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Mme Valérie Plante, mairesse de Montréal, Mme Nancy Shoiry, directrice générale de la Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal, et M. Éric Caron, directeur général de l’organisme Ma Chambre inc., annoncent un partenariat qui permettra de rénover et de maintenir une maison de chambre située dans Le Plateau-Mont-Royal.

« Les besoins pour des maisons de chambre sont importants à Montréal et nous travaillons sans relâche afin de répondre aux besoins de cette clientèle vulnérable. Nous avons lancé notre stratégie de développement de 12 000 logements sociaux et abordables afin de développer des logements sociaux sur notre territoire, mais également afin d’innover dans nos approches pour offrir un toit décent, confortable et accessible aux Montréalaises et Montréalais. Je suis contente de voir que notre vision de l’habitation est partagée par des organismes et des sociétés paramunicipales et que nous œuvrons tous ensemble pour offrir de meilleur chez-soi à la population », affirme la mairesse de Montréal, Mme Valérie Plante.

La Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) a reçu l’autorisation de la Ville de Montréal d’acquérir l’immeuble situé au 1651, boulevard Saint-Joseph Est, pour la somme de 1 350 000$. La SHDM revendra ensuite l’immeuble à l’organisme Ma Chambre inc. pour le même montant.

« L’intervention de la SHDM permettra de sécuriser l’achat de l’immeuble et de sauvegarder la vocation d’une maison offrant ainsi un toit à 25 personnes dans le besoin. Nous sommes heureux de venir aider l’organisme Ma Chambre inc. dans l’achat et la rénovation de cette maison de chambres. Être acteur de l’immobilier responsable, c’est s’engager auprès de nos partenaires pour trouver des solutions innovantes pour favoriser l’accès et le maintien d’hébergement stable », lance Nancy Shoiry, de la SHDM.

Ma Chambre inc. a déposé une offre d’achat sur l’immeuble, conditionnelle aux résultats de l’appel d’offres pour la réalisation de travaux sur le bâtiment dans le cadre du programme AccèsLogis Québec. Le délai de clôture approchant à grand pas, l’organisme risquait de perdre cette opportunité d’acquisition sans l’intervention de la Ville de Montréal et de la SHDM.

Une des réponses à long terme pour réduire et freiner les problématiques d’itinérance demeure toujours l’accès à un logement permanent et abordable. Les maisons de chambres répondent aux besoins de populations vulnérables et constituent une première étape vers une stabilisation après un séjour à la rue. Toutefois, le parc de maisons de chambres de Montréal diminue d’année en année. Il importe donc de prendre des mesures pour assurer le maintien de ce parc.

« Notre projet permettra de favoriser l’autonomie, la stabilité et l’insertion sociale de personnes seules à faible revenu en leur offrant un logement sécuritaire à prix abordable. Nous remercions la participation de la SHDM et de la Ville de Montréal dans notre projet qui nous permettra d’offrir une meilleure qualité de vie aux résidentes et aux résidents du 1651, boulevard Saint-Joseph Est », M. Éric Caron, de Ma Chambre inc. La revente à l’organisme Ma Chambre inc. se fera lorsqu’il aura obtenu son engagement définitif, soit d’ici la fin de 2019.

This holiday season, let’s be responsible and generous. Let’s give a second meaning to our holiday wishes.

Take part in our online quiz and learn more about the three organizations chosen by SHDM employees, which will receive a donation.

TAKE PART IN THE QUIZ
6 questions | 1 minute of your time | 3 organizations chosen by our employees | 1 donation per organization

Happy holiday season to you all!

Between April and October, over one hundred SHDM tenants took part in horticultural activities and projects right in their own living environment. The children—who particularly made their mark this year, by turning out in such large numbers to garden at the foot of their apartments, much to the great delight of their parents and neighbours—definitely inspired others and sparked word-of-mouth as well.

The gardeners were happy to see that the children were so interested in getting involved and were so attentive to the plants. « My children knew absolutely nothing about gardening, because they had never had access to a garden before, but now they are the ones who tell me what vegetables are growing, how to maintain them and when they are ready to be harvested! » stated a loyal participant.

Two major projects launched in the boroughs of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Saint-Michel–Villeray–Parc-Extension were set up thanks to Sentier Urbain, which was called upon to look after them. Within these two projects, there was a total of 35 workshops offering activities, supervision and horticultural advice, door-to-door rounds, emails sent out, promotional posters and telephone calls to promote the program. More than 85 participants landscaped 1240 square feet of land with 507 vegetable and herbal plants, 107 perennials, 26 shrubs, 15 fruit shrubs, 4 trees that were planted and 90 flowers, for the direct benefit of the participants.

The project on Rue Fielding, in the borough of Saint-Michel–Villeray–Parc-Extension, brought together a total of 66 people living in 20 of the SHDM’s 84 housing units, representing a participation rate of approximately 23%. For its first year with Sentier Urbain, this project proved to be a real success.

As for the project on Rue Barclay in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, which was in its second year of operation, it once again brought together last year’s 15 loyal participants, plus five new regular ones. This project is therefore well on its way to becoming self-sufficient and sustainable, which is the main objective of the projects initiated by the SHDM.

« In order to ensure that the community garden projects organized last year will continue on and on, two horticulture clubs are established within the Barclay and Fielding projects, » pointed out Daniel Lavoie, Residential Operations Coordinator at the SHDM. Many tenants have in fact gradually joined these projects, on seeing the benefits for the entire community: socialization and encounters, learning, a sense of belonging and security, beautification, free access to local and healthy vegetable gardening products, etc.

