Terrebonne gets 100 new units in $23.5m government-backed project
Quebec has announced new funding for the construction of a 100-unit affordable housing building for independent seniors in Terrebonne, a city northwest of Montreal.
The $23.5 million project is part of a larger $235 million joint investment to build 10 such buildings across Quebec.
The six-story Terrebonne development, expected to be completed by spring 2026, will be built through a partnership between the two levels of government: the City of Terrebonne will provide land and tax breaks, and the non-profit organization Mission Unitaînés will lead the construction.
"I'm excited by this project, as it leverages stakeholder expertise to build quality affordable housing in very short timeframes," France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec's minister responsible for housing, said in a statement.
Once constructed, management will be handed to the local housing authority, Office Municipal d'habitation de Lanaudière Sud, which will also select tenants. A $500,000 reserve fund from Mission Unitaînés will support operations.
Affordable for low-income seniors
The building will offer bachelor units for around $595 per month and two-bedroom units for $900, with rents being approximately 25% of occupants' income. Eligible low-income seniors may also qualify for further rental subsidies.
"This partnership will allow more housing units to be built, more quickly, to provide appropriate housing to thousands of low- and moderate-income seniors," stated Sean Fraser, Canada's minister of housing, infrastructure and communities.
Easing housing crunch
"With a vacancy rate of just 0.4%, Terrebonne is facing major housing challenges. This project will benefit one of the most vulnerable segments of our population — less-affluent seniors," said Terrebonne mayor Mathieu Traversy.
Local MP Angelo Iacono highlighted how the partnership will allow the government to "innovate to improve the lives of people in our communities."
The new rental housing is tied to the $900 million in federal funding for Quebec through the Housing Accelerator Fund, matched by an equal commitment from the provincial government announced last fall.
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