LAVAL, QC, March 10, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, France-Élaine Duranceau, Minister Responsible for Housing, along with Annie Koutrakis, Member of Parliament for Vimy, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Valérie Schmaltz, Member of the National Assembly for Vimont, and Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval, marked a major step in Laval's Val-Martin neighbourhood revitalization and reconstruction project, which began in 2017. By the time the last of the project's 7 buildings is completed, the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will have jointly invested nearly $69 million to build 235 new units and to renovate 124 existing units for families and individuals.
CMHC and SHQ have invested nearly $28.2 million to renovate 124 housing units in 3 existing buildings — more than $23.9 million in federal funding as part of the 2016 Social Infrastructure Fund Agreement under the Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing, and $4.3 million in funding from the SHQ.
The construction of 4 buildings with 235 new units was funded through additional investments of $29.2 million and $1.95 million from the SHQ's AccèsLogis Québec and Rénovation Québec programs. A total of $9.7 million was granted in federal funding via the National Housing Co-investment Fund (NHCF). The NHCF is being delivered across Quebec under the Canada–Quebec Housing Agreement.
The City of Laval invested more than $20.3 million in these projects, including the last 75-unit building currently under construction. This mixed-use building will also house the new Simonne Monet Chartrand community centre, for which municipal investments total nearly $25 million.
The Office municipal d'habitation de Laval is already working on a new phase of the Val-Martin revitalization initiative.
To this end, the SHQ has informed the Office municipal d'habitation de Laval that it will contribute $25.5 million to finance repair, decontamination and rehabilitation work on 74 units.
In 2023, initial work will focus on the housing project in the block bordered by Pie-X Boulevard and Brien, Henri-Bourassa and Wilfrid-Laurier streets.
"Today, we celebrate the achievement of a vast undertaking that has changed the face of an entire neighbourhood and is nearing completion. The new social and affordable housing units that have been built provide a more pleasant living environment for the families and individuals who live there, many of whom are low-income households. I applaud the commitment of our project partners. Our government is proud to have invested in this project, which demonstrates our willingness to increase the supply of affordable housing adapted to the realities of all regions of Quebec." – France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing
"Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through the National Housing Co-investment Fund and bilateral funding, our government is investing in affordable housing here, in Laval, and across Canada to improve quality of life for those who need it most. The investments announced today will help hundreds of families secure affordable housing. This is one of the ways our government continues to ensure that no one is left behind." – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Minister responsible for CMHC
"Val-Martin is a long-term project that is revitalizing an entire neighbourhood and improving quality of life for many families. Our government is committed to investing in projects like this that enhance community life. I congratulate the Office municipal d'habitation de Laval and the City of Laval for their incredible work. This project is a win for the entire Laval region." – Christopher Skeete, Quebec Minister for the Economy, Minister Responsible for the Fight Against Racism and Minister Responsible for the Laval Region
"Adequate housing is a fundamental human right that is essential to dignity, safety and inclusion. This housing project is another example of what can be accomplished when all levels of government work together. Through this collaboration, our government is helping to ensure that Laval's most vulnerable have access to safe and affordable housing that allows them to thrive." – Annie Koutrakis, Member of Parliament for Vimy
"The Val-Martin project is a concrete representation of our vision for housing affordability and healthy neighbourhood intensification. Even more so with the inclusion of the Simonne Monet Chartrand community centre to meet the real needs of residents and organizations. It is with this in mind that we hosted the first Sommet de l'habitation du Québec: to drive the momentum needed for initiatives like these to happen. This collaboration with the provincial and federal governments shows how far we have come." – Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval
"The mission of the Office municipal d'habitation de Laval is clear. Our goal is to provide quality social and affordable housing, develop our housing stock to better meet the needs of citizens and ensure safe, inclusive, stimulating and user-friendly living environments to improve quality of life for residents in a concrete way." – Flavia Alexandra Novac, President of the Board of Directors, Office municipal d'habitation de Laval
As a housing reference, the SHQ has, as its mission, to meet the housing needs of Quebec citizens through 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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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, please visit cmhc.ca, or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Brittany Hendrych, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]; Philippe Couture, Press Secretary to the Minister Responsible for Housing, [email protected]; Media Relations, Société d'habitation du Québec, [email protected]
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