Comedy fundraiser helps tenants’ rights groups

Comedians Sadie Moland and Sarah Warren discuss the housing crisis and their paths into comedy

By Irwin Rapoport

March 5, 2026

Tenants in Quebec, particularly in Montreal, have been hit with sharp rent increases in the past few years, along with a rise in renovictions, and a recently passed bill by the CAQ government that established a formula making it easier for landlords to raise rents.

Montreal has long been a “city of renters,” and for decades was recognized as one of the most affordable cities in Canada. And with so many tenants now experiencing multiple crises, Montreal-based comedians Sadie Moland, featured in Just For Laughs, Fringe, and Don’t Tell Comedy, and Sarah Warren of MTL Sketchfest and Don’t Tell Comedy fame, are presenting a comedy fundraiser on Tuesday, March 10 entitled Sadie and Sarah Solve the Housing Crisis at COOP Bar Milton Park, 3714 Parc Avenue, starting at 8 pm.

“The goal of the show is to raise money for tenants’ rights organizations in Montreal – SLAM MATU and CACV,” said Moland. “This cause is close to my heart because my neighbours and I were recently forced out of our homes due to unlawful landlord practices. In October of 2024, a fire in Verdun required us to evacuate our apartment. While the fire itself was traumatic, the struggle to return to our homes has highlighted how weak legal protections are for tenants in Montreal and how easy it is for opportunistic landlords to take advantage of a crisis for their own financial gain.”

The goal of the show is to raise money for tenants’ rights organizations in Montreal – SLAM MATU and CACV… This cause is close to my heart because my neighbours and I were recently forced out of our homes due to unlawful landlord practices.

– Sadie Moland

The show is being hosted by Eva Alexo from the Kickback Comedy Party and CBC Gem’s The New Wave of Standup.

“Sarah and I will each be performing thirty minutes of standup comedy,” said Moland

Tickets are available at Eventbrite and at the door. There will be a raffle with prizes from The Future Method, Dr. Lemco’s Creative Club, and the Sarah Warren and Friends comedy show.

To learn more about CACV, visit cacv-verdun.org, and for SLAM MATU, visit slam-matu.org

In the Q&A below, Sadie and Sarah provide background on the housing crisis and discuss being on stage and what makes them laugh.

WM: Why is this cause important?

Moland: Montreal is internationally recognized as one of the coolest cities in the world. I think two things that really lend themselves to that positive reputation are our vibrant arts and culture scene and our city’s unique aesthetic character. The housing crisis people are experiencing in Montreal threatens the very core of what makes this city what it is. Artists are struggling to afford their rent, which is increasing drastically each year. Landlords are buying up decrepit buildings and failing to maintain them because they know they can rent them out for ridiculous rates, even if they’re falling apart.

In October of 2024, my neighbours and I were forced to evacuate our apartment in Verdun due to a fire next door. This was the second fire on our street within four months. Most people who live in Montreal have a fire story, and many of those fires are caused by preventable maintenance issues, such as old wiring. Recently, my partner and I had to pressure her landlord to replace the electrical box at her apartment after it spontaneously caught fire. As for my neighbours and me, it’s been almost two years, and we have still not been able to return to our Verdun apartment. Our landlord delayed the repairs without offering us compensation for our relocation or providing a timeline. He threatened a 31% rent hike if we did return – this increase was eventually dismissed by the TAL. He claims that we have no right to return to our homes but refuses to offer us a reasonable indemnity to allow us to break our lease. It is obvious to us that what was an incredibly traumatic event in our lives was an opportunity for him to get rid of us so that he could increase the rent for new tenants.

‘The housing crisis people are experiencing in Montreal threatens the very core of what makes this city what it is. Artists are struggling to afford their rent, which is increasing drastically each year.’

– Sadie Moland

WM: Why help these organizations in particular?

Moland: SLAM MATU and CACV are two organizations that have personally helped my neighbours and me. CACV works tirelessly to educate tenants in Montréal about their rights and what legal avenues they can pursue if they are struggling with predatory landlords. SLAM MATU is a direct-action organization that can help apply pressure to landlords. When the legal process is taking too long, SLAM MATU organizes protests and campaigns on behalf of tenants mistreated by their landlords.

