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About a year after refusing what he considered to be an unreasonable rent increase, Frédérick Olivier finally had his day before Quebec’s housing tribunal.
The Quebec City tenant had been paying annual increases of about $8 to $10 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in 2023, his landlord proposed raising his rent by about $60 a month — over seven per cent, he recalled.
“When I compared it with previous years and with the percentage suggested by the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL), I felt it wasn’t reasonable,” Olivier said.
After refusing the increase, his landlord filed an application with the TAL to have the rent set by the tribunal.
Olivier then waited nearly 11 months for a hearing.
“It was anxiety-inducing,” he said. “I’m someone who doesn’t like conflict.”
Frédérick Olivier challenged a rent increase proposed by his landlord in 2023. (Radio-Canada)
Olivier’s experience reflects a growing trend in Quebec City.
Data obtained by Radio-Canada from the TAL shows the number of rent-setting and rent-review applications filed at the tribunal’s Quebec City office climbed from 623 in 2021-22 to 1,801 in 2025-26. The number peaked at 2,309 applications in 2024-25.
Across Quebec, applications rose from 7,201 to 22,176 over the same five-year period.
While waiting for his hearing, Olivier continued paying the rent listed on his existing lease. At the same time, he had to set aside money in case the tribunal ultimately approved a higher rent retroactively.
Beyond the financial uncertainty, he said the lack of information about the process added to his stress.
“I wondered how I would receive the hearing notice, whether it would come by email or mail, and what would happen if I didn’t receive it,” he said.
When the hearing finally took place, the tribunal authorized an increase of about $30 a month — less than what the landlord had initially requested.
Despite the stressful experience, Olivier says he would encourage other tenants to challenge rent increases they believe are unjustified.
“It’s one of our rights,” he said.
A 70% rise in rent-review applications
Sophie Loiselle, a housing counsellor with the Bureau d’animation et information logement (BAIL), said larger rent increases in recent years have contributed to the surge in tribunal cases.
“We’ve seen a 70 per cent increase since 2021 in the number of people coming to us because of rent increases,” she said.
Where tenants once sought advice about increases of roughly $10 a month, she said they are now commonly dealing with increases closer to $50. In some cases, landlords ask for increases as high as 16 per cent.
“We often see landlords asking for increases that are twice what the TAL recommends,” Loiselle said.
Sophie Loiselle from BAIL says their office often sees landlords asking for increases that are twice what the TAL recommends. (Flavie Sauvageau/Radio-Canada)
She says many tenants first seek advice to determine whether an increase appears justified before deciding whether to refuse it.
At the same time, Quebec’s tight rental market leaves many renters feeling they have little choice.
“Tenants don’t have the freedom to find a cheaper apartment elsewhere,” Loiselle said. “Many feel forced to accept increases even when they think they’re abusive.”
Those who decide to refuse often worry about retaliation from landlords and face months of uncertainty while waiting for a hearing, she added.
“It’s a very stressful situation,” Loiselle said. “During that time, they aren’t paying the increase, but if the tribunal approves it, they’ll have to repay those amounts.”