TERREBONNE, QC, May 3, 2024
/CNW/ - The governments of Canada
and Quebec, in collaboration with
Mission Unitaînés and the City of Terrebonne, have announced
the construction of a 100-unit affordable housing building for
independent seniors over the next two years. The funding for
these units stems from the recent Canada–Quebec Agreement under the
Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).
The six-storey building to be constructed in Terrebonne represents a government investment
of $23.5 million, in addition to
the contribution from the City of Terrebonne, which is
providing the land and certain breaks on taxes and utility
connection costs. A philanthropic donation by Luc Maurice,
Chair of the Board of Directors of Mission Unitaînés, will
round out the funding package. The work should be finished by
spring 2026. Once construction is finished, the Office
municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière Sud will manage and
maintain the building using a $500,000 reserve fund provided by
Mission Unitaînés. It will also select the building's
residents.
The building will contain 100 units, with rents varying
based on unit size. Equipped with two elevators, sprinklers and a
scooter parking area, it will also include a multi-purpose common
room, an outdoor patio and landscaped grounds to foster
socialization among residents. The monthly rental cost will be set
at about $595 for a bachelor
apartment and $900 for a two-bedroom
unit.
The announcement was made by Pierre Fitzgibbon,
Quebec Minister of Economy,
Innovation and Energy and Member of the National Assembly for
Terrebonne, on behalf of
France-Élaine Duranceau,
Quebec Minister Responsible for
Housing, along with Angelo Iacono, Member of Parliament for
Alfred-Pellan, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Mathieu Traversy,
Mayor of Terrebonne, Caroline Sauriol, President and CEO
of Mission Unitaînés, and Serge Desjardins, Chair of the
Board of the Office municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière
Sud.
An innovative, multi-party
partnership
A total investment of $235 million by both levels of
government will fund the construction of ten 100-unit buildings in
10 cities across Quebec,
including Terrebonne.
The government funding is tied to the $900 million in
federal funding provided to Quebec
through the Canada-Quebec agreement under the Housing Accelerator
Fund and the new $900 million in funding announced by
Quebec in its fall 2023
economic update.
The contribution of each municipality involved in a construction
project is between $3 million and $5 million, either in
kind or in the form of a grant. This includes the transfer of land
ready to build on, a three-year tax holiday starting on the
transfer date of the land with the building, a building permit (or
equivalent grants) and utility connections.
The charitable organization Mission Unitaînés will be
responsible for designing and constructing the 10 buildings.
At completion, the organization will provide the municipality, or a
non-profit organization designated by the municipality — in
Terrebonne's case, the Office
municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière Sud — with a building
ready for commissioning for a nominal fee and no mortgage. In
addition, each building will have a $500,000 reserve fund from a philanthropic
donation by Luc Maurice. Other partners will complement the
funding with philanthropic contributions to enhance the residents'
quality of life.
Thanks in particular to economies of scale and the partners'
expertise, this new model has the advantage of creating
1,000 units in several Quebec
regions at a lower cost than the units the Société d'habitation
du Québec (SHQ) is currently developing. It also ensures that
the buildings will be debt-free.
Quotes:
"I've often said that we need to innovate to build more and
better housing, especially given the current housing crisis. This
collaboration with Mission Unitaînés is proof that our
government is taking concrete action, together with our federal
partner and the municipalities, to better house seniors in
Quebec. I'm excited by this
project, as it leverages stakeholder expertise to build quality
affordable housing in very short timeframes. We are determined to
deliver results through this partnership."
France-Élaine Duranceau,
Quebec Minister Responsible for
Housing
"The implementation of the Housing Accelerator Fund in
Quebec paves the way for
innovative solutions. The partnership between
Mission Unitaînés and the municipalities, supported by funding
from the governments of Canada and
Quebec, will allow more housing
units to be built, more quickly, to provide appropriate housing to
thousands of low- and moderate-income seniors."
