Does an apartment in a building destroyed by fire become a new building within the meaning of clause F of the lease?

Note aux lecteurs : Ces articles sont des résumés de décisions rendues dans les affaires citées. Veuillez noter qu'il ne s'agit pas d'une revue de la jurisprudence et que d'autres décisions peuvent être rendues par la suite ou être différentes et changer l'état du droit. C'est également le cas si les faits ne sont pas les mêmes que ceux présentés dans l'affaire mentionnée.

The tenant contends that the dwelling is not a new construction.
The building in question is a 60‑unit apartment block built in 1968.
On April 2, 2008, the building suffered a major fire that started on the fourth floor and engulfed the entire building.
All of the units were severely damaged, destroyed according to the judge’s description, including the tenant’s unit.

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20 Feb 2026

News
Legal

About the author

Me Jean-Olivier Reed, avocat

Me Jean-Olivier Reed graduated from Collège l'Assomption in legal technology in 1997 and then from the University of Montreal in law in 2001. Member of the bar since 2004, he was a lawyer and building manager from 2004 to 2006.

Lawyer with Messier Soucy lawyers since 2006. He works in real estate law and more particularly in rental law and co-ownership law.

He has written several articles in the newspaper "Le Propriétaire" on various topics dealing with rental law.
He lectures to members of the Quebec Landlords Association on current topics in rental law.