Work still to be done to better social housing in Quebec: Minister

An apartment building in Montreal.

“There is work to be done” when it comes to social housing, according to Quebec’s Minister Responsible for Housing, Karine Boivin Roy, on Tuesday.

During a parliamentary committee hearing, the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) official opposition criticized the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government for providing financial support to real estate projects with rents exceeding $1,600, citing a specific example in Laval.

“Who are we targeting? Are we still targeting the most disadvantaged?” asked Liberal MNA Virginie Dufour, rebuking the “intermediate affordable housing” category created by the government.

She said it is not right for the government to subsidize housing projects that people cannot afford.

“I agree with you that there is work to be done,” replied Boivin Roy.

“You agree that this is not affordable rent,” retorted Dufour.

Nevertheless, the minister insisted that “intermediate affordable housing” is part of the government’s measures to “address the crisis” of housing affordability.

She pointed out that only 11 of the 182 projects funded under the Quebec Acquisition Fund (FAQ) program included “intermediate affordable housing.”

The minister added that the wait list for public housing is shrinking in Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 26, 2026.