Official opening of Maison Oxygène Laurentides in Saint-Jérôme

Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, May 18, 2023

The governments of Canada and Quebec, as well as the City of Saint-Jérôme are proud to announce the official opening of Maison Oxygène Laurentides in Saint-Jérôme. This project to create four rooms for vulnerable fathers and their children, represents an investment of nearly $1.2 million.

Contributions from the governments of Canada and Quebec total nearly $900,000. The federal government is investing more than $577,000 through the Second Canada – Quebec Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) Agreement.

The Government of Quebec is contributing more than $300,000 to this project through the Société d’habitation du Québec's (SHQ) AccèsLogis Québec program. The SHQ is also securing the mortgage loan for Maison Oxygène Laurentides. The Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH) has already committed $50,000 under the Support for regional outreach component of its Regions and Rurality Fund.

The City of Saint-Jérôme is contributing more than $140,000 to the project, including $67,500 from tripartite agreements that the City has signed with the SHQ and the MAMH.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Thanks to the Rapid Housing Initiative, fathers in vulnerable situations will be able to provide their children with better housing options. By working closely with our partners, our government continues to achieve meaningful results for Canadians. This is just one of the many ways our investments in housing across the country continue to ensure that no one is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“I am proud to highlight our government’s contribution to this project for fathers in vulnerable situations and their children. The financial assistance provided by our government not only helped ensure the construction of these units, but will also ensure that families can afford them. Thanks to this collective effort and our ongoing work in housing, the future residents of this living environment will see their quality of life improve.”
— France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

“Investing in affordable housing is not simply about spending money on concrete. It’s about investing in the well-being of the people in our communities. It's also about providing even more people, such as fathers in vulnerable situations and their children, with adequate housing options. Your government continues to take action through investments that will make a real difference in Quebecers’ day-to-day lives.”
— Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Housing)

“I want to congratulate Maison Oxygène Laurentides for undertaking this project that will support our community’s most vulnerable families. This investment clearly demonstrates our government’s intention to increase housing supply on our territory and improve quality of life for citizens of Saint-Jérôme and the Laurentides region.”
— Youri Chassin, Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Jérôme and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health

“The City is pleased to support Maison Oxygène, a Saint-Jérôme organization that's playing an important role in meeting the very real needs of people who are often overlooked by traditional resources and fall through the cracks. Joint efforts such as this project make a real difference and demonstrate a clear desire to come together for the well-being of the community.”
— Marc Bourcier, Mayor of Saint-Jérôme

“We are very proud to officially open Maison Oxygène Laurentides, which is the result of many years of collaborative effort. The idea for this project was brainstormed several years ago by local stakeholders who noted a lack of local services for fathers. Since then, many people have worked very hard to ensure that this resource saw the light of day and that fathers in distress and their children have a place to regroup and get back on their feet. I firmly believe that Maison Oxygène Laurentides will have a significant impact on the health of our local families.”
— Christine Gervais, President of Maison Oxygène Laurentides

Quick facts:

All Maison Oxygène Laurentides families could be eligible to benefit from the SHQ’s Rent Supplement Program, which would allow them to spend just 25% of their income on housing. This additional assistance of nearly $70,000 over five years is covered by the SHQ (90%) and the City of Saint-Jérôme (10%).
The mission of Maison Oxygène Laurentides is to maintain or strengthen fathers’ bonds with their children by providing housing, community and psychosocial support to fathers and children experiencing hardship due to family, social or personal difficulties.
To meet the needs and realities specific to families in the Laurentides region, Maison Oxygène Laurentides also offers external services, such as a help line, support, referrals and workshops.

About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation:

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.

About the Société d’habitation du Québec:

As a leader in housing, the SHQ’s mission is to meet the housing needs of Quebec citizens through its expertise and services to citizens. It does this 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.

To find out more about its activities, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html.

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