Latest news with #FranceÉlaineDuranceau
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Official opening of 25 social and affordable housing units for families, seniors and individuals in Amos
AMOS, QC, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - The governments of Quebec and Canada, the Town of Amos and the Office d'habitation du Berceau de l'Abitibi today marked the official opening of the Centurion, a 25-unit social and affordable housing project for families and individuals in Amos. This project represents an investment of over $12.2 million. The event was attended by France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing; Suzanne Blais, Member of the National Assembly for Abitibi-Ouest and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister Responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action (Social Solidarity); Sébastien D'Astous, Mayor of Amos; and Annie Quenneville, President of the Office d'habitation du Berceau de l'Abitibi. The Government of Quebec contributed more than $6 million to the project through the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ), which is also securing the organization's mortgage loan. The Government of Canada contributed more than $5 million to the project through the second Canada-Quebec Rapid Housing Initiative Agreement. The Town of Amos donated the land, contributed $1.2 million, and granted a 35-year tax credit worth $1.6 million. Quotes: "Our government is sparing no effort to ensure that more Quebecers are able to enjoy a quality living environment. Our financial contribution to this project will enable 25 households to remain in their community. This project demonstrates once again that our investments in the creation of affordable housing reach all regions of Quebec and benefit all people." France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing "Our government is presenting Canada's most ambitious housing plan since World War II. We will implement a series of measures to help double the rate of residential construction across the country. Our collaboration with the Government of Quebec and the Berceau de l'Abitibi Housing Office brings us closer to our goal of providing more affordable housing for Quebecers." The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure "This investment by our government through the Société d'habitation du Québec shows our firm commitment to meeting the needs of different client groups in all regions of Quebec. I congratulate the Office d'habitation for taking the initiative on this project, as well as the many partners and collaborators involved." Suzanne Blais, Member of the National Assembly for Abitibi-Ouest and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister Responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action (Social Solidarity) "It is with great pride that we inaugurate Le Centurion today—a promising project for our community. Providing social housing for seniors and low-income families is a priority for the City of Amos. This investment builds on our many housing initiatives and demonstrates our concrete commitment to improving quality of life in our region. I sincerely thank our government partners, the Berceau de l'Abitibi Housing Office, and everyone who contributed to the success of this project." Sébastien D'Astous, Mayor of Amos "Behind each of the 25 doors of Le Centurion lies a story. At the Berceau de l'Abitibi Housing Office, the well-being and dignity of our community members are what motivate us every day. We are proud to have brought this project to life—providing not only a roof for those in need, but also a stimulating and supportive living environment. Thank you to all our partners and stakeholders who helped make this mission a reality for our community." Annie Quenneville, President, Office d'habitation du Berceau de l'Abitibi Highlight: Twenty eligible households could benefit from the Société d'habitation du Québec's (SHQ) Rent Supplement Program, ensuring that they will not spend more than 25% of their income on rent. This additional assistance is covered by the SHQ (90%) and the Town of Amos (10%). 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 SocietehabitationQuebecHabitationSHQLinkedIn About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Visit for the most requested Government of Canada housing information. CMHC plays a critical role as a national convenor to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. Our mortgage insurance products support access to homeownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. We actively support the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Our research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating co-operation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, we contribute to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Progress on programs and initiatives is updated quarterly on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) website. The Housing and Infrastructure Project Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed. SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
16-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Condo towers to go up around Montreal heritage building in the Plateau
The former site of the Institute for Deaf-Mute Girls in Montreal's Plateau will be redeveloped into housing. Quebec and the City of Montreal have chosen a developer to transform the long-vacant former home of the Montreal Institute for Deaf-Mute Girls into housing. The massive heritage building that sits between Berri and Saint-Denis streets, between Cherrier and Roy streets in the Plateau, has been sitting empty for a decade, and the province asked developers to come up with ideas for what to do with the space. Play Heritage building in Montreal's Plateau to be developed into housing The former site of the Institute for Deaf-Mute Girls in Montreal's Plateau will be redeveloped into housing. Residia will preserve the original building and surround it with towers of up to 25 storeys high. 'I wanted this process to mobilize all partners around a common vision: to meet urgent housing needs while promoting inclusive, sustainable and heritage-friendly urban development,' said Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau. 'This is concrete proof of what can be achieved when we bring together local forces around a common vision to increase the supply of non-profit housing.' When finished, the site will have more than 800 residential units, several of which will be reserved for low-income housing. 'It's a very intelligent project and an ambitious project because we have different challenges,' said Projet Montreal leader Luc Rabouin. 'We want to preserve this heritage building, that is a challenge in itself, but we also want to develop housing for low-income people, social housing ... To be able to conjugate these challenges, we need to offer density.' A public consultation will follow, and development is set to begin in spring 2026. 'The proposals received were evaluated according to criteria that are important to Montrealers and our government, including the integration of housing, the enhancement of built heritage and harmonization with the existing urban fabric,' said Quebec Infrastructure Minister Jonatan Julien. The institute was relocated to the Berri Street location in 1864 and operated until it was shut down in 1975. It was then home to the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal from 1979 to 2015.
