Former National Film Board Building offered through Federal Lands Initiative

Interested applicants must demonstrate in their response to this Request for Expression of Interest how they will meet or exceed the following minimum requirements:

1. Affordability

• Rents for at least 30% of the units must be below 80% of the Median Market Rental Rent, for the term of the lease (99 years).
• Median Market Rental Rate means the median market rental rate for the regional market and unit type of the project as described in CMHC’s rental market survey or any successor publication published from time to time.
• In planning the affordability component of your project, you must ensure rents for affordable units are set at 80% or less of the Median Market Rents as outlined below:

  Median Market Rental Rent

  • Bachelor: $777
  • 1-bedroom: $950
  • 2-bedroom: $1,015
  • 3-bedroom: $1,150

2. Accessibility

• 20% of all units within the project meet or exceed accessibility standards as prescribed in Table A of the National Housing Strategy Federal Lands Initiative Energy Efficiency and Accessibility Tables and that access to the project and its common areas is barrier free or
• the entire project (common areas and dwelling units) has full universal accessibility design.

3. Energy efficiency

• New projects are required to achieve either a 25% decrease in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to the 2015 National Energy Code for Buildings or the 2015 National Building Code or a
• 15% decrease relative to the 2017 National Energy Code for Buildings per CMHC.

4. Experience

• Proponents, or their team, must demonstrate that they have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the construction and operation of projects of similar size and scope.
• Proponents are permitted to acquire this experience by engaging third parties.
• If you do not currently possess this experience, you must indicate in your Expression of Interest that you will commit to getting it if you are selected.

Your Expression of Interest response must include the following items:

1. A signed copy of the Expression of Interest.
2. A letter (on the applicant’s letter head) outlining, in broad terms, the type of project you would like to develop on the site:
   • A general description of the proposed project that is envisioned.
   • The targeted clientele, if any.
   • The expected schedule of development.
   • The expected composition and number of units, including the level of targeted affordability of those units, in comparison to the Median Market Rental Rate.
   • Expected other sources of funding and the anticipated availability of that funding.
   • Additionally, the applicant (which can include project partners and consultants) must detail their experience in developing and operating affordable housing projects of similar size and scope.
3. Provide feedback, if any on the Federal Lands Initiative and/or development opportunity related to development considerations for project success/feasibility.
4. An explanation (on the applicant’s letter head) for each minimum requirement, as to how you intend to meet and/or exceed each minimum requirement.

The purpose of this Request for Expression of Interest is for CMHC and the Canada Lands Company to identify potential applicants who are interested in leasehold interest in the subject property to create an affordable housing project with at least 110 units on the site that will meet or exceed certain minimum requirements set out by CMHC and Canada Lands Company. The property will be available on a 99-year ground lease at a discounted to no cost price. The price will be determined based on the level of social outcomes and number of affordable units created.

The opportunity being marketed in this Request for Expression of Interest is the 125 rue Houde - Côte-de-Liesse property in Montréal, Quebec.

The Federal Lands Initiative is open, but not limited, to the following groups:

• community housing organizations
• non-profit organizations or registered charities
• co-operative housing organizations
• municipal, provincial and territorial governments including their agencies
• Indigenous governments and organizations, including tribal councils
• for-profit organizations