News

On March 9, SHDM’s Director of Real Estate Development Johanne Mallette made a guest appearance on MAtv’s Mise à jour Montréal, hosted by Sophie Vallerand, to discuss how families can be encouraged to stay in Montreal.

Joined by fellow guests Jean-Philippe Meloche, Assistant Professor at Université de Montréal’s Institut d’urbanisme, and Nathalie Clément, Director of Via Capitale du Mont-Royal, Mallette highlighted the key role of SHDM and its Accès Condos program in providing new housing that meets family needs.

She pointed out that 30% of certified Accès Condos units have three or four rooms and that two-storey units featuring up to 1,600 sq. ft of living space are favored. Projects also often integrate playgrounds into shared garden spaces that can be accessed from the ground floor.

Mallette agreed with Meloche’s comments that young middle-class families often can’t afford Montreal homes that suit their needs. She added that Accès Condos has helped 3,600 families purchase  reasonably priced, good-quality homes in Montreal with just $1,000 down payments, not to mention that 64% of them enjoy the combined benefits of both the Accès Condos program and the Ville de Montréal Home Ownership Program. What’s more, 50% of Accès Condos clients are 25 to 34 years old and 80% of them have family incomes of $50,000 to $80,000, proof that the program is a fine solution for keeping families in Montreal!

Interestingly, the suburban flight trend we’ve witnessed since the 1960s seems to be changing, according to Meloche. The number of children in Montreal is on the rise, and more and more families are choosing to stay in the city.

Clément also noted a trend in the opposite direction, with families returning to Montreal as their kids finish high school. Proximity to CEGEPs, universities, and public transit is very appealing to parents who are sick of being taxis. Clément added that young families are increasingly looking to improve their quality of life. “To many of them, the stress of leaving the office at 5 p.m. and hoping that you make it back in time to pick up the kids at daycare an hour later is unthinkable,” she explained. She also noted that many urban families are quite happy with just one car, given the availability of public transit and other options like car sharing. In fact, going that route allows families to put about $500 more toward their mortgage every month.

These observations correlate with our own findings—68% of families purchasing Accès Condos units have just one car, and 13% have none.

Everything seems to suggest that families have a bright future ahead of them in Montreal, and SHDM is proud to be contributing to it.

Consult the Accès Condos website  to learn more.
Click here to watch the entire program.

Projet Via3 in the borough of Lachine – A certified Accès Condos family housing project

The SHDM (Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal) is issuing a public call for proposals for the management of three SHDM properties whose management contracts expire on June 1, 2016.

The first contract is for the management of two buildings, the Bon-Pasteur monastery located at 60-100 rue Sherbrooke Est and the approximately 8,000 sq. ft. building at 164 rue Notre-Dame Est.

The second contract is for Centre Jean-Marie-Gauvreau, located at 911 rue Jean-Talon Est.

Property managers will be in charge of keeping the books with regard to operating the buildings and overseeing relations with tenants and service providers. They will also be responsible for general building upkeep (major work, maintenance, leasehold improvements, and maintenance of common areas).

Interested property managers may bid on either or both of these contracts for a three-year term with a possible two-year extension.

Click here to search the call for proposals on SEAO website.

Ongoing until February 27, 2016 at the exhibition center of Université de Montréal, the exhibition 1: X – exploration multidisciplinaire presented by the Provencher_Roy architectural firm stages five major projects including the Îlot Balmoral.

Whether from the architectural, urban planning, sustainable development or interior design angle, the exhibition enables visitors to understand the issues and principles that guided the design of the Îlot Balmoral.

You will discover sketches, draft projects, models of different versions of the project, and the model of the final project. You will also learn about the origin of the motifs for the glass façade and will see the materials selected for the building’s interior design.

A must see!

• We wish to remind the public that a call for expressions of interest for renting space in the building is underway. For more information, please visit the section of our website dedicated to Balmoral Island. 
• For additional information on the exhibition, visit the website of the Université de Montréal exhibition center. 
• For more information on the Provencher_Roy architectural firm, visit their website. 

With the Faubourg Contrecœur development project entering its final phases, the SHDM (Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal) is issuing a public call for proposals to select a contractor/developer to develop approximately 170 certified Accès Condos units on SHDM lots 4 974 782 and 4 061 763 for phases five and six of this project. 

Once an agreement is signed with Accès Condos, these lots will be sold to the chosen developer, who will build and sell the certified Accès Condos units.

Benefits of this type of agreement:

• Accès Condos certification, an appealing formula for developers and attractive to buyers
• Shared risk, with a sales warranty on units from SHDM
• An opportunity to work with an experienced professional team to develop and showcase the project

General conditions:

• Hold a valid license issued by RBQ and authorization from AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) to enter into public contracts in Quebec
• Have extensive experience developing residential condominiums
• Have the financial means to purchase the two lots and complete the project

Documents available AS OF FEBRUARY 10TH on www.seao.ca

For questions about the Accès Condos program, please consult the Partners and Suppliers section on our website.

