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LACHINE, QC, Oct. 29, 2024 /CNW/ – Habitat for Humanity Québec (HHQ) and the MONTONI Foundation today held an official key handover ceremony for six Greater Montréal families who are now the proud owners of their homes. The event, attended by Maja Vodanovic, Mayor of Lachine, marks a further step forward in the drive to provide access to home ownership, and a new chapter for HHQ. The project, the first on such a large scale since the pandemic, introduced an innovative construction model that enables HHQ to build more quickly and efficiently and optimize its impact across Québec, as it seeks to end the cycle of poverty by helping modest-income families.

More than $1,600,000 donated

The project in the borough of Lachine illustrates the commitment and generosity of a number of donors, who together contributed $1,641,954. The MONTONI Foundation played an essential role, with a $300,000 contribution. Montoni Group, for its part, raised just over $530,000 thanks to generous donations from partners and suppliers, and also built the project at cost, thus maximizing the impact of each dollar invested. Another $190,000 was raised through teambuilding activities organized by HHQ, in combination with $112,000 in donations from national partners. In-kind donations of materials, totalling some $90,000, along with $419,800 in support from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) rounded out the roster of contributions.

Access to home ownership: measurable results

For these families with a total of 12 children who will now have the chance to grow up in these residential units, the project means much more than simply a place to live: each dwelling unit is truly a place to call home, where everyone can thrive. Living in healthy, decent and safe home brings tangible benefits. Results observed among families supported by HHQ after moving into their new homes include the following:

• 86% report increased happiness;
• 70% say their health has improved;
• 65% see an increase in their children’s self-confidence;
• 58% note an improvement in their financial situation;
• 65% mention the positive impact on their children’s academic success.

“Our work together with the MONTONI Foundation, Montoni Group and the many other donors involved with this project has had a significant impact on the lives of six Québec families who are now first-time homeowners. The completion of construction of this project means new momentum for Habitat for Humanity Québec and enables us to strengthen our role as a lever for social mobility on behalf of families in Québec, all while offering a solution to the current housing crisis.”

– Shirlane Day, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Québec 

Building for Tomorrow: an ambitious campaign

The Lachine project is a high point of HHQ’s 2023–26 major campaign, Building for Tomorrow, which aims to amplify the organization’s impact with modest-income families in the province.

In a recent report, CMHC estimates that nearly 620,000 additional housing units will be needed by 2030 to restore housing affordability in Québec. Against this backdrop, HHQ believes that it is essential for all players in the community to multiply their solutions in a concerted effort to enable as many families living in precarious conditions as possible to aspire to a better life.

In addition, since 2019, the Government of Canada, via the CMHC, has committed a total of $779,000 to Habitat for Humanity Quebec projects. This financial commitment from the National Housing Co-Investment Fund includes a $302,000 investment from the Black Families Co-Investment Fund.

“Organizations like Habitat for Humanity are invaluable partners as we work to tackle the housing crisis and ensure that every Canadian has a safe place to call their own. I am proud that we could support these new homes in Montréal, and I wish all the families the very best as they start their new chapters.”

–  The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

In March 2023, the Government of Canada and Habitat for Humanity Canada announced an additional $25 million investment to build 500 new affordable homes across Canada over the next three years. This brings the total federal investment in Habitat for Humanity to $80.8 million through the Government of Canada’s Affordable Housing Fund.

About Habitat for Humanity Québec

Habitat for Humanity Québec responds to the urgent need to help families in Québec with modest incomes who live in precarious housing conditions, both in terms of their health and the security of their homes, helping them to become homeowners. For more information or to contribute to the cause, visit https://quebec.habitat.ca/en/.

About the MONTONI Foundation

Focused on prevention, the MONTONI Foundation works with and supports charitable organizations that help families in Québec and abroad, under the theme of empowerment. For more information: www.fondationmontoni.ca.

SOURCE MONTONI Foundation

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