Official opening of Place Desaulniers: 175 units of social and community housing in Longueuil

LONGUEUIL, QC, Aug. 20, 2026 /CNW/ -- Today, the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, the City of Longueuil, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Habitations Communautaires Longueuil (HCL) officially opened Place Desaulniers, a building with 175 social and community housing units in Longueuil.

Place Desaulniers serves the needs of families with children as well as couples and independent individuals of all ages. The 175-unit building includes a variety of one-bedroom to four-bedroom units and is located at the corner of Taschereau, La Fayette and Desaulniers boulevards, near the Longueuil–Université de Sherbrooke metro station. The site is also close to healthcare services, educational institutions, shops and public transit.

The official opening was attended by Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil–Charles-LeMoyne and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada; as well as by Shirley Dorismond, Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy (Life Sciences) and Member of the National Assembly for Marie-Victorin, on behalf of Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing, and Catherine Fournier, Mayor of Longueuil.

This project represents combined investments of more than $61 million. Today, the Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $28 million through the Affordable Housing Fund. This funding is in addition to the Government of Quebec's contribution of $23.8 million through the Fonds de solidarité FTQ–Québec Agreement and the City of Longueuil's contribution of $9.5 million, already announced in 2023. In addition, 140 tenants could benefit from the Société d'habitation du Québec's (SHQ's) Rent Supplement Program, ensuring that they will not spend more than 25% of their income on housing. This financial assistance is covered by the SHQ (90%) and the municipality where the housing project is located (10%).

The project is being led by Habitations Communautaires Longueuil (HCL), an organization with deep roots in Longueuil's community network. Place Desaulniers is HCL's fourth community housing development. Its first phase, Un toit pour tous, was officially opened in March and provides permanent housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The second phase is currently under construction.

These two projects are part of the City of Longueuil's commitment to improving living environments and fostering attractive, inclusive neighbourhoods that meet the needs of residents, through the priorities set out in its Housing Strategy.

Quotes:

"Our government is committed to helping communities strengthen their capacity to develop local solutions to housing needs and to homelessness. This housing project will provide more safe and affordable housing for some of Longueuil's most vulnerable residents. It's also another step toward building an economy that works for everyone." – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

"The completion of HCL's Place Desaulniers is a real testament to what we can accomplish when we work together to meet the housing needs of the people in our community. Thanks to the partnership between the Government of Quebec and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, 175 Longueuil households will soon be in affordable housing that offers them a quality living environment. This first project completed under the partnership shows our commitment to accelerating the creation of housing across Quebec and to continuing our efforts to offer concrete solutions to individuals and families in need."  – Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

"The project we are officially opening today will make a real difference for people here in Longueuil. Every project like this one draws us closer to our goal: building a Canada where everyone has access to a safe and affordable place to call home."  – Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil–Charles-LeMoyne and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

"Witnessing the official opening of a project that was announced right here in Longueuil is a source of deep pride. HCL's Place Desaulniers means 175 new units that will soon give modest-income families, seniors and individuals the chance to have a place to call home right here in their community. Beyond the numbers, this project will provide a living environment, stability and new opportunities for hundreds of people. I applaud all of the partners who helped make this vision a reality."  – Shirley Dorismond, Member of the National Assembly for Marie-Victorin and Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy (Life Sciences)

"The Place Desaulniers project is a major development for Longueuil: 175 new families will be able to benefit from affordable, healthy, and safe housing. Our teams worked hard to ensure that this long-awaited project could finally become a reality, and we will continue to support it alongside our partners, in line with our Housing Strategy, which aims to achieve a target of 20% non-profit housing across our territory." – Catherine Fournier, Mayor of Longueuil

"Our landmark partnership, launched in 2022 with the Government of Quebec, continues to take shape for the benefit of moderate-income households.  I applaud the commitment of all the partners, whose support is essential to making social and affordable housing projects a reality, as well as the leadership of organizations like Habitations Communautaires Longueuil." – Martin Raymond, President and CEO, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ

"A project like Place Desaulniers is always the result of a collective effort. For more than 16 years, Bâtir son quartier has supported Habitations Communautaires Longueuil, an organization whose vision and determination have shaped each of its projects. Once again, the commitment of our financial partners, together with the work of our team, the architects, the builder and all the professionals involved in the project have paid off: 175 new units where families and households can finally have a place to call home, tailored to their needs." – Edith Cyr, General Manager, Bâtir son quartier

"The official opening of Place Desaulniers marks a major milestone for our organization and for the Longueuil community. With 175 new dwellings, including larger apartments for families and accessible units, this project provides a safe, inclusive and high-quality living environment for low- and modest-income households. We are immensely proud to officially open this development today and directly address the pressing needs of our community." – Mary Claire MacLeod, Chair of the Board of Directors, Habitations Communautaires Longueuil

Quick facts:

• The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) has provided funding through low-interest and/or forgivable loans or contributions to partner organizations for new affordable housing and the renovation and repair of existing affordable and community housing. The AHF was a $16.1-billion National Housing Strategy program that prioritized housing projects for those who need them most: women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans and young adults. The AHF is now closed to new applications, as all available funds have been committed.
  • As of March 2026, the federal government had committed $15.83 billion to support the creation of over 61,700 units and the repair of over 174,700 units through the AHF. 
  • On September 19, 2025, the Government of Canada announced a top-up of $1.5 billion in loans for the New Construction Stream of the AHF to support the construction of more than 5,000 housing units starting in 2025–2026. In addition, the Rapid Housing Sub-Stream of the AHF will be expanded by pulling $385 million in funding from future years. 

About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada's housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions -- including mortgage loan insurance and securitization -- while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy. Follow CMHC on X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About the Société d'habitation du Québec

The SHQ works to meet the housing needs of Quebecers, including by increasing housing supply throughout the province for people with low or moderate incomes and for those with special needs. It supports its partners in the fields of construction and renovation, property management, and home adaptation. It also provides direct financial assistance to low-income households so that they can pay their rent.

For more information, visit the Société d'habitation du Québec section on Québec.ca.

SocietehabitationQuebec
HabitationSHQ
LinkedIn

About the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ

The Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ helps drive economic development in Quebec by partnering with industry leaders to strategically invest in profitable real estate projects. It supports the start of multi-use projects that include multiple components whether residential, commercial or office use and industrial projects. It prioritizes a sustainable development approach. As of June 30, 2026, there were 26 projects under development or construction worth $4.2 billion, which included close to 5,200 residential units under construction and 84 operating assets totalling 7,418 rental residential units. The Fonds immobilier is a member of Bâtiment durable Québec.

www.fondsftq.com/immobilier

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Contacts: Arianna Durgerian, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Nicolas Gravel, Press Secretary to the Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]; Media Relations, Société d'habitation du Québec, [email protected]