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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.

To meet the very wide variety of housing needs among Montréal’s population, the SHDM has delegated the management of nearly 2300 housing units and over 300 rooms to non-profit organizations whose mission is to support various clienteles. Résidence Eugénie-Bernier, one of the SHDM’s properties, which has been managed by Accueil Bonneau since 1992, is an illustration of the relevance of this type of partnership.

From Accueil Bonneau’s standpoint, obtaining a quality, well-located building from property owners is a challenge in itself. In fact, the prejudices faced by itinerants hinders owners in their will to welcome this population. And yet, this particular housing need is a crucial one. As for the SHDM, meeting the housing needs of Montréal’s itinerants requires social integration efforts that it can carry out only with the extensive expertise of psycho-social professionals. Partner organization Accueil Bonneau makes it possible to efficiently respond to this need.

« We work really well with the SHDM, » explained Daniel Joly, technical housing services coordinator for the five buildings managed by Accueil Bonneau, two of which are owned by the SHDM. « They see what we’re doing, they understand our needs and they also see that we’re taking care of the building. » As owner, the SHDM ensures the sustainability of the built heritage and the quality of the living environment, by investing in major renovations there. Recently, all the windows were replaced and the wrought iron at the entrance to the residence was restored. Over and above its property management, the SHDM also takes financial risks in order to carry out projects targeting a clientele with special needs—risks that Accueil Bonneau is unable to shoulder itself.

Résidence Eugénie-Bernier, nestled in the heart of the Latin Quarter, welcomes males age 25 and over who are ready to abandon their itinerant lifestyle to head along the road toward social reintegration. The tenants pay a monthly rent ranging from $300 to $350 and agree to comply with the building rules. Located near various services and its parent organization—Accueil Bonneau, this residence makes it possible for its tenants, some of whom have lived in the streets for 20 years, to ease their way into taking an enormous step. The four-storey building has 52 rooms. The bathrooms and washrooms on each floor are shared. A community room provides access to a television, a library, a computer and the Internet as well as a place to get together and talk, where activities and workshops led by social workers are held. This arrangement creates a vital community life in these men’s progression toward social reintegration. « What kills our fellows is isolation, » warns Daniel Joly. « Here, they find a good balance between autonomy and social life. » Pierre Richard, a tenant of this residence for the past four years, proudly confirms the community spirit of the premises: « I know everyone here. I think there is only one other person on my floor who has lived here longer than I have! »

The SHDM, which specializes in responsible realty, is proud of this partnership that has been doing well for over 20 years and it wishes to thank and congratulate Accueil Bonneau’s team on its outstanding work.

About Accueil Bonneau

Established in Montréal in 1877, Accueil Bonneau offers a vast range of services aimed at facilitating the residential stability and social reintegration of those who are—or are at risk of becoming—itinerants. Accueil Bonneau is the first and second responder in helping itinerants, in order to provide them with shelter and also the independence needed for their social inclusion in order to improve their quality of life.

The Ville de Montréal and Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) would like to congratulate Johanne Brunet on her appointment as president of the SHDM board of directors and welcome Julie Chaurette and Linton S. Garner, who join the board as directors. The appointments were made by the Ville de Montréal at the June 10 executive committee meeting and take effect immediately.

Russell Copeman, the executive committee member in charge of housing, urban planning, buildings, real estate transactions and strategies, and the Office de Consultation Publique, said, “Johanne Brunet is a well-known, professional manager and has served as an administrator of SHDM since 2008 and as vice president of the board since 2013. She was the natural choice to lead SHDM and continue implementing its strategic plan. SHDM has demonstrated its ability to establish a governance structure that is tailored to today’s reality, and I am confident that Ms. Brunet will guide the organization to a new stage in its development and help it complete numerous projects that are on the table.” Highlighting the contribution of the outgoing president, Mr. Copeman said, “I would also like to thank Jean-Claude Cyr, who served as president of the SHDM board of directors for three terms, for his commitment and dedication during his seven-year tenure at the head of the board.”

Johanne Brunet said, “It is a great privilege for me to be appointed president of the SHDM board of directors and to add my name to the too-short list of women who reach this level of responsibility. Over the past seven years, I have seen the organization come into its own in terms of managing and overseeing its activities. I am taking over as president of the board at a time when the organization’s strategic development is at an exciting turning point.”

In keeping with SHDM’s para-municipal status, the Ville de Montréal is in charge of appointing its directors, who are chosen to represent a variety of skills needed to guide the organization in its strategic decisions and ensure sound governance. Together, the SHDM’s directors possess remarkable expertise in management, real estate, community and large-scale project development, housing, finance, and marketing. 

It is with this in mind that Julie Chaurette and Linton S. Garner were invited to join SHDM’s board. With extensive backgrounds in governance and community development respectively, they bring points of view that will enrich discussions on the organization’s management, activities, and projects.

Coinciding with the appointments announced today, the Ville de Montréal renewed the terms of Fabien Cournoyer, Robert Juneau, Alain Lapointe, Ana Nunes, and Marie-José Roux Fauteux, bringing the current number of directors to eight. A ninth and final member will be named later.

About Johanne Brunet

Professor Johanne Brunet, CPA-CGA, MBA, Ph.D, and graduate of Collège des administrateurs de sociétés (ASC), teaches at HEC Montréal, where she serves as Chair of the Department of Marketing. She also co-chairs Catalytic Mindset at EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal and trains senior executives from around the world.

Apart from SHDM, Ms. Brunet sits on the boards of a number of organizations in both the United Kingdom and Canada, including Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), the daily newspaper Le Devoir, and Théâtre du Rideau Vert. She received the Action femmes d’affaires award from the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal in 1999, and in 2012 was a finalist in the prestigious international competition recognizing excellence in management education held by a subsidiary of The Economist.

 

About Julie Chaurette

Corporate director and governance consultant Julie Chaurette is a certified corporate director (ASC), a graduate of the Chartered Directors Program (C.Dir.), a chartered professional accountant (CPA), and a chartered accountant (CA). She is well known for her extensive expertise in accounting, integrated risk management, finance, and financial communication.

From 2009 to 2013, Ms. Chaurette served as vice president of financial information at Ivanhoé Cambridge, the real estate arm of Caisse de dépôts et de placements du Québec, after working in management and finance and control at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and General Trust of Canada, a subsidiary of National Bank. Ms. Chaurette sits on the boards of a number of mutual aid and community support organizations, including La Tablée des Chefs and Fondation Ressources-Jeunesse. Her involvement won her the CPA Award of Excellence – Community Service in 2014. 

 

About Linton S. Garner

Well-known for his leadership and governance expertise, Linton S. Garner has many years of experience in the administration and management of not-for-profit organizations (NPO) and public and broader public institutions, especially in the housing sector.

Director of the Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations (QFHSA), former school commissioner at the English-language Lester B. Pearson School Board, and community development director at Collective Community Services (CCS), Mr. Garner has an impressive track record after holding a number of different positions as community worker, coordinator, and community services manager at Montérégie’s Fédération régionale des OBNL d’habitation, Concordia University, and Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, among others.