The 10 largest cities in Quebec are committed to social housing

The ten largest cities in Quebec are committed to implementing all kinds of social and affordable housing projects over the next year, following their participation in the Housing Summit on Friday in Laval.

Isabelle Ducas
The Press

As the housing crisis hits across the province, the mayors wanted to present concrete solutions to try to improve the situation.

For example, the City of Terrebonne is committed to carrying out an affordable housing project in a sector undergoing revitalization by showcasing the industrial heritage of Old Terrebonne.

The City of Laval, for its part, is committed to working on the establishment of a tax on land speculation in order to finance housing initiatives, as Mayor Stéphane Boyer had mentioned earlier in the day.

For the City of Trois-Rivières, the commitment concerns a community living environment project for Aboriginal students and their families.

In Montreal, we are talking about the non-profit project of more than 200 affordable housing units on the site of the future Namur-Hippodrome eco-district, a project already announced on Monday.

“By organizing this summit, it was our goal to reflect, but also to take action, and that’s what we did,” said Mayor of Longueuil Catherine Fournier, co-host of the event. .

According to a survey commissioned as part of the summit, 85% of Quebecers believe that access to affordable housing is a major problem, and 44% have had to change their consumption habits to meet the cost of rent or mortgage payments.

The summit, which brought together 400 people, allowed several housing experts, in addition to elected officials and municipal administrators, to discuss various possible solutions for increasing the supply of housing, increasing the density of urban sectors and building more .

“We discussed today the importance of having programs that are flexible, quick to apply and that respect the reality of the different regions of Quebec,” said the mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer, co-host of the Mountain peak.

Cities are also asking for more funding from the provincial government, and regulatory changes that would allow them to implement new tax approaches to promote and finance social housing.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest, who gave a speech at the opening of the event, was open to requests from the cities.

“I saw your requests in anticipation of the elections. You want more powers, you want more responsibilities, you’re on the right track,” said Mr.^me Laforest, who mentioned the fact, on the eve of the election call, that she could remain “Minister of Municipal Affairs for perhaps a long time yet”.

“The solutions discussed here, I want to hear them. »

Despite the solutions that may be put forward by municipalities, particularly in their regulations, “the sinews of war is for the Government of Quebec to invest more in social housing, because that is ultimately its responsibility” , launched the Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, by participating in a round table as part of the event.

“Social housing is not an expense, it’s an investment,” she added.

Valérie Plante even made a connection between the wave of gun violence raging in the metropolis and the housing crisis, emphasizing the fact that providing a decent roof for everyone can be considered a prevention tool.

“We must act on all levels,” she insisted. Prevention also involves having a roof over your head and having an interesting living environment. It is a fundamental right to be able to find housing at a decent price. »