WM: How serious is the housing situation for people in Montreal?

Moland: The housing crisis in Montreal is obvious to anyone who walks down our streets. We cannot deny that far too many Montrealers lack a home. Subsidized housing is not enough to solve the homelessness problem – we need a sustainable path forward for people rebuilding their lives. We need enough affordable housing for all Montréalers. My old apartment in Verdun has been empty for almost two years, and there are many more buildings like it. We have far too many stories of tenants being unlawfully evicted, of buildings that could house families sitting empty because of the actions of greedy landlords, and of Montrealers who are now homeless because they could not keep up with rent hikes.

Sarah Warren at The Comedy Club House Barcelona, 2024 – Image: Raphael Guesdon

WM: What drew you both to comedy?

Warren: I love to say that it’s the thrill of connecting with a full room of strangers with joy and laughter, but I actually think it’s the intoxicating pull of immediate validation! I love laughter, joy and attention, naturally that points to stand-up comedy.

Moland: Before trying standup myself, I was a fan of local comedy in Montreal. If I had friends visiting from out of town and I wanted to show them a good time, my go-to was a show at the Comedy Nest. As much fun as it was to watch comics, I felt unsatisfied as an audience member. I wanted the laughs for myself. I wanted to be in the back of the club hanging out with the other comics. After trying it once, I was hooked.

WM: What is it like to be on stage?

Warren: Sometimes it feels like I’m peeling my skin off, and other times it feels like coming home! It’s almost never the same, but my main goal is to always have fun. The audience responds to the energy I bring on stage, and I lead with the fun foot forward. It’s scary, exhilarating, and always new.

Moland: Being on stage is magical when I’m having a good set. If I’m getting laughs and can feel the audience is there in the moment with me, it’s the greatest high. If I’m bombing, on the other hand, then it feels like every second on stage lasts hours. It’s excruciating. Comedy can be like a toxic relationship that way; you forget the lows when things are good, and the promise of those highs keeps you coming back even when things are bad.

WM: How would we describe your comedy styles?

Warren: I would describe my comedic style as dark and anecdotal. I try to take all my jokes from my lived experience, and I don’t shy away from taboo subjects. I like making people in the audience, especially women, feel like I’m saying something they’ve thought but maybe never been comfortable enough to say out loud. I’m a woman, in a weird body with a lot of shame. There is humour in that, and beauty in making others feel seen.

Moland: I’ve only been doing standup for a handful of years, so my comedy style is still evolving. I’ll adapt my style to suit the joke. Right now, I’d say my delivery is pretty dry, but I’m drawn to absurd concepts inspired by my own experiences.

‘I love to say that it’s the thrill of connecting with a full room of strangers with joy and laughter, but I actually think it’s the intoxicating pull of immediate validation! I love laughter, joy and attention, naturally that points to stand-up comedy.’

– Sarah Warren

WM: Who/what are your comedy influences?

Warren: I’m currently obsessed with Amber Autry! I love how carefree she is on stage, and it always seems like she’s having so much fun. As I’ve found my own comedic voice, I’ve noticed gravitating more and more towards the goofy, silly and honest performers. Saying that, I was raised on your classic angry, white, male comic, which I think has influenced my own brashness.

I’ve always loved Marc Maron, George Carlin, and the more goofy-leaning Mike Birbiglia.

Moland: My favourite comedian growing up was Sarah Silverman. Conan O’Brien, though not a stand-up, is one of the funniest people alive, in my opinion. Today, the comics I most enjoy seeing live are Jon Dore, Sabrina Jalees, Mark Little and Jackie Pirico.

Feature image: Sadie Moland at Le Show Random, 2024 – by Jade-S. V-Côté

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Irwin Rapoport is a freelance journalist and community advocate from Westmount with bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science from Concordia University. He writes extensively on local politics, education, and environmental issues, and promotes informed public discourse and democracy through his writing and activism.