Like many families in Montreal, mine is still unpacking — digging through boxes to find the tools and utensils we need to make summer meals special. The difference is, our last move was over a year ago.

Moving Day might be a Montreal tradition, but behind the bustle lies a deeper reality: Housing has become a business that leaves some families in limbo, and the ripple effects last long after the rental truck pulls away.

When a move is unexpected or leaves families stretching every dollar to secure their next place, the aftermath can mean months — sometimes years — of re-establishing routines, personal networks and support systems, and that’s if you end up with an address of your own.

In Quebec, homelessness rose 44 per cent between 2018 and 2022, with nearly 4,700 people in Montreal living without a stable home. Montrealers aren’t alone in this challenge.

Across Canada during that same time, nearly one in nine households were living in homes that were unaffordable or inadequate, according to the C.D. Howe........

© Montreal Gazette