Construction of at least 25,000 housing units blocked in Quebec: survey

Stalled construction projects are holding up the delivery of at least 25,000 housing units across Quebec, according to a survey of 42 real estate developers conducted by a housing construction industry association. A new condo site under construction in Montreal, Friday, June 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

A new survey by a housing construction industry association suggests that stalled construction projects are holding up the delivery of at least 25,000 homes across Quebec.

The survey of 42 real estate developers found that more than half of those units, around 14,500, were planned for Montreal and the regions to its north and south.

Association vice-president Isabelle Demers says the number of blocked units is likely much higher since many developers might have hesitated to disclose projects that are ongoing or contested.

Respondents cited factors including burdensome permit-granting processes, zoning obstacles and public resistance to densification projects in residential areas as reasons for the holdups.

That last kind of opposition, known as the "not-in-my-backyard" phenomenon, is characterized by existing residents' suspicion of attempts to alter the character of their neighbourhoods with multi-dwelling buildings.

Demers gives the example of a recent project offering new social and affordable housing that hit a snag when a group of 48 neighbourhood residents argued it would obstruct a cherished view.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2023.