13 July 2023
Public consultations on the fight against poverty
We are particularly concerned about the housing issue. Every week, we hear from consumers who are faced with agonizing choices because of the ever-increasing proportion of their income that must be spent on housing. Moving to the regions is no longer an option for reducing housing costs. In our view, the situation is alarming and must be addressed.
The government once put forward a law to guide the government and all of Quebec society in planning and implementing actions to combat poverty, prevent its causes, mitigate its effects on individuals and families, counter social exclusion and move towards a poverty-free Quebec. In the current context, this target is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.
Indeed, with the meteoric rise in spending on housing and food, expenses intimately linked to essential needs without which we cannot aspire to a decent life, Option consommateurs is proposing a series of measures to help consumers, such as improving certain government allowances and ensuring better access to housing (section 1).
We would also like to take advantage of these consultations to propose various measures to strengthen consumer rights and support advocacy groups in Quebec (section 2), as well as to increase funding for SACAIS (section 3). The aim of these requests is to provide greater access to justice for Quebecers.
Option consommateurs is presenting its brief as part of the public consultations for the development of the government's fourth action plan to combat poverty and social exclusion.
See also...
Consultation on proposals to strengthen Canada's financial sector
Option consommateurs is calling on the federal government to modify the banks' legal framework to make them more accountable for fraud. In our opinion, it is urgent that the federal government act on this issue to offer consumers real protection against bank fraud.