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.

 

SHDM reaches an agreement with PwC, which was appointed by the Court to liquidate the assets of Construction Frank Catania & Associés inc. et al.

The Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) reached a comprehensive agreement with PricewaterhouseCoopers inc. (PwC), a firm appointed by the Superior Court for the liquidation of Construction F. Catania and related companies. This agreement-in-principle puts an end to all civil proceedings between the parties with respect to the Faubourg Contrecoeur development and was submitted to the Superior Court today. The agreement, whose parameters were approved by the Executive Committee of the Ville de Montréal at its meeting of May 6, provides for a settlement of nearly 7 million dollars in compensations and land to the SHDM. It also facilitates the settlement of a portion of the claim of the Ville de Montréal with respect to infrastructures, including the completion of infrastructure works valued at about 4 million dollars.

Johanne Goulet, SHDM’s Executive Director since 2012, was pleased: « This is great news! With this agreement, the SHDM will take full control of its housing projects in the Faubourg Contrecoeur and puts an end to all contracts that was legally binding the corporation to Construction F. Catania. Furthermore, this agreement will also end all disputes that slowed down the development of the site in addition to enabling full recovery of the sums advanced for its development. » She also made the following statement: « The real winners in this agreement are the residents of Faubourg Contrecoeur who will no longer fear that the development of the project will be hampered by litigations concerning Construction F. Catania. » The SHDM will therefore get land and financial compensation that will allow it to act and contribute to the finalization of the Contrecoeur residential project according to its initial development plan.
The SHDM is conscious of the current residents’ impatience to see their living environment completed, which is why it intends to launch the next phase of Accès Condos this fall. The corporation has also expressed its satisfaction of having obtained commitments for the construction of a food market and a seniors’ residence in the foreseeable future. Another gain obtained as part of the agreement is that part of the land bordering the Carlos-Alcantara park will be developed to accommodate a community project such as a school, a childcare center (CPE) or a sports facility, thus responding to the needs of the community.

It should be noted however that the criminal prosecution for fraud against the managers of Construction F. Catania are still ongoing, and that the civil agreement will have no impact on the course of events in this regard. It should also be remembered that it was the SHDM that initially filed suit in this matter and that it has cooperated in the investigation.

Click here for the complete press release (in French).

A meeting will be organized in a few weeks by the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve to answer questions and concerns of Faubourg Contrecoeur residents.

 

The Ville de Montréal formally approves SHDM’s project which will host the NFB’s headquarters in 2017

(Please see album below)

Announced last fall, the construction of the Îlot Balmoral entered a new phase as the Ville de Montréal’s Executive Committee officially ratified its agreement with the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) and the conditions of the project’s development. Putting the finishing touch to the Place des Festivals with a flagship building, the Îlot Balmoral will offer to the National Film Board (NFB) a prestigious address in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles and a custom designed space for its team and its creators.

Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montréal, underlined: « The Îlot Balmoral embodies the spirit of Montréal as a metropolis of culture and modernity, and is one of the major projects with which we want to mark our city’s 375th anniversary. The project fits perfectly into the Quartier des spectacles by completing the place des Festivals with a strong architectural concept and by becoming the new home address of the NFB, a jewel of our cinematography. In carrying out this project, the SHDM is pursuing its mission of revitalizing Montréal’s territory and supporting cultural endeavours. »

Johanne Goulet, SHDM’s Managing Director, added: « This ratification is another step towards realizing a project that is ambitious in terms of architectural design, sustainable development and in terms of its cultural mission – with over 25% of its space designed to house the NFB. As the project’s developer, the SHDM is proud to put forward its expertise in responsible property investment for the realization of such innovative and ambitious projects in Montréal. »

The Îlot Balmoral will be built on land owned by the SHDM, next to Place des festivals in the Quartier des spectacles, and bounded by De Maisonneuve Boulevard and De Bleury, Mayor and Balmoral streets. The building will have 13 storeys and will host on its first four levels the NFB’s headquarters and studios in an area of approximately 100,000 ft2. The SHDM is planning to obtain a Gold Level LEED NC 2009 accreditation for this project.

Developed by the Provencher Roy firm, which has received the 2015 Architectural Firm Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the architectural concept provides for the four facades to be constructed as « curtain walls » of glass overlooking the Place des Festivals, Mount Royal and downtown. Composed of a basilaire and a tower, the building will have a lobby crossing from De Bleury Street to the place des Festivals.

Sketches of the architectural concept are available in high resolution upon request.

About the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM)
SHDM contributes to the economic, social and cultural development of Montréal’s territory by developing residential, institutional, industrial, commercial and cultural real estate assets. It is a key partner of the Ville de Montréal in the implementation of its policies and the achievement of its objectives.

Today, the SHDM published, on the Government of Québec online call for tenders system (SEAO), a new call for proposals for projects seeking an Accès Condos accreditation.

Developers and interested contractors are invited to attend an information session on March 11 and to submit their proposals by April 14.

To consult the terms and conditions, visit the www.seao.ca website.

At the invitation of the SHDM and the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, hundreds of people bystanders, residents and stakeholders in the economic, cultural and social life of the Chabanel district, gathered around La Fabrique 125 to enjoy a beautiful winter evening and experience the thrill of an ephemeral artistic creation combining sound and lights. Using as a backdrop this former factory in the fashion district, which was revamped by Huma Design + Architecture, passersby became creators in this interactive show by playing on a heated keyboard whose notes were guiding light beams. Young and old could thus unleash their creativity while enjoying a hot chocolate and winter dishes prepared by the street food truck La Boîte à fromages.

Taking advantage of the extraordinary canvas offered by the La Fabrique 125 building, the Atomic3 firm had designed an interactive light installation to highlight the ingenious combination of industrial heritage and contemporary design that characterizes it so well. The musician, Alexandre Racine, superbly entertained the crowd with a most appropriate repertoire of classical, pop and jazz pieces.

To view the event’s pictures, visit https://www.facebook.com/lafabrique125

Regarding La Fabrique 125

Built in a former industrial building in the fashion district, the beautiful New York-inspired lofts of La Fabrique 125 now welcome a whole new generation of young professionals and entrepreneurs who help boost a neighborhood already bubbling with activity.
Developed by Groupe Dayan and designed especially by the firm Humà Design + architecture, the La Fabrique 125 building has won several awards for its bold design including a special award in the « signage and branding  » category as part of the Grands prix du design 2013 for its interior and exterior graphic concept, an award of excellence in the category « environmental typography » in the Communication Arts Competition 2014 and an honorable mention from ASIA Pacific interior Design Awards, at the presentation of the 2015 Grand Prix du design awards . La Fabrique 125 also has its Accès Condos accreditation.

 

Photo credit: Sylvie Trépanier