The idea of converting religious buildings into housing is not new. However, the Legault government believes it can be used to combat the housing crisis. The Duty wanted to know what discoveries he could expect.
The idea appeared in the new housing strategy of Minister France-Élaine Duranceau at the end of August.
This plan provides for the creation of an “inventory” of institutional and religious buildings […] “offering potential for conversion into housing”.
However, one clarification is necessary: we are targeting “religious” buildings here, but not “places of worship”. So there is no question of investing in churches and chapels. We are targeting presbyteries, convents or even monasteries.
However, these have already been the subject of numerous housing projects in recent decades. Hasn’t their potential already been exploited?
Action patrimoine director Renée Genest thinks not. “The religious real estate stock is quite significant in Quebec, and with the housing crisis, an inventory would be a good way to study this seriously.”
So such a directory does not yet exist? Again, no. There is certainly information in the Inventory of Places of Worship in Quebec — which lists 126 unused religious buildings — but it is exclusively about churches and chapels. As for the data contained in the Cultural Heritage Directory, it is not exhaustive.
The idea of a complete directory in good and due form is therefore very well received. For architect Marie-Chantal Croft, of Écobâtiment, it is a very promising project. “We estimate that, within a year, there will be approximately 1,500 vacant churches in Quebec,” she says. “There are plenty of presbyteries.”
The diocese of Quebec, for example, says it is aware of ten projects for the conversion of presbyteries, mainly on the South Shore, three of which have already been sold.
And we must also take into account buildings of other denominations, particularly Anglican, which are very numerous in the territory, points out Mme Croft.
A car-free option
In the meantime, recent projects teach us about the associated challenges. In Ripon, in Outaouais, the old presbytery was transformed in recent years into a new type of residence. Located 30 km north of Montebello, Ripon is a small municipality of 1,735 residents. Twelve roommates — mostly young people — live in this “mansion” where they share a kitchen and ten bathrooms.
Violette Valembois is part of the small group that acquired the presbytery in 2020.
“It was really the place that made the project. There were three of us looking for a shared accommodation.”
They were aiming for a single-family home, but had a spark when they visited this strange and inspiring building. “It was interesting because it also had potential for us to have art and carpentry workshops.”
Since the departure of the monks, the presbytery had already been transformed into a reception center for the elderly. Work had been carried out to modernize the bathrooms, among other things.
“It was still in good condition, but there was a lot of maintenance and cleaning to do,” says M.me Valembois.
All that remained was to find financing. But with “luck” and the help of relatives, friends and local patrons, the trio was able to acquire the building at a good price ($300,000) without public funds.
“It’s a beautiful, solid building. The presbytery is still in better condition than many buildings. Even though it’s old, the materials are beautiful.”
The site has since become a community venue, which is a great source of pride for Mme Valembois and his friends. In addition to the homes, there is a thrift store, a café, an artist’s studio and a communal fridge.
It was a no-brainer, says resident Alexandre Clément. “We’re in downtown Ripon, and Ripon is about four blocks away.”
Since the old presbyteries are located next to churches, they are necessarily always in the city centre. They therefore have the advantage of being able to accommodate people who do not have a car, notes Renée Genest in this regard.
These places are the equivalent of the “heart of the village or the neighborhood,” notes Jacob Homel, spokesperson for the Chantier de l’économie sociale. If we convert them, we absolutely must give them a community vocation, he maintains.
And this is not just in rural areas like Ripon. Mr. Homel cites as an example the project of the collective Autour d’une tasse, in Laval, which was established in the former domain of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
Rebuild instead of destroying
In addition to meeting housing needs, conversion projects are necessary for other reasons, stresses Marie-Chantal Croft. “Very often, the reflex is to demolish buildings and build new ones, which is a disaster from an environmental point of view.”
Construction, she continues, is “one of the biggest pollutants.” “It’s responsible for almost 40 percent of landfill waste. That’s a lot.”
Écobâtiment has just produced a three-year study on the subject. Thanks to a government grant, the organization offered affordable professional support to those responsible for 12 projects to convert religious buildings located across Quebec.
Very often, the reflex is to demolish buildings and build new ones, which is a disaster from an environmental point of view.
As exciting as the study was, it also revealed its share of pitfalls. “The current codes were designed primarily for new buildings, so the requirements can be very high […]. We had some unpleasant surprises throughout our journey. For example, in a small municipality that has no water pressure and where sprinklers are required, that adds significant constraints.
Mme Croft also deplores the lack of professionals specialized in building conversion. “It’s not valued in architecture schools.” The same goes for craftsmen (blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, etc.). “There’s a huge lack of them in the heritage sector,” she says, while pointing out that the Conseil des métiers d’art is fortunately offering a new training program in built heritage at CEGEP.
Help requested
Another aspect: the classification, which can be a double-edged sword. In Ripon, the team that bought the “manor” claims that it would never have been able to carry out its project if the building had been classified as “heritage”. “At one point, we considered obtaining a quote to finance the maintenance of the building. But we realized that it financed so little… We decided instead to do things cheaply ourselves,” explains Violette Valembois.
At the same time, the latter advocates for the government or cities to provide more support for such projects.
“There must be suitable financial tools,” emphasizes Jacob Homel. “Understand that in the social economy, the tools are not the same as in the private sector.”
Resources other than financial are needed, for buyers, but also for religious communities, he says. “There are some groups that are trying to talk to religious orders, and the congregations don’t really know how to go about it.” At what price should they sell their assets? Who should finance the feasibility study?
Another option: we must consider the temporary uses that we make of these buildings, to prevent them from falling into disrepair, while waiting for them to be converted, he argues.
“We need to act upstream,” says Marie-Chantal Croft. “Because once the building is empty, it is often already too late.”