Affordable and improved housing units in Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke, Québec, August 11, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with Élisabeth Brière, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke, announced $626,448 to enable Habitations l'Équerre to acquire and renovate 12 affordable housing units in Sherbrooke.

This investment by the Government of Canada was made possible through the Federal Lands Initiative (FLI) of the National Housing Strategy (NHS). It allowed Habitations l'Équerre to make substantial improvements to the two buildings, thereby improving the quality of life for tenants. Among the renovations, the outdated heating system was replaced by a dual energy system, new doors and windows were installed, the balconies were redone and enlarged, new exterior siding was installed and the French drains were redone.

The two buildings located at 1455 – 1465 Place du Dauphin and 1148 – 1162 Jogues Street feature 6 units each and offer an ideal location with a view of Mont-Bellevue, close to walking trails, all services, including the University of Sherbrooke and public transportation.

Habitations l'Équerre is a non-profit social housing organization (NPO) whose mission is to offer tenants quality housing at affordable prices. Established in 1977, the organization now has over 245 units in 27 buildings.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The National Housing Strategy continues to ensure more adequate and affordable housing for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We are committed to making communities stronger through projects like this one, right here in Sherbrooke. These investments help create new jobs and stimulate the local economy, while providing access to safe, affordable homes for Quebecers.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“The lockdown has made us realize once again the value of a home. Being able to leverage surplus federal properties and lands is an effective way to create new housing and also breathe new life into properties. These improved affordable homes allow families to thrive here in Sherbrooke. And to build a more cohesive society better equipped to meet today's challenges, we must invest in social housing.”
— Élisabeth Brière, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke

“Habitations l'Équerre is very grateful to have been able to complete this project with the support of the Federal Lands Initiative and the National Housing Strategy. As a housing non-profit organization, we are aware of how access to quality affordable housing can improve the quality of life for a family or an individual and we are confident that these twelve affordable housing units will make a big difference for those who will benefit from them.”
— Denise Godbout, Director, Habitations l’Équerre

Quick facts:

The buildings will achieve a minimum of 41% decrease in energy intensity and in greenhouse gas emissions compared to their performance prior to the renovations.
Under to the agreement, 8 out of 12 units must have rents below 80% of the area’s Median Market Rent — currently all 12 units have affordable rents.
The project will be required to maintain affordable rents for the 8 units for at least 55 years.
The Federal Lands Initiative is providing $200 million over 10 years to support the transfer of surplus federal properties to eligible proponents at discounted to no-cost rates to encourage the development of affordable, sustainable, accessible and socially inclusive housing.
The Federal Lands Initiative is led by CMHC with support from: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and Canada Lands Company Limited (CLC), as well as other federal partners with surplus lands.
Surplus government properties are evaluated based on location, suitability, availability, proximity to amenities and through a cost/benefit analysis. Properties selected for affordable housing development are then offered for sale and advertised on CMHC’s National Housing Strategy website. Social and affordable housing providers are then invited to submit applications to acquire these properties through a competitive process.
To help Canadians find affordable housing, Budget 2021 provides an additional $2.5 billion over seven years in new funding and has reallocated $1.3 billion in previously announced funding to speed up the construction, repair, and support over 35,000 additional housing units.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.

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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 they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.