Canadian Mortgage News

January 2005 National News Archive

113 New Social and Community Housing Units in Montréal

MONTRÉAL, Québec, October 3, 2005 — With the completion of the Coopérative d’habitation Le Fleuve de l’Espoir and Coopérative d’habitation Les Rives du Saint-Laurent projects, 113 households, composed of lower-income families and individuals, will benefit from affordable housing units in the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles–Montréal-Est.

This announcement was made today by the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs and MP for Papineau, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing, by Tony Tomassi, MNA for LaFontaine, on behalf of Nathalie Normandeau, Minister of Municipal Affairs and the Regions, and by Cosmo Maciocia, mayor of the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles–Montréal-Est and member of the City of Montréal Executive Committee responsible for housing, social development and income security. In addition to Tony Tomassi and Cosmo Maciocia, Carole Martin, representing the boards of directors of the Coopérative d’habitation Le Fleuve de l’Espoir and the Coopérative d’habitation Les Rives du Saint-Laurent, was present at the opening ceremony.

The construction of these housing projects, which required investments of over $11.8 million, was completed thanks to the participation of public, private and community partners. The financial contributions for the development of these projects, totalling $8,410,233, were made under the affordable housing agreement.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) contributed a sum of $4,205,117. The Government of Quebec, for its part, granted an amount of $2,430,497, through the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), while the City of Montréal provided a sum of $1,774,619. The other costs are being assumed by the housing co-operatives, in particular through a mortgage loan secured by the SHQ.

Among the residents, 57 households can benefit from the Rent Supplement program, which provides financial assistance to lower-income individuals who would otherwise have to spend more than 25% of their income on housing.

"These new affordable housing projects will allow many families and individuals from the Montréal area to live in a quality environment at an affordable cost," said Minister Pettigrew. “Housing is one of the foundations upon which healthy communities and individual dignity are built. The Government of Canada is pleased to work with the Government of Quebec, the City of Montréal and community sector representatives to provide more people with better housing in their community."

"The financial support of the Government of Quebec for these projects confirms our will to develop sustainable resources to meet the special housing needs of certain individuals. Such a commitment on the part of governments, the community and the private sector is a brilliant example of a successful partnership," said Tony Tomassi.

"These two housing co-operatives give us a fine example of cohabitation and solidarity among many families. In addition, the development of this project allowed for the rehabilitation of large lands formerly occupied by abandoned garages, thereby restoring the social and urban fabric of the neighbourhood," said Cosmo Maciocia.

The development of this project is part of the Government of Quebec’s initiative to produce 18,600 social, community and private housing units for low- and moderate-income households. This initiative is notably supported by federal funds made available under affordable housing agreements.

It should be recalled that an Affordable Housing Agreement was signed between CMHC and the SHQ in 2001. It provides for a total contribution of $323.3 million to increase the supply of affordable housing in Quebec, with $161.65 million from the federal government, $104 million from the Quebec government and $57 million from the municipalities participating in the program.

The Coopérative d’habitation Le Fleuve de l’Espoir and Coopérative d’habitation Les Rives du Saint-Laurent projects are part of the Solidarité 5 000 logements operation of the City of Montréal, which is aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing for low-income households.

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan Trudeau
Press Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and the Regions
(418) 691-2050
(514) 873-2622

Hélène Bégin
Communications Advisor
Société d’habitation du Québec
(418) 644-5762

Paul Sauvé
Communications and Marketing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
(514) 283-5110

News source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)