Governments of Canada and Quebec announce new housing for women in difficulty

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Québec, and Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security, Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region and Member of the National Assembly for Louis-Hébert, are proud to announce an investment of $2.3 million for the creation of 13 bedrooms for women and children in difficulty in Québec.

This project initiated by the Québec YWCA will help increase the organization’s service offering by providing transitional housing to women with or without children who, thanks to the workers’ efforts, no longer require weekly support. These women will be able to live more independently in a safe place. This project involves purchasing and renovating a property that will house the 13 transitional bedrooms.

This investment comes from the Major Cities Stream budget envelope under the Second Canada – Quebec Agreement signed as part of the Rapid Housing Initiative, which was announced by the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. This agreement will invest nearly $338 million across the province, which should allow for the construction of a total of 1,458 social and affordable housing units by the end of 2022.

Quotes:

“Every Quebecer deserves the peace of mind that comes with having a home. The project and funding announced today under the Rapid Housing Initiative will greatly help women who need it. They will quickly provide 13 new affordable units to vulnerable people and ensure their safety. This is one way to ensure that no one is left behind.”

“This project will quickly provide new units to vulnerable women in Québec. We are working to ensure that everyone has a safe and affordable home through our Rapid Housing Initiative.”

“The YWCA Québec project is a great initiative that will allow women in need to have access to a living environment that suits their situation. To ensure the bedrooms are accessible, our government and the City of Québec will also provide financial support to tenants in need who will be living there, so that they only have to pay 25% of their income for rent.”

“I congratulate the YWCA on creating this new residence. With these transitional bedrooms, women with or without children who have experienced family difficulties in the past will benefit from a safe and affordable place to prepare for a better future. Our government is proud to contribute to this project, which meets some of the needs in the Capitale-Nationale Region.”

“This is a very significant announcement for our city. It will no doubt help create our municipality’s social safety net and prevent women in need from falling through the cracks. This is an important investment by our three levels of government to help local people. I am very proud today of this contribution to a city who leaves no one behind.”

“We are very pleased with this announcement, and we remain convinced that a single-sex rooming house will meet the needs of many women in the area. This is an interesting option for women who are waiting for housing or who do not want to live alone.”

Highlights:

• All the tenants could benefit from the Société d’habitation du Québec’s (SHQ) Rent Supplement Program, which would allow them to pay only 25% of their income for housing. This additional assistance of more than $1.4 million over 20 years is assumed by the SHQ (90%) and the City of Québec (10%).
• The two agreements under the Rapid Housing Initiative represent a combined total investment of approximately $517 million. Since January 2021, close to 3,000 social and affordable housing units have been created according to Quebec’s recognized building standards for Quebecers in need.
• The Rapid Housing Initiative is a $2.5 billion program that will quickly create over 10,000 new affordable homes for Canadians who need it most. New investments under the RHI will create thousands of jobs in the housing and construction sector, grow the middle class, and build back stronger communities, while getting us closer to our goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada.
• The RHI takes a human rights-based approach to housing, serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and others who are among the most vulnerable, including: women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, LGBTQ2+, racialized groups, Black Canadians, and recent immigrants or refugees.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72 billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home — this includes more than $13 billion committed through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.

About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

As Canada’s housing authority, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in 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.

About the Société d’habitation du Québec

As a leader in housing, the SHQ has the mission to meet the housing needs of Quebec citizens by providing affordable and low-rent housing and offering a range of assistance programs to support the construction, renovation and adaptation of homes, as well as access to homeownership. Moreover, the SHQ fosters the development of partnerships with communities, collaboration among sector stakeholders and innovation. To find out more about its activities, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html.

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HabitationSHQ

Sources:

Arevig Afarian
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Arevig.Afarian@infc.gc.ca

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

Information:

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

Media Relations
Société d’habitation du Québec
418-643-4035, ext. 32032
medias@shq.gouv.qc.ca