Montreal City Weblog

Kate 20:51 on 2025-04-01 Permalink Reply  

• Tim S. 21:49 on 2025-04-01 Permalink

  Same

• Ian 07:37 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  A lot of things went up this year and last, for sure – and Papa Legault is going to make it out that we should be grateful Hydro only went up 3%. When all our expenses to continue to outpace wages year over year it’s hard to see how the CAQ are going to maintain their “wise stewardship” schtick. This may explain why they are so eager to enact Bill 89, basically making striking illegal & forcing arbitration if labour unrest inconveniences the government.

• Meezly 11:54 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  I got a message from Hydro QC yesterday for yet another planned outage in my sector on Friday starting at 8:30AM for 7 goddamn hours for “power system repair or improvement.” I was hoping it was an April Fool’s joke, but no. I just hope it’s to improve the power system so that there will be fewer disruptions in the future.

  The last planned outage was in early January when it was minus 18C. That was fun for my retired neighbours. I tried to find a way to complain on the Hydro QC site but could only find a way to request to find out how many outages have occurred in my sector, so I did that.

  I was surprised to find a fairly prompt response in the mail saying there have been 260 outages (planned and unplanned) in my sector between January 2015 and January 2025. That averages to 26 outages a year. I know my sector is particularly worse than others (Mile End). But that sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?

  If I’m going to pay higher fees, Hydro QC should at least compensate customers so they can go out for a meal since they can’t cook, let alone make coffee!

• kb 14:54 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  5.9% was the base amount recommended, not the max amount allowed. In landlord’s calculations, much could be added to that 5.9%. In fact, just a 5.9% increase is considered low and quite lucky (mine went up 6.3%, and I considered that lucky enough)

• Joey 16:26 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  @Meezly, those kinds of planned outages allow HQ to do infrastructure improvement work and also to allow private citizens and companies to do construction and other work safely – when the work has to be done in proximity to HQ infrastructures such that it would be unsafe to leave the power running. If someone has an alternative suggesting, I’m sure HQ would love to hear it…

  Also a lot of the 260 outages are not exactly sector-wide…

• Nicholas 18:03 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  Kate, kb, the amount given by the TAL is the suggested amount, neither the max nor the base, but an average. Each amount is individual, and if you go to the TAL they will calculate an amount based on the actual costs, such as property taxes, insurance, repairs, etc. That amount could be higher or lower than what the landlord initially proposes.

• Kate 18:30 on 2025-04-02 Permalink

  Nicholas – but, if what I read is true, any record of going to the TAL besmirches one’s permanent record and can make it harder to rent in the future.

  Before 2024, I always looked at the suggested hike from my landlord, made a counter-offer, and had it accepted. In 2024, seeing what’s being asked for apartments like this, I thought it safer just to fold. I’m going to fold again.

• Ian 22:37 on 2025-04-03 Permalink

  Same. I moved only 3 years ago but if I get renovicted in today’s rental economy I’ll have to move to raw brownland in the east end