Canada and Quebec have joined forces with Mission Unitaînés to build 1,000 new social and affordable housing units for independent seniors over the next two years. The $235-million investments by both levels of government will go toward the construction ten buildings in ten cities across the province, including Shawinigan where government officials gathered to make the announcement.

“Through partnership projects like the one with Mission Unitaînés, we are innovating to increase housing supply,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today we are celebrating not only the upcoming construction of 100 units in Shawinigan, but the creation of a thousand units across the province as well. This is what we can achieve when we work together. We are continuing to deliver for Quebecers by taking concrete actions that make a real difference.”

The government funding is tied to the $900 million in federal funding provided to Quebec through the Canada-Quebec agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund and the new $900-million investments announced by Quebec in its fall 2023 economic update.

The contribution of each municipality involved in one of the construction projects amounts to between $3 and $5 million, either in kind or in the form of a subsidy. This includes the transfer of land ready to build on, a three-year tax exemption starting on the transfer date of the land with the building and a building permit (or equivalent subsidies) and utility connections.

The charitable organization Mission Unitaînés will be responsible for designing and developing the ten buildings. At completion, the organization will provide the municipality, or a non-profit organization designated by the municipality, with a building ready for commissioning for a nominal fee and no mortgage. In addition, each building will have a $500,000 reserve fund from a philanthropic donation by Luc Maurice, Chair of the Board of Directors of Mission Unitaînés. Other partners will complement the funding with philanthropic contributions to enhance the residents’ quality of life.

Construction in Shawinigan

The six-storey building planned for Shawinigan represents a government investment of $23.5 million, in addition to the City’s land and a tax holiday and philanthropic donation. Construction is scheduled to begin in July 2024 and should be completed by spring 2026. The building will include 74 one-bedroom units, 15 bachelor units and 11 two-bedroom units. The rent will be set at about $595 for a bachelor unit and $900 for a two-bedroom unit.

“As I have often said, we need to innovate if we are to build more and better housing, especially given the current housing crisis,” said France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing and Member of the National Assembly for Bertrand. “This collaboration with Mission Unitaînés is proof that our government is taking concrete action, together with our federal partner and the municipalities, to better house seniors in Quebec. I’m excited by this project, which mobilizes stakeholder expertise to very quickly build quality affordable housing. We are determined to deliver results through this partnership.”

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