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CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Montreal social housing complex to reopen next summer after years of neglect, $400M renovation push
Thousands of social housing units from the Montreal Municipal Housing Office (OMHM) were abandoned because they were in a state of disrepair, but thanks to new funding, some units are now being renovated. Among them is a 54-dwelling social housing complex called Habitation Terasse Coursol, which had been empty since 2018. Noovo Info was recently invited to tour the building while the construction work is underway. 'It's a major renovation project, where we're going to completely rebuild the building's exterior and refurbish the entire interior to bring it up to standard,' said OMHM spokesperson Isabelle Breault. Breault explained that tenants were relocated because the organization was 'confident' the work would be completed within a few years, but they ended up not having enough money. She told Noovo Info that the organization finally received $400 million to carry out major work over the last three years. During a tour of the site, Breault explained that the ceilings and plaster in the gypsum contained asbestos and that they had to have the premises decontaminated. The 54 units are expected to be delivered next summer, and tenants who have been relocated will be able to return. 'Everyone has the right to return; it's the law. So, they have the right to come back, although most of them often decide to stay where they've been relocated. They've been away for almost 10 years now; they've built lives elsewhere. But they can all come back,' Breault said. Years without funding According to Noovo Info, the last few years have been rather difficult for social housing in Montreal, but also across the province, due to low government investment. 'We could barely do the maintenance work that was required. [...] So we have all this catching up to do from the last few years, which requires a lot of work,' said Breault, who pointed out that one in three doors in the Little Burgundy neighbourhood is a social housing unit. 'Of course, this poses significant challenges when renovating, because we're changing the image of the neighbourhood, especially here where there are so many social housing units.'
Montreal Gazette
30-06-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
More than 270 Montreal households on hunt for new home just hours ahead of moving day
By Moving day traditionally brings chaos to Montreal's streets, but those on the front lines of the housing crunch say hundreds of renters are still searching for a new place to call home just hours ahead of July 1. 'Right now, we have more than 270 households supported by our services,' Isabelle Girard-Fortier, director of rental services at the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal, said in an interview Monday afternoon with The Gazette. 'So, these are households that are still looking for accommodations, but there are also some of these households that are already temporarily staying with us.' The OMHM has rooms blocked off at partnering hotels for those who find themselves without an apartment. But she pointed out those are only temporary and maybe not the most comfortable option for some, such as large families. The municipal housing office can also help shelter people's belongings. Quebec's yearly mass migration takes place on July 1 as that is when the majority of leases begin, but that means many residents are stuck looking for a new apartment at the same time. FRAPRU, a housing advocacy group, noted that 2025 has been 'an extremely difficult year' so far. Tenants are facing 'virtually historic rent increases,' said FRAPRU spokesperson Véronique Laflamme. She cited a recent study from Statistics Canada that found Montreal's rental prices have jumped by 71 per cent since 2019. 'We feel like we haven't seen everything yet with these rent increases' taking effect Tuesday, she said. 'We're really worried that even more tenants will no longer be able to make ends meet and that even more will become impoverished, even though we've already heard year after year from food banks that housing affordability is preventing people from eating properly.' The rising costs are particularly hard on low-income households, particularly seniors, she added. 'The housing search period was very tough because tenants, basically realizing that it would be difficult to absorb the new rent increase, were looking for solutions and realizing that the available rental units were far too expensive,' Laflamme said. Montrealers of all stripes have asked for help when it comes to finding a new apartment, according to the OMHM. The level of demand is around the same as it was in 2024. 'It really varies,' Girard-Fortier said of those who require assistance. 'Last year, we had a lot of single women versus single men. Then, for a few years now, it's increasingly families with children, too.' The office assists renters all over the city, but Girard-Fortier said the Villeray—St-Michel—Parc-Extension, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Montreal North areas are among some of the hot spots this year. Along with other organizations, both the OMHM and FRAPRU will be open on moving day, as well as in the coming days. Their teams will be available to help anyone who needs it. The City of Montreal says anyone who still hasn't found a new home in time should call 311 for assistance.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
With moving day days away, Montreal calls on tenants without housing to seek help
As July 1 approaches, nearly 300 families have asked the City of Montreal for help finding housing. With moving day only five days away, the City of Montreal is urging tenants who have yet to find a suitable apartment to contact 311 for access to resources and assistance. According to city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin, around 270 families are currently being assisted by the city through the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal's (OMHM). Sabourin added that the situation is comparable to last year, although the numbers are slightly higher, as the housing vacancy rate in Montreal remains low. 'There is a housing crisis. The city took steps to help residents by doubling the budget,' Sabourin said during a press conference on Thursday. According to data from the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ), approximately 1,990 people across the province are currently receiving assistance from about 40 housing organizations. The spokesperson emphasized that the budget has increased from $1.5 million to $3.5 million over the last six years. 'What we are asking is for people who haven't found an apartment to contact us by calling 311. There is support for people in search for an apartment. There is temporary housing. We offer storage. We can assist people until their situation stabilizes,' he explained. Sabourin said he was confident that there are enough resources and funding to help all Montrealers in need. 'No one will be without a roof come July 1,' the spokesperson said. A recent Statistics Canada report shows that rent has increased by nearly 71 per cent since 2019, primarily affecting families and lower-income residents. The average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,930 in the first quarter of 2025, up from $1,130 six years ago. 'Searching for an apartment is very difficult. The market is very tight. So If you can stay in your apartment you should stay,' Sabourin said. However, Catherine Lussie, a coordinator with the Montreal-based housing advocate group FRAPRU (Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain), said the situation had worsened. She said that, as of Thursday, 283 households were being supported by the OMHM. 'It's definitely more then last year. Last year at the same time there were 268 household in the same situation. So, we see a little increase even though the vacancy rate has actually increased,' Lussie said in an interview. Moreover, she said the Statistics Canada data comes as no surprise, given the lack of measures implemented since the start of the housing crisis in 2018. 'Nothing has been done to prevent rent increases that we are seeing right now,' she said. The coordinator said she is worried about the situation as July 1 approaches, adding that some tenants will have to make difficult choices, such as temporarily staying with family, sleeping in their cars, or renting an apartment they cannot afford. 'You'll see after that. They need support from food banks because they are at the limit of what they can pay, Lussie continued. 'Also, what we see more is how long it takes after July 1 to find housing. So the numbers keep increasing after July 1 of tenants needing those services. For some it might takes weeks or even months to find a place that they can call a home.' With files from Matt Grillo and The Canadian Press
