LÉVIS, QC, June 17,
2024 /CNW/ - The governments of Quebec and Canada, in collaboration with
Mission Unitaînés and the City of Lévis, have announced
the construction of a 100-unit social and 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 Lévis represents a
government investment of $23.5 million, in addition to the
contribution from the City of Lévis, 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 Lévis will manage and maintain the building using a
$500,000 contingency fund
provided by Mission Unitaînés. It will also select the
building's residents.
The building will include 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 landscaping to foster socialization
among residents. The monthly rent payment will be set at about
$595 for a studio apartment and
$900 for a two-bedroom unit.
The announcement was made by Bernard Drainville, Quebec Minister of Education, Quebec Minister Responsible for the
Chaudière-Appalaches Region and Member of the National Assembly for
Lévis, on behalf of France-Élaine
Duranceau, Quebec Minister
Responsible for Housing, and Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert,
Joël Lightbound, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister
of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. Joining them were
Gilles Lehouillier, Mayor of Lévis,
and Caroline Sauriol, President and
CEO of Mission Unitaînés.
An innovative, multi-party
partnership
A total investment of $235 million by the federal and
provincial governments will fund the construction of ten 100-unit
buildings in ten cities across Quebec, including Lévis.
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 contribution. 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 ten buildings.
At completion, the organization will provide the municipality, or a
non-profit organization designated by the municipality — in Lévis's
case, the Office municipal d'habitation de Lévis—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, which
mobilizes stakeholder expertise to very quickly build quality
affordable housing. We are determined to deliver results through
this partnership."
France-Élaine Duranceau,
Quebec Minister Responsible for
Housing
"Through partnership projects like this one with Mission
Unitaînés, we are innovating to improve the life of our
communities. With the construction of 100 new units in Lévis,
we are providing hundreds of seniors with a safe, welcoming and
affordable place to call home where they can age better. Together,
we're building a future where everyone can thrive. Our commitment
to Quebecers is demonstrated in concrete actions that make a real
difference."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services
and Procurement and Member of Parliament for Québec
"Our seniors are the builders of today's Quebec. They deserve to live in warm, modern
places where they can aspire to dignity and a high quality of life.
That's why the government wants to rapidly build more affordable
housing, without compromising on quality. Thanks to Mission
Unitaînés projects, many Levisians will soon benefit from new
social and adapted housing, built in the heart of our community.
I'm delighted at this great news for the citizens and seniors of
the entire Chaudière-Appalaches region!"
Bernard Drainville, Quebec
Minister of Education, Quebec
Minister Responsible for the Chaudière-Appalaches Region and Member
of the National Assembly for Lévis
"The implementation of the Housing Accelerator Fund in
Quebec is paving 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 rapidly, to provide appropriate housing to
thousands of low- and moderate-income seniors."
Joël Lightbound, Member of Parliament for
Louis-Hébert
"Since housing accessibility is among the priorities of the City
of Lévis, we're very excited to work with Mission Unitaînés to
develop a social housing project on our territory. These 100 new
units will support the quality of life of our seniors, who will
enjoy a healthy living environment adapted to their needs and
conducive to their personal development. The construction of these
units is another step towards achieving our goal of developing
1,000 social and affordable housing units by 2031. I'd like to
thank the federal and provincial governments, as well as Mission
Unitaînés, for their contribution to this forward-looking project,
which we are thrilled to be part of."
Gilles Lehouillier, Mayor of
Lévis
"The Office municipal d'habitation de Lévis considers itself to
be a privileged partner in this wonderful project. We are proud to
participate in providing an adequate, pleasant and safe living
environment for our seniors, the pillars of our society. We salute
Mr. Luc Maurice's altruistic gesture
and his commitment to "living better together". An initiative that
we hope will inspire many others. We look forward to welcoming our
new residents soon!"
Gérard Truchon, Chair of the Board of Directors, Office
municipal d'habitation de Lévis
"This meaningful project is in line with the mission I've set
myself to help people in our society age better, so that they feel
safer, freer, happier and less isolated. Twenty-five years of
working hard to build and develop housing for seniors has given me
a good understanding of their needs and solid expertise in the
design, construction and management of state-of-the-art seniors'
residences. Now I want to put this expertise to work for our less
affluent seniors. I'm also very grateful to those who have helped
make 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 do not spend 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 Quebecers through its expertise and services to citizens.
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)