No more maximum income threshold for low-income housing in Quebec

The Quebec government says it is lifting the maximum income threshold for low-income housing (HLM), in the hopes of allowing housing offices to offer vacant spaces to a wider clientele if there is no waitlist.

Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Andrée Laforest says she believes that relaxing the eligibility criteria for low-cost housing will allow more seniors, families and single people to benefit from less expensive accommodation.

Households living in HLMs currently pay rent that is equal to 25 per cent of their income.

The objective of the new measure is to encourage optimal occupancy of social housing units that have been vacant for more than two years in certain municipalities by allocating them to people whose income exceeds the actual threshold.

Quebecers on a waitlist for social housing in one community will be allowed to apply for a home in another municipality where there are vacant units and no waitlist.

Last May, the government announced the maximum income threshold for HLM eligibility would increase from $21,000 to $27,000.

Laforest says she believes lifting the threshold altogether will provide flexibility that will benefit smaller municipalities with vacant spaces.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 26, 2022.