(Quebec) While a housing crisis is hitting several regions of Quebec, the Legault government announces the erection of 3,000 new affordable housing units in partnership with the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, the Mouvement Desjardins and Fondaction, including 1,000 condominiums, from here three to five years.
Posted at 10:01 a.m.
The first part of the agreement aims to deliver 2,000 social and affordable housing units within three years. The Solidarity Fund and Desjardins will share a grant of 350 million, which will have to deliver the housing projects, and “ensure their affordability” for 35 years “for the majority of housing”.
The Legault government has also agreed with Fondaction CSN to create 1,000 affordable condos. With a grant of 45 million, these condominium-type dwellings will be built “over the entire territory in five years, as part of the Coop Accès Proprio Fund, set up by Fondaction and the Quebec Confederation of Housing Cooperatives”.
“The advantage of this initiative is twofold, since the households that acquire these affordable condominiums will be able to become owners and free up 1,000 units which will thus be made accessible to other households. In addition, the formula allows condominiums to remain affordable for subsequent buyers, due to its collective nature, and will contribute to the fight against household over-indebtedness”, specifies the office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Andrée Laforest, in a press release.
The department also specifies that eligible households could also benefit from the Rent Supplement Program, financial assistance that allows low-income households to live in housing that is part of the private market or that belongs to housing cooperatives. Tenants who benefit from this program pay rent corresponding to 25% of their income.
For Minister Laforest, this announcement is proof that her government is “increasing actions to help provide adequate housing for all low- and middle-income households.”