Latest news with #GuillaumeClicheRivard
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Sud-Ouest man honoured for rescuing neighbours from apartment fire
Sebastien Blais was recognized by the Sud-Ouest borough for helping residents escape a June 29 blaze before firefighters arrived. A man who helped rescue neighbours from a fire in the Sud-Ouest borough on June 29 was honoured Monday evening. Sebastien Blais signed the borough's golden book at Sud-Ouest borough hall for his bravery. Last week, Blais also received an award from MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard. More than 100 Montreal firefighters battled the four-alarm blaze at a three-storey residential building at Hadley and Cardinal streets. Blais said he smelled smoke earlier that evening and suspected a fire on his block. He ran down the street and saw smoke coming from the apartment building. With emergency services not yet on scene, Blais knocked on doors to warn residents. Several people, including a sleeping couple, were able to get out because of his warning. 'I have four children at home, so helping others and teaching my kids the right example is something I emphasize,' he said. 'When it happened, I didn't have time to think. I just followed my instincts and took action. I did what I had to do.' No one was injured. The Red Cross and the Office municipal d'habitation assisted families forced from their homes. With files from CTV News' Rachel Lau.
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Quebec to allow roommates in low-income housing
Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau at a press conference in Quebec City on 22 May 2024.(Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) The Quebec government has tabled a draft regulation to allow roommate situations in subsidized low-income housing (HLM). Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau made the announcement on Wednesday morning, explaining that the government wants 'more people to have access to low-income housing while ensuring that there are as few under-occupied units as possible.' The draft regulation, published in the Gazette officielle du Québec, would amend the low-rent housing regulation to allow roommate situations. Many have been pushing the government to change its rules on sharing HLMs. Currently, it is only permitted when a household includes a caregiver in housing intended for people aged 65 and over, and in housing intended for people with disabilities or needs that require special facilities. In a news release, the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) said permitting shared accommodation in social housing 'will allow for a better match between the composition of households and the types of housing available, while contributing to more efficient management of the housing stock.' According to the SHQ, subsidized programs currently support more than 114,320 low-income households, with rent fixed at 25 per cent of their income. Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Guillaume Cliche-Rivard has been pressing François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government on this issue since May. In a press release, he welcomed Duranceau's announcement, noting that 'this change will make several hundred places available in social housing.' 'This is not going to solve the housing crisis, but I am glad that the CAQ has finally agreed to adopt this measure, which is cost-neutral,' he added. He said he hopes the administration will be willing to study and implement other measures to alleviate the affordability crisis, like capping rent increases and ending blind bidding wars. Now that the draft regulation has been pre-published in the Gazette officielle du Québec, it is subject to a 45-day public consultation period before adoption. Provisions for domestic violence, disaster victims The draft also suggests amendments for victims of conjugal violence, like replacing the notion of 'victim of domestic violence' with 'victim of family violence, including domestic violence.' It will allow applicants for low-income housing to use a certificate issued by a centre for victims of crime to find a home. Additionally, the government said it will extend the deadline for priority applications to low-income housing to 30 days following a disaster or having a dwelling declared unfit for habitation. With files from The Canadian Press.
CTV News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Ruba Ghazal wants QS to endorse pro-worker stance
Quebec Solidaire Leader Ruba Ghazal questions the government at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press) Québec Solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal wants her party's members to endorse a pro-worker stance at the party's National Council meeting this weekend. 'We need to prioritize and focus on one major issue, and that is workers. That doesn't mean we're putting everything else aside, far from it,' she told The Canadian Press. She insists that this is not a vote of confidence in her leadership. 'It's the members who decide. So we shouldn't assume anything, but I'm not worried about that,' said Ghazal. After Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois resigned as party co-spokesperson and the party suffered a disastrous result in the Terrebonne by-election last March, Ghazal said that QS needed to rediscover its 'North star.' Since then, she has been trying to focus her discourse on defending workers. 'Especially since we are facing a CAQ government that is anti-worker. We have seen this with the increase in labour disputes in the public sector,' says Ruba Ghazal. QS was quick to denounce Bill 89, which was passed last week and limits the right to strike in certain circumstances. According to interim co-spokesperson Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, the 'Manifesto for a Quebec in solidarity with its workers' that will be submitted to members is 'also a promise of action on the ground.' 'We intend to be much closer to workers, on the ground, visiting their workplaces and meeting with them,' he says. With its poll numbers struggling, QS hopes that this new direction will shift the polls in its favour. A Léger poll published in May puts QS at only 10 per cent of voting intentions. The Qc125 poll aggregator projects only six seats for the political party. QS currently has 12 members in the National Assembly. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 8, 2025.
