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(Photo: Jean-Pierre Racette, Director General of SHAPEM. Photo credit: Sylvie Trépanier)

The non-profit organization, Société d’habitation populaire de l’Est de Montréal (SHAPEM) is a privileged partner of the SHDM since the early 90s. In addition to managing 525 of SHDM’s rental dwellings, SHAPEM has, among other endeavours, participated in the rehabilitation of a building in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood that now houses a residence of the Maison Échelon organisation and apartments for the Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal.

The building acquired by the SHDM in 1990 was in very poor condition and with the wrong kind of people going there, had a vacancy rate of about 50%. « No sensible person wanted to go and live there, » said Jean-Pierre Racette, Director General of SHAPEM. The renovation carried out by the SHDM and the partnership between the two organizations enabled, within less than five years, the revitalization of the building complex. The SHDM put her trust in us and was right in doing so” added Mr. Racette. The objectives of both partners are similar: to maintain the social diversity of Montréal’s neighbourhoods, offering quality, comfortable and affordable dwellings, but also to service the community and fight against social exclusion.

Thus, two major NPOs have settled in the building: the Maison l’Échelon in the eastern section of the building and the Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal, in the western section. For its part, Maison l’Échelon offers people with severe and persistent mental health problems 20 supervised apartments with psychosocial support, and social and educational leisure activities. Directly linked to the Agence de la santé et des Services Sociaux de Montréal, the organisation automatically takes in as residents, persons who are referred by the agency. On the other hand, the Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal provides shelter to 19 young men, in apartments with community support. Here the objective is to break the cycle of homelessness and provide tools for young people to regain their autonomy. In both cases, community spaces are available and tenants seem settled and content: « I love it here and I feel good » confided with the same words Cédric and Sylvie who respectively reside in the west and east sections of the complex.

As the owner, SHDM invests in major works. This spring, the kitchens of all the apartments were renovated and last year the wrought iron on the back of the building was completely repainted. SHAPEM, meanwhile, puts a lot of efforts into developing an innovative space for social action that residents can make their own. For Jean-Pierre Racette, the partnership with the SHDM is essential. « This way, we can join forces » he said.

The SHDM, expert in responsible property investment, is proud of this partnership which provides some housing options to two vulnerable populations in Montréal. Furthermore, SHDM congratulates the various psychosocial workers of Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal and Maison l’Échelon as well as SHAPEM’s team for their outstanding work.

About the Société d’habitation populaire de l’Est de Montréal (SHAPEM)
Established in 1988 in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood, SHAPEM is a non-profit organization. Its mission is to participate in the urban revitalization of East-end Montréal, for the benefit of the community and in collaboration with economic and social agents. SHAPEM carries out housing projects and real estate projects for the local population, and provides quality housing to low- and middle-income households.

About Maison l’Échelon
Maison l’Échelon is a non-profit organization helping people with mental health problems. Its mission is to work on the quality of life of people living with mental health problems by giving them priority access to residential services.

About Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal
The Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal’s mission is to provide assistance to young men, aged 17 to 25, who are struggling and homeless and to help improve their living conditions. The Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal night shelter and referral centre in Montréal; it also offers social housing with community support.

 

 

 

(Photo: Nancy Shoiry, executive director of the SHDM and Gilles Renaud, executive director of Ateliers créatifs Montréal)

Ateliers créatifs Montréal and the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) are pleased to announce that an agreement has been signed to purchase a vacant building—located in the Borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve that will be rehabilitated and converted into studios for artists and crafts workers. This creative centre will specialize in visual arts and will house members of Atelier Graff,in particular.

On September 30, the SHDM acquired a building at 3890-3910 Sainte-Catherine Est as a temporary holding and made a commitment to resell it to Ateliers créatifs Montréal within the next ten years at the acquisition price and costs. The reconversion of the building will make it possible to offer professional artists and crafts workers customized work premises that are affordable and protected from real estate speculation.

« Through all the collaborative efforts surrounding this new project by Ateliers créatifs Montréal as well as public support, we will be able to meet the need for art creation premises, with a structuring project that furthers the development of Montréal as a cultural metropolis. We applaud the role of the SHDM, which is acting as a facilitator by securing the purchase of the building, thereby contributing toward the funding synergy developed with Ville de Montréal and the Québec government in order to make the project feasible and viable, » stated Marcel Choquette, Chairman of the Board of Ateliers créatifs Montréal.

