A dozen social housing complexes will be built in Montreal over the next year

More than 250 social housing units for Montreal All levels of government are working together to create more than 250 new affordable housing units in boroughs across Montreal.

MONTREAL — Municipal, provincial and federal officials held a virtual news conference Thursday to announce that a dozen social housing projects are slated for construction in Montreal by spring 2022.

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, Canadian Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, Quebec Minister of Housing Andree Laforest, Quebec Minister Responsible for Montreal Chantal Rouleau and federal Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Robriguez took part in the news conference.

The project aims at creating 263 housing units that will be spread over the 12 buildings in six boroughs, and funded through $56.8 million in federal assistance.

"In far too many cases people are forced to make the choice between paying the rent and buying groceries," said Hussen.

The Quebec government said it would also provide a rent supplement for 20 years for those who wind up living in the one of the units.

As a result, tenants will only be required to pay 25 per cent of their income on housing.

Construction will take place in the Montreal North, NDG, Plateau, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Parc-Extension and Southwest boroughs.

"For us, it was essential to have projects in different sectors to meet the needs, where they are," said Plante. "This is a step in the right direction."