Officials from the City of Montreal and Habitat for Humanity broke ground on Wednesday on a small lot on Bourassa Street in St-Henri.
Two new condos will be built on the site as part of the Turcot housing projects.
Habitat for Humanity has already built seven homes in the area, but this project is catered towards Indigenous families.
“This is the first project that we are building with Indigenous people; we always want to serve all members of the community so we hope it won’t be the last,” said Habitat for Humanity Quebec’s Madeleine Martins.
Members of the community organization Native Montreal will help find and choose the families.
“We will help find the families that match the criteria where they can afford this house — it fits with their needs and find those who had housing issues like lack of space,” said Native Montreal’s Philippe Meilleur.
The land was sold to Habitat by the city of Montreal for what borough Mayor Benoit Dorais calls “a very reasonable price.”
The projects is a way to try and offset gentrification in St-Henri; a once mostly working-class family neighbourhood.
“We are working on a plan to make it more accessible for families and this is part of it,” said Dorais.
Construction on the units will start in the next few weeks with help from volunteers.
The homes are expected to be completed by late September or early October.
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