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing,
Infrastructure and Communities
"I'm proud to see that we're leveraging all the resources at our
disposal to improve the quality of life for low-income seniors in
the Lanaudière region. The involvement of an organization like
Mission Unitaînés, combined with contributions from the
provincial and federal governments and the City of Terrebonne,
shows that we can be agile and join forces to build quality living
spaces. I'm thrilled that our seniors will benefit from this
project, and I applaud the commitment of all the partners."
Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and
Energy and Member of the National Assembly for Terrebonne
"Through partnership projects like this one with
Mission Unitaînés, we are innovating to improve the lives of
the people in our communities. With the construction of
100 new units in Terrebonne,
we're providing hundreds of seniors with a safe, welcoming and
affordable place to call home where they can age more comfortably.
Together, we're building a future where everyone can thrive. Our
commitment to Quebecers is demonstrated in concrete actions that
make a real difference."
Angelo Iacono, Member of Parliament for
Alfred-Pellan
"The City of Terrebonne is proud to have been chosen to
receive a Mission Unitaînés building. This project aligns with
the city's commitment to finding long-term, sustainable solutions
to develop the affordable housing supply. We're delighted to be
doing our part by donating the land where the building will be
constructed. It's a strategic location within walking distance of
local businesses. With a vacancy rate of just 0.4%, Terrebonne is facing major housing challenges.
This project will benefit one of the most vulnerable segments of
our population — less-affluent seniors."
Mathieu Traversy, Mayor of Terrebonne
"With the housing shortage and the difficulty in getting new
housing projects off the ground, we need to find concrete solutions
and support initiatives that help accelerate housing starts. That
is exactly what Mission Unitaînés does. It has proposed an
innovative partnership model, and the Montréal Metropolitan Community is participating through the
Fonds du logement social métropolitain. This project aligns with
our objectives and will provide inclusive densification that meets
the needs of low- and moderate-income senior households."
Guillaume Tremblay, Chair of the Montréal Metropolitan Community's Commission de l'habitation
et de la cohésion sociale and Mayor of Mascouche
"The Office municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière Sud would
like to highlight the invaluable contribution the
Mission Unitaînés project represents, given the current
critical shortage of social and affordable housing. We're proud to
be partnering with the Société d'habitation du Québec, the
City of Terrebonne and Mission Unitaînés for this
large-scale project in Terrebonne.
It's a wonderful project that will make a difference in the lives
of our community's most vulnerable people aged 65 and over.
This project will enable them to live in a safe and healthy
environment, as well as providing them with the opportunity to
thrive within the Terrebonne
community."
Serge Desjardins, Chair of the Board of the Office
municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière Sud
"This meaningful project is in line with the mission I've set
myself to help people in our society age more comfortably, so that
they feel safer, freer, happier and less isolated. Twenty-five
years of working tirelessly to build and develop seniors' housing
has given me a good understanding of their needs as well as solid
expertise in the design, construction and management of
state-of-the-art retirement housing. I would now like to put that
expertise to work in the service of less-affluent seniors. I'm also
very grateful to those who have contributed to making this
wonderful challenge a reality so quickly."
Luc Maurice, Chair of the Board of Directors,
Mission Unitaînés
Highlights:
- Seniors who settle in these units and are eligible may benefit
from the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ)'s Rent Supplement
Program, which would ensure that they spend no more than 25% of
their income on housing. This additional assistance is covered by
the SHQ (90%) and the municipality where the project is located
(10%).
- The financial model was designed to provide long-term housing
units whose rent is equivalent to 25% of residents' income. Rent
has been set at an average of $595
per month for a one-bedroom unit including heating, electricity and
Wi-Fi. Rent increases will be limited by agreements with the SHQ to
make sure units remain affordable in the years to come.
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. It does this by providing affordable
and low-rental housing and offering a range of assistance programs
to support the construction, renovation and adaptation of homes,
and access to homeownership.
To find out more about its activities, visit
www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.
SocietehabitationQuebec
HabitationSHQ
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About Canada Mortgage and Housing
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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)