Leader in the field of affordable housing and home ownership, the SHDM accredits and supports the development of quality residential projects in Montréal, while contributing to the vitality of neighbourhoods. In the past 10 years, 26 agreements were signed with 17 developers, totaling 30 projects and more than 3,600 units of affordable condos in 10 boroughs of Montréal.

Through a unique partnership between the SHDM and the Habitations Terrasse Saint Michel organization, the Saint-Michel neighbourhood is revealed in its best light and unveils its innovative, community and solidarity features.

After acquiring in 1990, in the heart of Saint-Michel, a set of 14 buildings totaling 127 dwellings that were in disrepair, the SHDM renovated and restored all of the buildings and created housing for families. Mindful of the social and cultural complexity of the neighborhood as well as of the dynamism of several community groups, SHDM turned over to the latter the management of these properties. In 1995, the organization Habitations Terrasse St-Michel was created, regrouping on its board several organizations that were already active in the area.

As the new owner, the SHDM carried out major works to improve the tenants’ quality of life. It also assumed the financial risk by supporting the decisions and proposals of the managing organization. Hence, premises have been offered free of charge to certain organizations, on an ad hoc or ongoing basis, and some of the dwellings were offered primarily to young single mothers. For its part, the Habitations Terrasse St-Michel organization is active in the field and contributes to a sense of well-being. Making repairs as quickly as possible and even preventively, maintaining lawns, planting flowers around the entrances, painting the walls, but also involving residents, helping them to fit in and step out of their isolation are some of the tasks undertaken by the organization.

The success of this business model was highlighted in 2002 by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) by giving to the Habitations Terrasse St-Michel project and the partners involved a Excellence Award for « Affordable Housing Innovations » in the “Process and Management” category.

In addition to providing below the market rents to a fragile clientele, this partnership created a community center and provided leverage to local organizations. This approach adequately addresses the needs of residents and neighbourhood issues. In addition to the very family-oriented environment, with a large proportion of households with more than three children, the Habitations Terrasse St-Michel welcome people from across the world. « For us, diversity is extremely important, » explains Claude Deshaies, treasurer of the Habitations Terrasse St-Michel organization. A community worker at the St-Michel CLSC for more than 20 years – retired in October 2015 – he reflects on the evolution of neighbourhood. « Before, St. Michel was a transition course and had a very bad reputation. Today, we see that people are comfortable here and that they do not want to leave. This means that they bonded with the neighbourhood and that they now feel it is theirs. The cooperation and coordination of community and municipal organizations was behind this turn around.”

A community worker at the Bureau Info-Logement of Centre éducatif communautaire René-Goupil and a board member of Habitations Terrasse St-Michel, Coralie Leroux explains that the purpose of community groups is to fight against the « Out of sight out of mind  » mentality. All these small projects, workshops, meetings organized by community groups, are aimed at empowering people, but they are also excuses for people to gather, share some coffee, chat, and get to know each other. The goal is to help them come out of their isolation. « 

The SHDM, an expert in Responsible Property Investment, is proud of this partnership which helped to build a real living environment and would like to thank and congratulate the team of Habitations Terrasse St-Michel for its commitment and its outstanding work.

Claude Deshaies, treasurer of the Habitations Terrasse St-Michel organization

Annie, in charge of the community garden and Soumaila Kafando, social mobilizer for Action Saint-Michel-Est (ASME)

The community garden

Front facade of Habitations Terasse Saint-Michel

Mural produced by MU

With over 20 years of experience in financial management, Mario De Fanti was entrusted with the management of the Finance and Administration Department of the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM). Reporting to the managing director, Nancy Shoiry, he will be responsible for the implementation of all financial and budgetary processes in the corporation. Mr. De Fanti will also lead the corporation’s development with respect to procurements, IT systems and administration, in addition to managing the teams involved with these issues.

Mario De Fanti’s extensive career bears out his wide expertise, including financial and strategic planning, financial analysis and project management. Known for his analytical ability, integrity and leadership, he will ensure that the finance and administration team’s activities are in keeping with SHDM’s values and strategic objectives.

After managing the finances of the property management division of an international telecommunications company for over 10 years and having served as Vice President, Finance and Administration, in the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, Mr. De Fanti was recently heading the operations of the finance, procurements and IT departments of the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau. Mario De Fanti was ranked among the top ten in Canada for the 1994-1995 tax, auditing and financial accounting exams of the CGA Order and has a BA in Accounting from Concordia University.