Montreal city hall announced a plan Thursday to create 12,000 social and affordable housing units on the island by 2021.
Mayor Valérie Plante said at a press conference there’s no “magical solution” to help residents find affordable housing but her administration has laid out an ambitious plan.
The city says it will create the homes through a variety of methods, including supporting already existing programs like AccèsLogis Québec/Montréal and the rent supplement program.
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They will also use funds to purchase land or support the viability of developing housing projects.
As part of the plan, the city would also pass a bylaw approving a $50-million loan over 10 years to buy buildings or land that comes up for sale in order to develop community and social housing.
The city is already in the process of acquiring 3,000 housing units, and has started building 300 homes.
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Since May 2018, the city said it has received 900 requests for their home ownership support program.
Plante didn’t give a total cost for the series of measures, but said that the plan will require support from the provincial and federal governments.
In the Spring, the previous provincial government announced an additional $22-million dollars to help the city fund community and affordable housing projects.
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Plante said she will bring up her administration’s housing priorities at a meeting with Quebec’s new Premier François Legault on Friday.
Details for some of the measures will be announced when the Plante administration tables its budget on Nov. 8.
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