« This project of providing studios for artists is a wonderful example of what we can succeed in doing when we join forces to create genuine economic and cultural development leveraging, » pointed out Nancy Shoiry, Executive Director of the SHDM. « Purchasing a property with a deferred sale guarantee is an innovative approach that makes the most of the SHDM’s expertise in responsible real estate. It ensures the financial viability and sustainability of an artistic project that is perfectly in line with Montréal’s vision as a cultural metropolis, while contributing toward the development of a sector of the city that is rapidly being revitalized. » 

Artist Mathieu Jacques, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atelier Graff, added: « With this centre being set up in the Borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, a sector of the city that is well known for the vitality of its community organizations, its solidarity and its sense of living together, a new chapter is beginning for us. After 50 years in Plateau Mont-Royal, Atelier Graff is proud to settle into a dynamic environment where its sustainability is guaranteed and to pursue work where prints contribute toward building bridges between creators, community stakeholders and residents. Rallying institutions around the project, such as the SHDM, the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and Ville de Montréal, is an expression of confidence and trust as well as a vital driving force behind maintaining the activities of Atelier Graff and its presence within the cultural landscape of Montreal and Québec as a whole. »

Project figures

The SHDM purchased the building on September 30, 2015 and signed an agreement of transfer within a maximum period of ten years, at the acquisition price and costs, for a total of approximately $2,174,000. By freezing the funds required to purchase the building and by guaranteeing Ateliers créatifs Montréal a fixed selling price, the SHDM is making it possible to immediately carry out the project and is ensuring sustainability, by protecting the project from the risks of real estate speculation. This 10-year period will also give the organization the time to raise the capital needed to purchase the building, while limiting financing costs.

Moreover, the project is benefiting from the support of a number of public parties: Ateliers créatifs Montréal is receiving funding of $1.34 million from the artists’ studios fund (planned within the Montréal 2025 agreement between Ville de Montréal and the Québec government) to carry out the groundwork as well as certain leasehold improvements for the artists’ studios. Atelier Graff is receiving financial assistance of $415,914 from the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications within the agreement between the city and the Ministère concerning artists’ studios in order to finance facilities adapted to its specific needs.

About Ateliers créatifs Montréal – www.atelierscreatifs.org

Ateliers créatifs Montréal is a non-profit, real estate developer established in 2007 whose mandate is to ensure the sustainability of appropriate, safe, affordable work premises for artists, crafts workers and cultural organizations. ACM manages nearly 300,000 square feet of studio work spaces on Montréal territory as owner, main tenant or manager and meets needs for creative spaces for over 650 artists and crafts workers.

About Atelier Graff – www.graff.ca/atelier

Established in 1966, Atelier Graff is a contemporary art centre devoted to printmaking research and creation. In addition to providing its members with access to specialized expertise and facilities (silk screen printing, etching, woodcut printing, lithography, digital printing), Atelier Graff offers artists from all circles, residency and training programs promoting the professionalization of their practices. The centre’s annual membership includes over 70 active members, a number of whom regularly exhibit their work in Québec, elsewhere in Canada and outside the country.

About the SHDM – www.shdm.org

The SHDM is a non-profit, paramunicipal corporation that is financially independent, meaning that it operates without any grants or funding from Ville de Montréal. With its expertise in responsible real estate, it contributes toward Montréal’s economic and social development by promoting real estate assets of a residential, institutional, industrial, commercial and cultural nature on its territory. The SHDM is a preferred partner of Ville de Montréal in implementing its policies and reaching its objectives.

A study report on the economics and financial viability of the rental housing stock of Québec’s housing NPOs was recently published by the Réseau québécois des OSBL d’habitation (RQOH). The study was carried out largely by Allan Gaudreault, a well-known consulting analyst in the field. It aimed at identifying the needs of the NPOs in a context where the impact of the expiry of operating agreements in different public housing programs is felt and where the aging of the housing stock and the limited financial means of some NPOs remain important issues.

The study first identified the general economics and financial characteristics of the inventory of housing NPOs and analyzed the long-term financial viability of these assets. The study then examined the state of their replacement reserve to deal with problems of aging buildings. Subsequently, the study focused on the ability of the NPOs to overcome the challenges put out by the expiry of operating agreements. It also highlighted the role of housing NPOs as economic players.

The study reveals that the housing stock of Québec’s network of housing NPOs will soon reach 50,000 units and that these assets are valued at nearly five billion dollars. This network serves a diverse customer base and more than half of its tenants are receiving some form of assistance. The network has a great potential but must still face important challenges. Indeed, with the expiry of the operating agreements, a significant number of housing NPOs will face a sustainability problem.

