Rental Housing Inspections in Montreal: What the First 1,932 Visits Reveal

1,932 buildings visited in two years

The preventive housing inspection program was launched in January 2024 by Montreal's Service de l'habitation. It targets rental buildings with 6 or more units in socially vulnerable neighbourhoods. The scale-up has been dramatic: 108 visits during the pilot in the first half of 2024, then over 200 per month at its peak in May 2025. By the end of December 2025, 1,932 buildings had been inspected across 18 boroughs.

Inspectors evaluate six exterior components (foundation, envelope, openings, projections, interior of common areas, structural frame) on a 1 (good) to 6 (very poor) scale inspired by the European standard NEN 2767-1. When early external signs are concerning enough, the inspector can trigger a full integral inspection that extends the evaluation inside the units^[4]. Of the 1,932 inspected buildings, 453 (23%) were referred for such a deeper evaluation, and 115 (6%) received a formal infraction notice.

The public dataset does not track what happens to these 453 referrals: how many of the 115 notices concern buildings that went through an integral inspection, how many were issued directly, how many referrals were resolved without penalty, and how many are still pending. We return to this in the conclusion - it is the main transparency limitation of the program.

The legal framework: symbolic penalties

The Règlement sur la salubrité et l'entretien des logements (RVM 03-096), adopted in June 2003, authorizes the City to inspect any residential building and issue infraction notices. But the penalties are modest: a maximum of $625 for an individual, $1,250 for a corporation on a first offense^[4]. The City can carry out corrective work itself and bill the landlord, but this mechanism is rarely used.

The program's reach remains limited: it targets buildings with 6 or more units in priority areas. Single-family homes, duplexes, and triplexes - which make up a major share of Montreal's informal rental stock - are not covered. The program ultimately aims to cover 8,000 buildings in socially vulnerable areas, representing around 130,000 housing units, according to a City announcement in 2024^[3].

Balconies: the frontline of deterioration

Among the components assessed, projections - balconies, railings, cornices, and roof overhangs - are the most deteriorated: 46% of buildings score 3 or higher on this element (on a scale where 1 is excellent and 6 is very poor). The building envelope follows at 39%, and openings (doors, windows) at 28%. Foundations, often associated with the most serious structural problems, only exceed this threshold in 14% of cases.

These are visible problems that directly expose tenants to the elements and create safety risks. A deteriorated balcony can fall. A poorly sealed facade lets water in. These are not aesthetic concerns.

Toronto already covers its entire rental stock

The comparison with Toronto is instructive. The RentSafeTO^[9] program covers more than 3,500 buildings - every building with 3 or more storeys and 10 or more units, without geographic targeting. Landlords must register annually. Since April 2024, evaluations take place every 2 years (previously every 3). In 2023, 84% of inspected buildings met or exceeded compliance thresholds after re-inspection.

In Montreal, the program remains geographically targeted and covers only a fraction of the rental stock. The prioritization logic - focusing resources where tenants are most vulnerable - is defensible. But it leaves thousands of buildings whose tenants have no access to proactive inspection.

"Living in a healthy home should not be a luxury"

Tenant advocacy groups point out that poor housing conditions far exceed what preventive inspections can detect. According to Montreal's public health authority, 30% of Montreal households have at least one habitability problem - defective plumbing, visible mould, water infiltration, or pest infestations^[7]. The RCLALQ, which had long criticized Montreal for lacking the data needed to measure the effectiveness of its interventions, welcomes the new open dataset but calls for stronger enforcement measures against repeat offenders.

"Living in a healthy home should not be a luxury, but a right," said Maxime Roy-Allard of the RCLALQ^[8]. FRAPRU and RCLALQ jointly call for a provincial housing code establishing uniform habitability standards across all Quebec municipalities - a demand that has gone unanswered for years.

An early-detection tool - provided follow-up is ensured

It would be inaccurate to conclude the program has failed simply because it sanctions few buildings. Its stated goal is to identify at-risk buildings before they deteriorate further, and to encourage landlords to act voluntarily. Mayor Plante made this clear at launch^[2]: "With greater inspections and public disclosure of building conditions, we're giving concrete means to speed up bringing buildings to standard."

But detection only has value if it generates documented follow-through. Currently, our data cannot tell us what happens after a building is referred for full inspection. The City should publish data on the outcome of those 453 referrals: how many led to infractions, how many to voluntary repairs, how many are still pending. That follow-up would transform a detection program into a genuine landlord accountability tool.

With vacancy rates still below 2% in many Montreal neighbourhoods, tenants have little negotiating power to demand repairs^[10]. Transparency in inspection data is a first step - but without visible enforcement, it risks remaining symbolic.