New social housing for families in Gatineau

Gatineau, Quebec, March 27, 2023

The governments of Quebec and Canada, and the City of Gatineau are proud to announce their financial support for the construction of 15 affordable housing units for families at risk of homelessness in Gatineau. This project, which was undertaken by Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy, represents an investment of more than $7.9 million.

The Government of Quebec is contributing more than $1.6 million in funding through the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) AccèsLogis Québec program. The federal government is providing $670,000 through the Second Canada – Quebec Agreement under the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), Major Cities stream — a program administered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The SHQ is also securing the organization’s mortgage loan, and the City of Gatineau is contributing more than $3.5 million to the project, of which nearly $2.2 million comes from the envelopes of the tripartite agreements that the municipality has signed with the SHQ and the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation.

Work began last November and the first tenants are expected to move in as soon as May 2024. The two-storey building will provide community spaces for tenants. Of these 15 units, 7 will have two bedrooms. The other 8 will have three bedrooms.

Quotes:

“I am proud to announce our government’s contribution to this 15-unit affordable housing project for families at risk of homelessness. Our government’s financial assistance will not only help build these units but also ensure that tenants can afford them. Thanks to this collaboration and our ongoing housing efforts, this new building will greatly improve quality of life for its future residents.”
— France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Thanks to the Rapid Housing Initiative, 15 Gatineau families will have comfortable, safe homes where they can raise their children and follow their dreams. By working closely with our partners to create more affordable housing, our government continues to achieve meaningful results for Canadians. This is just one of the many ways our investments in housing across the country continue to ensure that no one is left behind.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“This project is made possible through the Rapid Housing Initiative and will provide much-needed assistance to many of the most vulnerable people in the city of Gatineau. These 15 housing units are just the beginning and will be more than safe, affordable places to live. They will become real homes, the means to better lives for the families who live there.”
— The Honourable Greg Fergus, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Hull–Aylmer

“I want to congratulate Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy for undertaking this project that will support less privileged members of our community. This investment clearly demonstrates our government’s intention to increase the housing supply on our territory and improve the quality of life of Gatineau citizens.”
— Suzanne Tremblay, Member of the National Assembly for Hull and Temporary Chair

“I would like to highlight the significance of the support provided by Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy to our most vulnerable citizens within Gatineau. This project would not have been possible without this organization’s dedication and tenacity, the ‘shock committee’s’ receptiveness and the municipal council’s and city administration’s agility. As the impacts of the housing crisis are felt now more than ever, this project demonstrates how co-operation by all government levels is key to supporting the community.”
— France Bélisle, Mayor of Gatineau

“As was the case in the early 2000s, when Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy was founded and developed its first emergency housing units for homeless families, this innovative new long-term housing project is the result of sheer determination, patience, and commitment to helping homeless families. The entire Œuvres team upholds this cause, the only community organization in Quebec to do so.”
— François Roy, President of Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy

Quick facts:

Groupe Heafey, a private real estate investment company, donated part of the lot, a contribution estimated at more than $880,000.
All households in this building could benefit from the SHQ’s Rent Supplement Program, ensuring that they would not spend more than 25% of their income on housing. This additional assistance of more than $258,000 over five years is assumed by the SHQ (90%) and the City of Gatineau (10%).
Les Œuvres Isidore Ostiguy also received $80,000 in financial assistance from the SHQ’s Rénovation Québec program. Under this program, this assistance is funded equally by the SHQ and the City of Gatineau.
Les Oeuvres Isidore Ostiguy offers a community support service adapted to the needs of families at risk of homelessness. This is not the first project of its kind that Œuvres has undertaken. Œuvres will replicate its community intervention/support model to break the cycle of housing instability for these families.
The federal government provided $670,000 for this project through CMHC as part of the Canada – Quebec RHI Agreement.

About the Société d’habitation du Québec:

The SHQ’s mission, as a leader in housing, is to meet the housing needs of Quebec citizens using its expertise and services to citizens. It does so by providing affordable and low-rent housing and offering a range of assistance programs to support the construction, renovation and adaptation of homes, as well as access to homeownership. To find out more about its activities, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html.

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About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation:

As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home that they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.