The City of Montreal is today launching a strategic call for projects to strengthen the capacity of non-profit organizations (NPOs) to develop non-market housing, whether social or affordable. In addition to continuing to fund projects on a piecemeal basis, the city is now investing directly in the organizational development of its NPO partners, so that they can multiply their achievements and accelerate their deliveries.
This structuring approach is aimed at consolidating organizations capable of generating hundreds of additional social and affordable housing units - an essential lever for achieving the objective of 20% non-market housing by 2050. For the city, this objective is a bulwark against real estate speculation and a guarantee that the metropolis will remain affordable for all citizens.
The initiative is part of an approach that complements those of other players in the field, maximizing the impact of investments in non-market housing.
Loger+: greater support for NPOs developing and managing non-market housing
With a total budget of $2 million, this call for projects will enable NPOs to benefit from a financial contribution from the city of between $200,000 and $600,000. More specifically, organizations' scaling-up projects must serve to increase their capacity to develop and sustainably manage non-market housing.
These change-of-scale projects can take several forms, including :
- setting up strategies to accelerate the organization's structuring and professionalization;
- strengthening the organization's real estate development function;
- consolidating or merging two or more non-profit housing organizations, as part of a growth strategy;
- creating structuring partnerships or pooling services, assets or manpower between two or more non-profit housing organizations;
- developing new business models.
Eligible expenses must be specifically earmarked for the scale-up project and include, among other things :
- the hiring and remuneration of new resources;
- professional fees;
- the purchase or rental of equipment;
- premises rental costs;
- etc.
Non-market housing developers are essential partners in achieving the 20% target for non-market housing in Montreal by 2050. Thanks to the many Loger + measures, the city will continue its commitment to supporting the growth of these key players.
Quotes
"In addition to contributing financially to non-market housing projects, we are investing in our partners' ability to deliver more of them. Supporting these organizations means giving them the resources and capacities they need to scale up and deliver more housing projects. To house more Montrealers quickly, we need to build more and acquire more off-market housing, both social and affordable. This approach will enable us to generate hundreds of additional housing units and reach our target of 20% non-market housing by 2050," said Luc Rabouin, Executive Committee member responsible for economic development and higher education.
"With this call for projects, we recognize that our NPO partners are essential contributors in the fight against the housing crisis. These organizations are key players in the creation of off-market housing in Montreal. By working with them and strengthening their capabilities, we can accelerate housing starts and optimize project delivery. In this way, we will offer solutions tailored to the needs of vulnerable households, while strengthening the resilience of Montreal's real estate market," added Benoit Dorais, vice-president of the executive committee, responsible for housing, real estate strategy, finance, property assessment and legal affairs.
"In support of this objective, the Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins, one of Quebec's leading financiers of non-market housing, is making available to its social housing members an envelope of $1 million from the collective member dividends. This sum is dedicated to supporting the consolidation of the housing sector and strengthening organizational capacities. No less than 40% of this support will be provided in Montreal," explains Marc Picard, General Manager of the Caisse d'économie solidaire.
"The Chantier de l'économie sociale applauds the leadership shown by the City of Montreal in realizing its housing vision and achieving the goal of having 20% of its housing stock non-profit by 2050. On May 14 and 15, 2025, at the Sommet de l'économie sociale, stakeholders in the community housing sector set clear objectives for responding to the current crisis. Capacity building is one of these key objectives. The city's announcement is therefore an essential milestone in enabling collective real estate organizations to offer housing at fair prices for the entire population," says Béatrice Alain, Executive Director of Chantier de l'économie sociale.
"Non-profit organizations are in the best position to respond adequately to the housing crisis. We are pleased to collaborate in this important initiative set up by the City of Montreal by providing additional access to adequate and complementary financial tools, such as patient capital. Together, we have a key role to play in helping these organizations find solutions that will provide them with sufficient capital to implement and develop their affordable housing projects on a larger scale," said Philippe Garant, Executive Director of the Fiducie du Chantier de l'économie sociale.
"Today, the City of Montreal is taking a structuring step that has been eagerly awaited by the community. Developing the professional capabilities of the non-market housing sector is a prerequisite for mobilizing the substantial public and private investment required to gradually achieve a 20% share of the residential market. In the social economy, agile, high-performance owner-developer organizations are partners of choice for municipalities that want to deliver volumes of quality off-market housing in a timely fashion, at reasonable costs and in direct response to the needs of local communities," said Sébastien Parent-Durand, Executive Director of ACHAT.
"Over the past 10 years, UTILE has been able to count on various partners, including RISQ, the Chagnon Foundation and Investissement Québec, to help us scale up. These trusted investors have enabled us to add new resources and expertise to the team that is now the key to our achievements over the last few years. By investing in the potential of non-profit housing developers, the City of Montreal is laying an even stronger foundation for the sector to acquire the means to achieve our collective ambitions," concluded Laurent Levesque, President and CEO of UTILE.
Interested organizations are invited to submit their projects by July 17, 2025.
To learn more about eligibility criteria and submission procedures, visit montreal.ca.
SOURCE City of Montreal - Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