CTV News
31-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Montreal protesters demand rent control measures ahead of moving day
Protesters braved the rain Saturday afternoon and took to Montreal's streets to demand rent control measures from the Quebec government. Catherine Lowe was renovicted half a year ago from a unit she lived in for nine years. She said it was done in 'such a terrible way' she not only lost her home and neighbourhood, but she was treated as if she 'was not even a human person.' She said the housing tribunal could not help her. 'I managed to find another apartment that I can barely afford,' she said. 'Now they just want to keep increasing to the maximum.' As an artist, she feels Montreal is becoming less accessible – and she worries what rent will look like in a couple of decades. 'People want art in the city, but they won't want affordable housing,' she said. 'For me, the crisis is not even about the housing market. It's about having a heart and being a human and understanding that not everyone has the same financial capacity.' Lowe said the government is closing its eyes in front of a major problem that is felt everywhere. Catherine Lowe Catherine Lowe said she feels she has no choice but to protest the new rent control formula after being 'renovicted.' (CTV) Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau set up a new formula to calculate rent hikes last month as tenants across the province are preparing for their highest increase in over 30 years. She said it would 'maintain a balance, [offer] greater predictability for tenants and landlords alike,' and that 'by using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as an average over the last three years, we avoid major variations.' But the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), which represents the province's tenant associations, wants the new regulation withdrawn and replaced with stronger protection for tenants. The RCLALQ set up a petition to this effect which will soon be available on the National Assembly's website. Advocates and lawyers have criticized the new rules, saying the formula is flawed and would result in even higher rent increases in coming years. They say that including general inflation in the calculations, when it already includes housing, creates a 'vicious cycle' where each rent increase justifies further hikes the following year. The new formula also allows landlords to factor in the cost of renovations even more. 'Essentially, if this regulation had been put in place, the rent increases would have been almost three times higher over the past few years, and we're anticipating they're going to be even worse over the years to come,' said Amy Darwish of the Comité d'action de Parc-Extension. Amy Darwish Amy Darwish of the Comité d'action de Parc-Extension says the Housing Minister's new rent hike formula is a 'gift to landlords.' (CTV) She accused the minister of 'profiting from a housing crisis to ram through a regulation that's going to put even more tenants in precarious situations' and called the formula a 'gift to landlords.' Darwish said she's been hearing from dozens of tenants who don't know how they will afford rent in a few years if they keep rising at the current rate. Tenant associations are running out of advice to give, she added, and worry many will be evicted. 'We think it's unacceptable ... It's time that they take action to reduce the pressure on tenants and to allow people to live in their homes and dignity,' she said. RCLALQ points out that Ontario caps rent increases, unlike Quebec. On top of withdrawing the new formula and a rent freeze, advocates want rent control measures enshrined in law. The formula is set to go into effect next year. With files from CTV News Montreal's Swidda Rassy
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After biggest rent hike in decades, Quebec changing method to calculate it
As tenants across Quebec prepare to get hit with a substantial rent increase, the provincial government is making changes to the way those rent hikes will be calculated. The changes to the calculation method were outlined Wednesday in Quebec's Official Gazette (page 2368). They come just a few months after Quebec's rental tribunal, known in French as the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL), recommended an average rent increase for 2025 of 5.9 per cent for tenants living in homes were heat is not included. That's Quebec's largest year-to-year jump in at least three decades, according to TAL figures dating back to 1988. That recommendation is still in effect for this year and the new calculation method will be used as of 2026. Had the new method been used for this year, the TAL's average recommended rent increase would've been 4.5 per cent, according to a spokesperson for Quebec's housing minister. Each year, the TAL releases a set of calculations landlords can use before sending a notice of rent increase to a tenant. WATCH | Here's what the change means: Simpler and more predictable, minister says In an interview with Radio-Canada's Première heure, Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau said the old calculation was based on 13 variables. The new one will be based on four, she said. Under the new calculation, the TAL will take into account: The average consumer price index in Quebec for the reference year and the three years preceding it. Variations in municipal taxes. Variations in school taxes. Variations in insurance costs. "I'm expecting that there will be a better understanding from the tenant's perspective and the landlord's perspective, so less distrust," she said. "The less distrust there is, the less conflict there will be and we'll reduce the number of cases that end up at the tribunal." But a Quebec group advocating for tenants' rights says the reform is a "missed opportunity to curb the housing crisis and abusive property speculation." In a news release, the Regroupement de comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ) argued that the new calculation method "in no way" responds to tenants' demands for real rent control in the province. "It opens the door wide for landlords to increase their profits on the backs of tenants, with rent increases now based on the average rise in the cost of living as well as the cost of major renovations," read the statement. "In this way, Duranceau has standardized rent increases based not on the actual costs of managing a building, but on the potential market value of the property, to the greater benefit of landlords." The group encourages people to join a national demonstration for the right to housing held in Drummondville, Que., on Tenants' Day, April 24. WATCH | This is what renters can expect in 2025: Increases over past decade Although the new method would've led to a smaller increase for tenants in 2025, that's not necessarily going to be the case every year. According to the minister's spokesperson, the TAL increases between 2014 and 2024 totalled 23.7 per cent. With the new calculation, that increase would've been 23.3 per cent. "We could therefore say that over the long haul, the increases would've been the same," spokesperson Justine Vézina wrote in a statement provided to CBC News in French. "Since the variations would be more stable since the [consumer price] index would take into consideration an average of three years, there are in fact years where the increase would've been higher and others where it would've been lower." With the 5.9 per cent rent increase recommended by the TAL in 2025, someone who pays $1,400 in rent will see it go up to $1,482. Had it been 4.5. per cent with this new method, the rent would've gone up to $1,463.
