Major job site at Habitations Saint-Michel Nord in Montréal - "HLM de demain"

MONTRÉAL, July 4, 2018 /CNW/ - The 185-unit housing complex will be completely transformed to provide tenants with modern, safer, quality housing. The $54.3-million rejuvenation under way at Habitations Saint-Michel Nord in Montréal is the largest renovation project ever undertaken by the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM). Rightly called "HLM de demain," or low-rental housing of tomorrow, the housing complex will have a completely new look by the end of the work, planned for March 31, 2019.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, David Heurtel, Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness and Member of National Assembly for Viau, on behalf of Lise Thériault, Minister responsible for Consumer Protection and for Housing, and Magda Popeanu, City Councillor for Côte‑des‑Neiges−Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Vice-President responsible for housing, real estate planning and management and diversity on the City of Montreal Executive Committee, held a press conference today at the construction site, to provide an update on the progress of the work.

The work will be funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the 2016 Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF) Agreement. The Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) made the preliminary funding arrangements for the project, and the OMHM assumed its coordination.

Over the coming weeks and months, the bathrooms, kitchens and floors will be rebuilt. The fire alarm system will be brought up to standard, the ventilation equipment will be replaced and the landscaping will be carried out. The City of Montréal, for its part, will build a new street on the area left vacant by the demolished buildings, to provide easier access to the housing units and ensure that the site blends into the urban fabric.

Quotes

"The peace of mind that comes with having a secure and stable home is invaluable. This is why our Government is pleased to be involved in the building of this project: Habitations Saint-Michel Nord. These renovations will transform 185 units, making them affordable and secure. A true place to call home. It is through collaboration that we are able to achieve this level of success. This project showcases what hard work can achieve." — Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

"Habitations Saint-Michel Nord is a source of tremendous pride as it is a massive residential rejuvenation project that will benefit the people of the Saint-Léonard−Saint-Michel district and surrounding areas. A place to call home is essential and these safe, affordable units will provide just that. This is truly a proud and wonderful accomplishment that we all share."— Nicola Di Iorio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Léonard–Saint-Michel

"The sustainability of the low-rent housing stock is a major concern of our government, and we are proud to have contributed to making this large-scale project possible. This is more than a significant upgrade of outdated housing units; Habitations Saint-Michel Nord will become a real place to live for hundreds of people who will soon be able to enjoy an environment that will be more conducive to personal and social growth." — Lise Thériault, Minister responsible for Consumer Protection and for Housing

"Relocating 185 households is a real challenge and a demonstration of the scale of the work in progress. I am delighted for all the people who will see their living environment completely transformed when they move in to their new, completely refurbished home. This is a major project that will benefit the entire Saint-Michel neighbourhood. I am delighted that this project, financially supported by the Government of Quebec, has been carried out and that the stakeholders in our community are working together." — David Heurtel, Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness and Member of the National Assembly for Viau

Highlights

• Built in 1972 and owned by the OMHM, Habitations Saint-Michel Nord originally comprised 185 low-rent housing units, including about 100 with three or more bedrooms. The units were divided among 27 two- or three-storey buildings. All the tenants have been relocated for the duration of the work.
• Since the beginning of the renovation project, six buildings have been demolished, and a third storey has been added to the remaining buildings that had just two storeys, in order to keep the same number of units, that is, 185.
• All the buildings have been decontaminated, and the water and sewer systems have been rebuilt. Workers are currently reconstructing the exterior envelope of the building and replacing the electrical and plumbing installations.
• In November 2017, the Government of Canada announced its National Housing Strategy (NHS), an an ambitious 10-year, $40-billion plan that will remove 530,000 families from housing need across Canada, create 100,000 new housing units, as well as repair and renew more than 300,000 housing units and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
• The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.

About CMHC and the SHQ

• 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. For more information, visit www.cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• The mission of the SHQ is to meet the housing needs of Quebec residents through an integrated, sustainable approach. Its commitment to improving quality of life for many citizens, its partnerships with communities, its diversified service offering, its expertise and its innovative projects have made the SHQ Quebec's leader in housing. Over the past year, more than 231,000 households have received assistance from the SHQ. To get more information on the programs and services offered by the SHQ, to find out more about its activities and achievements or to obtain advice on housing, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html and follow the SHQ on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation