Two major Montreal apartment projects aim to address the housing crisis

Two separate housing projects in Montreal with very different budgets are under development as the city continues to struggle through a major housing crisis.

SOCIAL HOUSING IN SAINT-LAURENT

Canada, Quebec and Montreal are chipping in for a $65 million housing project that will include affordable units.

The three governments announced the start in construction of the Cooperative d'habitation laurentienne complex, which will include 169 social and affordable housing units for low-income families and single people in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough.

Fifty of the units will be for families with multiple children needing three-, four-, and five-bedroom units.

"Everyone in Quebec deserves to have a safe and affordable home," said federal Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen.

"That is why our government is taking action to increase the supply of affordable housing for Montreal families through projects like the one we are supporting today."

As for what exactly "affordable housing" means, and what definition will be used, municipal leaders said Tuesday that the criteria for the building will be announced later, but that in general, people qualify for affordable housing if more than a third of their income goes toward housing costs.

A Montreal group that advocates for affordable housing says the Saint-Laurent project is "good," but it needs to scale way up from 169 units.

"Compared to the 14,000 tenants [in Montreal] that pay at least 50 percent [of] their income, it's a [band-aid] on the injury, it's definitely not enough, and we are asking for way more," said Catherine Lussier of the group FRAPRU.

ANOTHER PEEL BASIN PROJECT PROPOSED

However, some bigger projects are also underway across the city, in much-talked-about Peel Basin.

A proposal for a 700-unit building there, worth over $1 billion, moved forward Tuesday as well.

A release detailing the project suggests it will help tackle the housing shortage, combat climate change and "make it possible for many Montrealers and families to stay in or return to the city to live."

"We have a duty to take account of these very timely issues," said Fahey & Associés' president of planning, landscape architecture and urban design, Brian Fahey, who is one of the group's spokespeople.

"Introducing taller buildings is, therefore, necessary to free up as much ground surface as possible for the benefit of a quality living environment."

The project is in the consultation phase.

It would include more than 7,500 housing units, including 1,400 social and affordable housing units, in addition to retail business and office spaces.

That project comes after a 4,000-unit building was proposed in March. It would include 1,200 affordable housing units.