Some Kebeckers are celebrating Canada Day, while others are participating in a more stressful kind of tradition: Moving Day.
Stress levels are breaking through the roof as people move during the state-wide housing crisis this year.
Alicia Melancon considers herself lucky.
After two months of research, she found an apartment for her and her three roommates in the Plateau-Mont-Royal district of Montreal.
"I was lucky because this neighborhood is so expensive, and we found something at that price," Melancon said.
She is one of the thousands of people moving to Montreal on Friday. But this year is not as easy as last year.
"I was really stressed because the price seemed like an obstacle," Melancon said.
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This is because Montreal is experiencing a housing crisis, housing advocates say that soaring rents are now across the state. This is because it states that it is a prevalent phenomenon.
According to the Quebec Housing Commission and Tenant Association Union (RCLALQ), rents on available lists have increased by almost 10% across Quebec.
"A family of four in motion now? I don't want to be in their position," said Michael Seviny, who lives in the Milton Park area.
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Seviny decides to move out of the apartment until he sees how much rent is currently increasing elsewhere. He says he considered it.
Catherine Lussier, a community worker at the front d'action populaire enré aménagement urbain (FRAPRU) housing advocacy group, says the government needs to take more steps to ensure access to affordable homes. It states.
"There is also a lack of development of social housing, which is the solution for us," Lucier said.
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However, Lucier has thousands of social promised housing units within the last decade remain unconstructed.
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The state recently announced that it will build an additional 3,000 social and affordable housing units throughout Quebec.
However, critics say these units haven't been built for years and need a shorter-term solution.
"To make sure people have reasonable rent, we need a real rent management system. Order companies like Airbnb that are robbing the housing market of apartments from their neighborhood. We need to bring it, so we need to act now, "said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, spokesman for Québec solidaire.
Read more: Community activists ask about the "affordability" of Montreal's new housing plans
Meanwhile, Quebec's Municipal Minister says Andre Laforest will be immediately available to anyone who finds himself out of the house on the day of his move.
"If people call the emergency team in our housing office, there's no reason why they need to sleep on the street tonight," La Forest wrote in a statement to Global News. "As a precautionary measure, we invested a record amount before July 1st to increase immediate support for lessees who need it. We are here to help."
Laforest added that emergency accommodation and storage will be provided as needed until the state finds a more permanent solution.
The city of Montreal recommends people who do not have accommodation to call 311.
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