10 or more years, and whose income does not exceed the low-rental-housing threshold. Narrow exceptions apply when the landlord is also 70+, in the same income bracket, and wants to move in themselves. Bill 31 (effective 21 February 2024) broadened the senior-protection framework.

Eviction indemnity — CCQ art. 1965

If eviction (not repossession) is authorized in a permitted case, the tenant is entitled to a minimum indemnity of 3 months' rent plus moving expenses. The TAL may order a higher amount based on the circumstances.

Lease assignment — post-Bill 31 change (21 February 2024)

Since 21 February 2024, a landlord may refuse a lease assignment for any reason (before Bill 31, refusal required a "serious reason"). In exchange, the tenant has the right to terminate the lease in that scenario — so the landlord loses the ability to pass the rent-ceiling history (Vormiete-style protection) to an incoming tenant by refusing the assignment. Short-term effect: some landlords now refuse assignments to reset rents, but the tenant simply exits the lease.

Non-payment of rent — CCQ art. 1971

Non-payment of rent does not become a basis for resiliation until the rent is unpaid for at least 3 weeks. Landlords can then file at the TAL for resiliation and recovery of arrears.