Quebec will consult the public about how to change the rules governing condo construction in the province, Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier said Sunday.
The boom in condo construction in Quebec has led to several problems that must be corrected, Fournier said. The provincial government intends to enact new legislation, but wants to first get input from citizens, he said.
By 2016, condos will make up an estimated 266,000 Quebec homes, Fournier said. In Montreal last year, there were more condos being built than single-family homes. But condo buyers have pointed out many problems, including the fact that payments made to builders are not sufficiently protected, there are gaps in information made available to buyers, buildings are neglected, and administrators are not sufficiently trained.
Some of those issues were raised in a March 2011 report by a working group on co-ownership in Quebec. It recommended the government make changes that could affect supervision on work sites, deposit protection and information given to buyers.
“We want to act to correct the existing problems and prevent those that could befall condo owners,” Fournier said.
Two consultations will be held — one in Quebec City on March 15 and 16 — and another in Montreal on March 29 and 30 as well as on April 13. They will be conducted by a special committee that will submit recommendations to Fournier by the summer. Notary Christine Gagnon and economist François Desrosiers will head the committee.
The Chambre des notaires du Québec is setting up a website dedicated to the consultation, where people can register to participate.