The project, possibly erected at the end of rue d’Orléans, west of boulevard Jean-Jacques-Bertrand, is well on its way to being finalized.
A meeting with the Minister of Housing and the general director of the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), at the beginning of last fall, was decisive.
“Our meeting with Ms. Duranceau and the CEO of the SHQ unblocked the file. We’ve been moving forward since that meeting.”
— Syvlie Beauregard, mayor of Cowansville
But caution remains on the part of the City.
The land where the 36-unit building should be built is located at the end of rue d’Orléans, west of boulevard Jean-Jacques-Bertrand. (City of Cowansville)
“We don’t want to sell the bear’s skin before having killed it,” says Ms. Beauregard, witness to the chaotic path traveled so far.
80% social housing
The project was expanded by 12 additional housing units, compared to the 24 initially planned.
Of these 36 housing units, 80% are classified as social, their occupants spending only 25% of their income on housing there.
The remaining 20% of tenants will pay an amount below the market price, approximately $640 for a 3½ with services (electricity), or $950 for a 5½ with services. These amounts are not completely fixed, says the City.
Reduce the housing office waiting list
Accès habitation Brome-Missisquoi (AHBM) — the new real estate arm of the regional housing office — will own and be responsible for managing the building once its construction is completed.
AHBM will choose future tenants by drawing from people who are waiting for HLM housing. There are currently 220 people on this list, according to Amélie Fournier, both Cowansville municipal councilor and president of Accès habitation Brome-Missisquoi.
None 4½
The City and AHBM have chosen to “target housing that is most in demand,” says Ms. Fournier.
The future address, seen from another perspective (Stéphane Champagne/La Voix de l’Est)
There will be 24 3½ units, then 12 5½ units. “Families lack housing,” adds the municipal councilor, specifying that we are building “especially 4½s these days.”
An NPO from Drummondville, project manager
In fact, the project is currently being carried out by an NPO from Centre-du-Québec, an expert in the field: Innov Habitat Drummond, which is the real estate arm of the Drummond Housing Office.
Innov Habitat Drummond’s mission is to deliver the entire project, once completed, to Accès habitation Brome-Missisquoi.
The connection with this NPO was made at the suggestion of the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), which oversees the entire work via its AccèsLogis program.
“This organization has a lot of experience, and we are very present and involved in the project. We are very optimistic.”
— Amélie Fournier, municipal councilor and president of Accès habitation Brome-Missisquoi
Accès habitation Brome-Missisquoi, for example, attends each site meeting.
Donation of land and tax holiday
The City’s financial assistance for this project will mainly be equivalent to the donation of the land — lot number 3,799,333 — as well as a tax holiday totaling $800,000.
The extension and connection work of the aqueduct, sanitary and stormwater network services will also be offered by the City.
The mayor of Cowansville, Sylvie Beauregard (Stéphane Champagne/La Voix de l’Est)
Just like a geotechnical study and an environmental assessment.
The total value of the financial assistance cannot exceed 17% of the costs of carrying out the project, it was resolved by the municipal council during the meeting of May 21.
Several steps to come
There is still a long way to go before the delivery of the first apartments.
The City hopes that the first tenants will be able to move in by January 2026
Plans are being finalized. It will then be necessary to proceed with the financial arrangement, then launch a call for tenders.
In short, the timetable is not set in stone. “You never know with deadlines,” tempers the mayor.
The total value of the project remains unknown. It would be around ten million dollars.
