New social housing buildings for women in Montreal

Montréal, Quebec, March 7, 2023

The governments of Canada and Quebec and the City of Montréal are pleased to highlight a significant step forward in Chez Doris’s project to build a rooming house for women in difficulty. The City of Montréal’s Executive Committee effectively approved an agreement with this non-profit organization and granted it financial support of $7 million for the acquisition and conversion of two connected buildings located in the borough of Ville-Marie.

The project, whose cost to complete is estimated at $10.5 million, will provide a 19-room safe living environment for vulnerable women who have experienced, or are at risk of, homelessness. Their stay will range from three months to two years, which will allow them to take back control of their lives by developing good habits and fostering empowerment. Community support will also be provided to promote discussion, integration and better living for tenants.

This project is made possible by the Government of Canada’s financial contribution through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of the Canada – Quebec Agreement for the second round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). The Government of Quebec, for its part, will allocate a rent supplement so that residents will spend no more than 25% of their income on housing.

Quotes:

"Canadians must have homes that are safe, decent and affordable. By creating more units like these 19 here in Ville-Marie, we are moving toward a fairer society where vulnerable women can access adequate housing.”
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Member of Parliament for Laurier – Sainte-Marie and Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

“Our government is committed to helping those in need, which is why we are proud to have invested in this initiative in Montréal. These 19 new units for vulnerable women are providing more than just a safe, stable roof over their heads. For its residents, the building will become a true home, the key to a better life.”
– Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Hochelaga

“I am pleased to see the Chez Doris project reach another milestone. Once complete, this living environment will give hope to women striving for independence and agency in their lives. The Government of Quebec is proud to support the project’s mission through rent supplements, which will ensure that residents won’t spend more than 25% of their income on housing.”
– France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

“The additional supply of supportive housing that meets the specific needs of women is very good news and I would like to congratulate Chez Doris and all the partners who have made this project a success. I am especially pleased that this initiative is perfectly aligned with our government's vision, which focuses on supporting people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in order to promote their well-being and their return to independence. The fight against homelessness is a priority for Quebec and I am very pleased to see all the partners working together to support the organizations that work on this issue every day.”
– Lionel Carmant, Minister responsible for Social Services, Government of Quebec

"In a context where homelessness needs have been exacerbated, notably by the pandemic, it was important to give the means to Chez Doris to ensure the realization of this project which will offer essential help to vulnerable women at risk of homelessness. This future rooming house meets a pressing need in the city. We reiterate today that it is essential that we all work together to offer housing and services adapted to the different realities that affect women in difficulty in Montreal.”
– Benoit Dorais, Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee, responsible for housing, real estate strategy and legal affairs

"It is a real pleasure to confirm the financing of a new social housing project by Chez Doris. It will allow some twenty women in need to have a roof over their heads with adapted services to help them regain stability. We can see how much of a difference these projects make in the daily lives of vulnerable people. Let's continue to do more together. For our administration, housing with adapted services is the right answer to offer dignified living environments for the most vulnerable in our society.”
– Josefina Blanco, responsible for diversity, social inclusion, homelessness, universal accessibility, the status of women, youth and seniors on the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal

"Thanks to the same government partnerships as well as private funders, we were able to open an emergency overnight shelter for women experiencing homelessness last September. We believe that the transitional residence will ease the burden on the currently overstretched night shelter and thus contribute to reducing women's homelessness in Montreal."
– Marina Boulos-Winton, Executive Director, Chez Doris

Quick facts:

The City of Montréal is providing $7 million in financial support to the non-profit organization Chez Doris to acquire and convert two buildings into a rooming house in the borough of Ville-Marie. The Government of Canada has made a financial commitment to this project through CMHC as part of the Canada – Quebec Agreement for the first round of the RHI.
This project will provide 19 rooms to vulnerable women at risk of homelessness. In light of growing housing need, this project will allow Chez Doris to develop new facilities for accommodating women in difficulty.
The Government of Quebec will allocate 12 rent supplements, so that residents will spend no more than 25% of their income on housing. This assistance is paid 90% by the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) and 10% by the City of Montreal.

Additional information:

Established in 1977, the Chez Doris women's shelter foundation is a charitable organization that provides services and programs to meet the most basic and immediate needs of vulnerable and homeless women. Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, it offers emergency beds, meals, an Inuit assistance program, health and mental health services, a voluntary trust service, and social and recreational activities, among others. In 2022, the organization opened its first emergency shelter to accommodate twenty-four women experiencing homelessness.

All participating organizations under the Major Cities Stream of RHI rounds 1 and 2 receive support from the City of Montréal throughout the life of their project. In addition to providing technical support, the City ensures the projects’ viability and the long-term affordability of the housing units. A total of 19 projects, representing more than 370 units, have been selected thanks to the federal government’s financial contribution of more than $103 million under the “Major Cities” Stream of the Canada – Quebec RHI Agreement, and support from the Government of Quebec and the City of Montréal.

As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home that they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To learn more about the NHS, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.