Creation of 1,228 Affordable Housing Units for More Vulnerable Clienteles

Together, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are pleased to announce an agreement under the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) between the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

As part of this agreement, nearly $116 million in federal funding will support the rapid completion of 54 projects in Quebec, representing 1,201 units (see Annex).

Also, the federal government’s $7.1 million investment, through the RHI’s Major Cities Stream, will help complete two projects pursued by the City of Québec, representing 27 housing units.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Lieutenant and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier; the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Québec; Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; along with Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security, Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region and Member of the National Assembly for Louis-Hébert, made the announcement today in the presence of the Mayor of the City of Québec, Régis Labeaume.

Let’s remember that yesterday, the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec, also announced a federal investment of $56.8 million for the City of Montréal to complete 12 housing projects, representing 263 housing units.

For its part, the Government of Quebec has committed to funding the rent supplement, for certain projects, which will allow eligible renters to spend only 25% of their income on housing. The total cost of this investment is estimated at $131.5 million over a 20-year period.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us that the availability of affordable housing is essential to the health and well-being of vulnerable households. Indeed, many cities are facing the devastating impacts of increasing homelessness and housing needs. It is in this perspective that the housing projects funded will target the most vulnerable clienteles.

Quotes:

“Every Quebecer deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. This investment by our government and our collaboration with our partners, such as the City of Québec and the Government of Quebec, will go a long way toward helping vulnerable individuals and families who need it most by quickly providing 1,228 new units of affordable housing.”

“The pandemic has been particularly hard on the most vulnerable and on people experiencing homelessness. Thanks to the co-operation between the governments of Canada and Quebec, the City of Québec will receive $7.1 million and the province $115.9 million to rapidly create affordable housing. This federal investment is of great help to Quebecers who need it most.”

“As is always the case in times of crisis, the socioeconomic impacts of the current pandemic are particularly significant for members of our society who were already more vulnerable. Together, we have the duty to help them, and that’s why we are announcing today a federal investment of $7.1 million benefitting the City of Québec’s Lower Town. This amount will be used in two projects to quickly fill housing needs for people with mental health issues and young adults who are homeless.”

“Today’s announcement is welcome news not only for the cities of Québec and Montréal, but also for our regions. I am proud of this agreement that is beneficial to the whole province. In all, 1,491 units will be inhabitable by the spring of 2022. The Government of Quebec has committed, for certain projects, to providing support to eligible renters for the next 20 years, thanks to the rent supplement program. This represents over $131.5 million. Housing is a priority for us, the delays of the past are still echoing, but our efforts since 2018 and collaboration efforts such as these allow us to rapidly build affordable housing for all Quebecers. In fact, since October 1, 2018, more than 5,000 affordable housing units are being or about to be occupied thanks to our government.”

“I am pleased that the agreement signed between our two levels of government will allow to rapidly complete 62 new housing units in our national capital. Thanks to this investment, we will better serve our seniors, citizens with mental health or addiction issues and young adults with special housing needs. I applaud everyone’s efforts to achieve this!”

“This past October, the City of Québec adopted the new Vision de l’habitation 2020 – 2030, which aims, in part, to create social and affordable housing. The $7,146,385 in funding provided by CMHC is an important driver in reaching this objective, as it will help create, in the next 12 months, 27 new units for vulnerable clienteles. I want to thank our federal, provincial and local partners who made possible the rapid completion of these units that will provide housing stability to low-income households.”

Highlights:

• $179.8 million will be invested through the RHI to complete 68 projects across the province. This represents 1,491 new housing units that will be available as of April 1, 2022.
• Projects receiving investments under the RHI will target clients with special housing needs. These include:
• Women and children who are victims of domestic or family violence
• Seniors
• Indigenous populations
• People with mental health or addiction issues
• People who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• People with disabilities, etc.
• $1 billion will be invested through the RHI to create 3,000 new permanent affordable housing units across Canada to address urgent housing needs.
• The projects will be predominantly funded through the AccèsLogis Québec and AccèsLogis Montréal programs funded by the Government of Quebec.

Related links:

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Quebec

Learn more about CMHC: Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Linkedin and Facebook.

To learn more about the SHQ: Facebook, Twitter.

Follow the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing: Facebook, Twitter.

Sources:

Daniele Medlej
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
daniele.medlej@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Marie-France Proulx, Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
613-698-6704
marie-france.proulx@tbs-sct.gc.ca

Bénédicte Trottier Lavoie
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister Responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Region
benedicte.trottierlavoie@mamh.gouv.qc.ca
514-686-7100

Information:

Media Relations Team
Communications Office of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing
418-691-2015, ext. 83746

Audrey-Anne Coulombe
Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
acoulomb@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Annex — Projects Supported Under the Rapid Housing Initiative Projects Stream — Québec

Source : Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing January 22, 2021
* This list may be subject to change according to the criteria set out in the Agreement.