91 affordable housing units coming to Montréal

Montréal, Quebec, November 25, 2022

Today, Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with Laurent Desbois, Mayor of Outremont announced an investment of $4.7 million to build 91 quality, affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income families, individuals and seniors in the borough of Outremont.

The Coop MIL project was financially supported by the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ), the City of Montréal and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM), which together are investing $19.9 million. This project responds to an important need in the city for affordable housing with adapted services. The SHQ, through the AccèsLogis Montréal program, is providing a subsidy of nearly $11.4 million for this project. The City of Montréal is investing more than $8.4 million, of which $3.4 million is being assumed by the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) through the Fonds du logement social, to which 82 municipalities contribute. The land purchased at below market price was resold at its acquisition cost in December 2021 by the City of Montréal to the Coop MIL for the purpose of building social and community housing.

Quebec will also provide eligible households with rental assistance. Up to 50% of tenants could benefit from the SHQ's Rent Supplement Program, which would allow them to pay only 25% of their income for housing. This additional assistance of nearly $775,000 over 5 years is largely assumed by the SHQ, in support of the City of Montreal and the CMM.

Parliamentary Secretary Bendayan was accompanied by Daniel Jutras of the Université de Montréal, Monique Rouxel, President of the Board of Directors of Coop MIL, and Mr. Robert Manningham, Director of Atelier Habitation Montréal.

This investment was made possible thanks to the National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF), a program delivered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which supports the construction and revitalization of affordable housing in mixed-use projects where there is also a mix of incomes and tenure. The deployment of the NHCF in Quebec is governed by the Canada – Quebec Bilateral Agreement on Housing.

This project will dynamically and collaboratively combine housing, social integration and intergenerational relations, which will renew civic action, promote social mix and equity, and counter the exodus of families; individuals and seniors in the borough of Outremont.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through the National Housing Co-investment Fund, our government is investing in affordable housing here, in Montréal, and across Canada to improve the quality of life for those who need it most. The investment announced today will help the most vulnerable to overcome barriers related to housing access. This is one way our government continues to ensure that no one is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“Our government believes that all Canadians deserve a safe place to call home. We are working with our partners to build affordable housing. With this new federal investment, the most vulnerable people will have a safe and stable environment here in Montreal. In this way, we are responding to the needs on the ground and the demands of our fellow citizens here in Quebec and across the country.”
— Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

“The borough has been a close partner in this second housing cooperative project, which is part of the development of the New Outremont. A third project is currently being analyzed. Outremont is proud to support these types of social housing initiatives in the area.”
— Laurent Desbois, Mayor of the borough of Outremont

“What we are creating at the MIL campus is a new neighbourhood on a human scale, designed to become a creative and innovative living environment, both urban and green, with a good social mix. This project is a good example of our administration's vision for an inclusive development of our metropolis. It will meet the important housing needs of the neighbourhood's households, particularly, families.”
— Valérie Patreau, Councillor for the Joseph-Beaubien district, in the Outremont borough

“For us, the Mil Housing Cooperative is a giant step forward in providing quality and truly affordable housing for families in this redeveloping area. The success of this project is based on many factors including the involvement of the members, the expertise of the Technical Resource Group, the quality of the participation of the professionals, the City of Montreal, the Société d'habitation du Québec and the financial support of the Federal Government. When all stakeholders work together, we can truly do great things that will remain for future generations.”
— Robert Manningham, Executive Director, Atelier habitation Montréal

“Since 2017, MIL Co-op's founding members have been invested in developing a multigenerational housing co-op. Five years later, our building has broken ground at 1155 Marie- Stephane, with 20 three- and four-bedroom units, 27 two-bedroom units, and 44 one-bedroom units. We are proud and grateful for the collaboration of all the partners here. We see our Co-op as a friendly living environment that will ensure a sense of belonging to the neighbourhood. We want our community to be a vector of social cohesion that will contribute, in its own way, to the enrichment of the borough of Outremont.”
— Monique Rouxel, President of the Board of Directors of Coop MIL

Quick facts:

The National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF) is a program that provides low-interest loans and forgivable loans for the creation of affordable housing and the repair and renewal of existing affordable and community housing.
The NHCF gives priority to affordable housing projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, young adults, newcomers and those experiencing homelessness.
Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
The SHQ, through the AccèsLogis Montréal program, is providing a subsidy of nearly $11.4 million for this project. For its part, the City of Montréal is investing $3.4 million, which comes from the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) through the Fonds du logement social, to which 82 municipalities contribute.
AccèsLogis Montréal stems from the Entente-Cadre Réflexe Montréal, signed by the Government of Québec and the City of Montréal, which recognizes the special status of the metropolis and provides for the transfer of budgets and responsibility for housing development to the City. For more information, visit https://montreal.ca/programmes/acceslogis-montreal.

Associated links:

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.

For information on this release:

Danièle Medlej
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Daniele.Medlej@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca