Governments of Canada and Quebec Invest to Help Youth in Difficulty

LAVAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - May 25, 2012) - The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Vincent Auclair, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Vimont and Quebec Deputy Government Whip, on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister Responsible for the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ), today celebrated the opening of the Auberge du cœur l'Envolée. The construction of this 16-unit shelter for youth in difficulty required a total investment of more than $1.5 million that was wholly provided by the governments of Canada and Quebec.

In addition to the Government of Canada, through the Shelter Enhancement Program, and the Government of Quebec, under the AccèsLogis Québec program of the SHQ, the City of Laval also contributed to the project by assigning the land to the organization through an emphyteutic lease and providing a property tax exemption.

"Our government is pleased to be a partner of this shelter. The renovations to the Auberge du cœur L'Envolée mean that young individuals in need of a hand up will have a safe and supportive place to live, as well as the services they need to begin a new chapter in their lives," said Minister Paradis.

"The Auberge du cœur l'Envolée plays a key role in our community by providing youth who are experiencing difficult times with a home where, in addition to a place to live, they can get valuable assistance to help them make a fresh start. Our government is pleased to support such an initiative, which has positive spinoffs on the entire Laval region," said MNA Vincent Auclair, in the presence of Armand Gagnon, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Auberge du cœur L'Envolée, and community partners.

It should be noted that this project, like all projects developed under the AccèsLogis Québec program, was designed so as to obtain the Novoclimat certification. This requirement demonstrates the importance attached to improving energy efficiency by the Government of Quebec and the SHQ.

The Government of Canada, through CMHC, will invest more than $2 billion in housing this year. Of this amount, $1.7 billion will be spent in support of almost 605,000 households living in social housing. In Quebec, this represents some 129,550 households. These investments are improving the quality of life for low-income Canadians and households living in social housing, including individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, seniors, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal people.

To find out more about how CMHC is working to build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca.

In the 2012/2013 budget, the Government of Quebec announced that it intends to build an additional 3,000 housing units, bringing to 35,000 units its objective of producing new affordable housing in Quebec. This represents an additional contribution of $180 million under the AccèsLogis Québec program and the private component of the Affordable Housing Québec program, and brings to more than $1.5 billion the total assistance provided since 2003.

Since 2003, 887 community and affordable housing units have been, or are being, developed in the Laval area, representing total investments of close to $119 million by the governments and their partners.

The SHQ's mission is to facilitate citizens' access to appropriate housing conditions. Each year, through its various programs, the SHQ supports more than 240,000 households across Quebec. For more information on this agency's programs and services, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html.