How Fires Are Permanently Displacing Montrealers and Reshaping Neighborhoods The recent spate of fires in Montreal has left a trail of destruction, but also a more insidious impact: the permanent displacement of tenants from their homes.
This trend is exemplified by the case of Lily Chử, whose apartment was ravaged by flames. In July 2024, Chử's building in Verdun caught fire, leaving her and her son to escape with nothing.
The landlord, Construction Ouellette, proved elusive, forcing Chử to navigate a complex bureaucratic process to retrieve what little remained of her possessions.