In this regard, the study highlights the fact that this heritage is vulnerable and that the Québec network of housing NPOs would gain by developing better tools for planning and management to ensure both the sustainability of its assets and its financial autonomy. In conclusion, Mr. Gaudreault, who did both the data analysis and the drafting of the report, is in favour of increased support towards the resolution of management and sustainability issues for these organizations.

The study report can be consulted on the website of the Réseau québécois des OSBL d’habitation (RQOH).

 

 

The Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) is launching a call for proposals for its Accès Condos program. 

If your are a residential property developer and own – or have a valid offer to purchase – land suitable for a residential development on the territory of the Ville de Montréal, and you have extensive experience in residential real estate development, consider submitting your project for an Accès Condos accreditation. 

Accès Condos, a program that enables you to:

• Stand out in a tightening market;
• Share the risks with a guarantee on the sale of the units;
• Work with a committed and experienced team;
• Contribute to the revitalization of Montréal’s neighbourhoods with affordable quality projects.

Much more than a program, Accès Condos offers you the advice of an experienced real estate team that truly understands the challenges of residential development including financial risks involved, zoning changes, delivery deadlines and marketing.

For questions about the call for proposals, please consult the official document on the website www.seao.ca

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.

Documents available: AS OF SEPTEMBER 29 on www.seao.ca

Information meeting: October 7 at 2:00 PM in SHDM’s offices, 800, boulevard De Maisonneuve Est, suite 2200, Montréal QC H2L 4L8

Deadline to submit applications and qualification records: OCTOBER 27 2015

After more than four years at the SHDM and 35 years of an impressive career at Ville de Montréal and CMHC, outgoing Director General, Johanne Goulet, takes her bow today to retire.

Underlining her tremendous contribution to the Corporation’s development, Johanne Brunet, Chair of SHDM’s Board of Directors, said: « In recent years, Ms. Goulet has directed the corporation brilliantly. Her vision, indelible commitment to organizational performance and rigour were key milestones in the evolution of the operation and governance of the Corporation. She was able to position the Corporation with a strategic plan that focuses on responsible property investment; this has greatly contributed to the emergence of new projects, including the Îlot Balmoral, and several accredited Accès Condos projects, while enabling the consolidation of the Corporation’s rental housing offer and the creation of innovative partnerships in housing, culture and social development. « 

« The subtle mix of determination, intelligence and heart which Johanne Goulet has demonstrated in each of the issues she dealt with, particularly the revival of the Faubourg Contrecoeur project, has left its mark on the Corporation, » said Ms. Brunet before concluding: « For all that, and for so many other accomplishments, the Board of Directors and the entire team of the SHDM join me in wishing her the best for her well-deserved retirement. »

 

The Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal’s (SHDM) Board of Directors and its employees wish to congratulate Nancy Shoiry on her appointment as Executive Director of the SHDM. This appointment by Ville de Montréal at its Executive Committee meeting on August 5 will come into effect on Monday, August 31, following the retirement of the present Executive Director, Johanne Goulet.

Johanne Brunet, President of the SHDM’s Board of Directors, added: « On behalf of all the members of the Board of Directors, Senior Management and the team at the SHDM, I would like to welcome Nancy Shoiry and wish her all the best in her new position as Executive Director. Her urban planning vision, her architectural qualifications and her management expertise are some of her many assets that will prove invaluable to the SHDM, whose strategic development as a major player in responsible property investments is at a very stimulating turning point. »

Looking back, in turn, at the achievements of the past few years, she pointed out: « If the SHDM is so well-positioned today, it is thanks, in particular, to the perseverance and strictness that Johanne Goulet has displayed all throughout her term of office, and I would like to thank her for her commitment and wish her a retirement that is in keeping with her dynamic spirit. »

In accordance with the SHDM’s constitution and bylaws, Ville de Montréal proceeded with this appointment upon the recommendation of the SHDM’s Board of Directors, following a thorough recruitment process, supervised by a committee set up in anticipation of the retirement of the present Executive Director.

About Nancy Shoiry

Director of Ville de Montréal’s Service de la mise en valeur du territoire since 2012, Nancy Shoiry has held various key positions within the Administration of the City and its boroughs as well as within the Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal, gaining remarkable experience in land-use planning, housing and urban project management.
A member of the Ordre des architectes du Québec, Nancy Shoiry has a Master’s degree in Architecture, majoring in land management. A member of the Board of Directors of Le Quartier de l’innovation since 2014, she has also served, for example, on the SHDM’s Board of Directors (2012-2013) as well as on the Board of the Council for Canadian Urbanism (2009-2012).

 

To consult the press release published by Ville de Montréal regarding Nancy Shoiry’s nomination, please click here.