Would you like to join one of these two clubs? Write to [email protected]

The SHDM would like to thank all the residents who are involved in their community, its horticulture team, Sentier urbain, the Société de développement et d’habitation communautaire (SODHAC), Les Habitations Sherbrooke Forest Inc. and Habitations Terrasse Saint-Michel, all three of which are external administrators for the SHDM, for their professionalism in carrying out the responsibilities assigned to them by the SHDM.

The launch of the Accès Condos accredited project Faubourg Contrecœur Phase 6 took place on Saturday, October 20. We are happy to say than more than 80 eager households turned out for the event, hoping to reserve the housing unit of their choice. At 9 a.m., there were over 25 people in line and the first ones had been there since 10 a.m. the morning before!

The 3- and 4-bedroom urban cottages on two levels proved to be very successful. All in all, over half of the 70 units available were reserved. However, “reserved” doesn’t mean “sold”, as the buyers must now take steps toward mortgage approval in order to finalize the sale.

Anyone interested in the last step of this housing project must contact the sales team directly at 514 891-5200 or visit the sales office located just across the street from the construction site at 9500 rue Myra-Cree.

For sales office hours or further details of the project, click here.

Starting Saturday, October 20, buyers will be able to reserve their unit in the sixth and final phase of the Accès Condos accredited projects at Faubourg Contrecœur. Launched in 2007 by the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), this project is reaching its final stage of development, which has made it possible to build a real living space, with a total of 1800 housing units, including 655 affordable Accès Condos accredited condo units, over 300 community or social housing units, a residence for seniors, semi-detached and single-family homes, a daycare centre and neighbourhood businesses.

Sales office opening Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 10 a.m. In front of the construction site located at 9500 rue Myra-Cree

Taking into account buyers’ great interest in family units, Faubourg Contrecœur Phase 6 is offering 70 affordable condominium units, including many large ones—3 or 4 bedrooms (more than 60%) and 2-storey urban maisonettes (15 in all). The project is Accès Condos accredited, which enables buyers to benefit from a 10% purchase credit on the value of the condo and reduce their down payment to only $1,000, for a helping hand that is particularly appreciated by first-time buyers. Buyers must be eligible for a mortgage loan and live in the condo—these are the only requirements.

For more information, visit accescondos.org/fc6/en

Close to the huge Carlos-d’Alcantara park that borders the Faubourg Contrecœur to the east, residents enjoy an outstanding quality of life in a family residential area, easily accessible by public transit, with bus service to and from the metro in a few minutes’ time. The entire neighbouring community also benefits from the development of the commercial area, which already has a daycare centre, a pharmacy, a breakfast restaurant and soon a supermarket and other local shops and services.

Highlights of the Faubourg Contrecœur Phase 6 project:

• 70 units on 7 floors (including two elevators) : 3 four-bedroom units: two-storey urban maisonettes; 42 three-bedroom units, including 12 two-storey urban maisonettes; 20 two-bedroom units; 5 one-bedroom units
• 46 indoor parking spaces
• 70 storage spaces in the basement
• Next to Carlos-d’Alcantara park and its many facilities (mini-soccer field, climbing wall, splash pads, basketball court, ping-pong tables, toboggan slope in winter, etc.)
• Daycare centre opened in June 2018, including a nursery
• Pharmacy and breakfast restaurant open since summer 2018
• Shopping area coming soon at the corner of Sherbrooke and Contrecoeur, including a supermarket
• Active and public transit services (buses, Communauto, bicycle paths)

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) and Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) announce the relocation of École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design (NAD) to the Îlot Balmoral building, in the heart of Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles.

The $40-million Îlot Balmoral project allows École NAD to move into new space on the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of the flagship building under construction in the city’s Place des Festivals. In the short term, thanks to financial support from Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur, UQAC will be able to equip three floors of the building to provide students with a unique learning experience, at the cutting edge of industry and research requirements in the field, starting in the fall of 2019.

“We are delighted to officially announce today NAD’s move to Îlot Balmoral,” said Nancy Shoiry, Executive Director of Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal. “We have believed in and supported this project from the beginning in cooperation with NAD, UQAC, and Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur. Synergy with the NFB is promising and is perfectly in line with our vision for Îlot Balmoral. With these first two tenants, nearly two-thirds of the building will be dedicated to creation and innovation through film and the digital arts.”

Valérie Plante, mayor of Montreal, said, “NAD’s move to Îlot Balmoral is excellent news. Not only do we get to keep a creative and vibrant institution in Montreal, but its location in Quartier des spectacles alongside the National Film Board is sure to boost innovation and vitality. I applaud what SHDM is doing to develop projects consistent with Ville de Montréal’s desire to make progress in the social, economic and, in this case, cultural arenas.”

The announcement of the move gave UQAC rector Nicole Bouchard an opportunity to proudly highlight the courage and vision of the entire team that worked on the project, which, when complete, will be an important milestone for the school. “This is not only a significant moment in the history of École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design, but also in UQAC’s history. It is one of the largest investments in the history of our institution.”

École NAD’s move to Îlot Balmoral, scheduled for early summer 2019, will allow the school to grow, make its undergraduate and, in time, graduate programs more accessible, and increase its research initiatives and continuing education offerings, all of which play a key role in development of the creative industries in Montreal and throughout Quebec. Synergy with Quartier des spectacles, the National Film Board (NFB), companies in the sector, and the cultural community will provide École NAD with an environment conducive to the development of talent and innovative practices in teaching and applied and fundamental research.

 

About École NAD
Founded in 1922 and located in Montreal, École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design (NAD) at UQAC offers education and R&D opportunities in 3D animation, visual effects, design, and the digital arts. In the last 26 years, NAD has trained thousands of 3D animators who now work for major companies around the world in the film, television, and video game industries. In 2008 École NAD and UQAC created a partnership that gives more than 350 students a year access to a range of university programs that are unique in Quebec.