About the Société d`habitation du Québec

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UN HABITAT GOVERNING COUNCIL ± Side Event on the Global Housing Strategy ± April 16 URBAN INTEGRATION AND IMPACTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN QUÉBEC By Mr. William John MacKay, CEO 6RFLpWpG¶KDELWDWLon du Québec Thank you for inviting me here to say a few words today. I am very excited to be a part of this conference and, in particular, this Global Housing Strategy side event, because many of the topics that have been discussed here touch on WKHFRQFHUQVRIP\RUJDQL]DWLRQWKH6RFLpWpG¶KDELWDWLRQGX
Québec. Mr. El-­Sioufi asked me to talk about how, in Québec, we work to integrate our social housing units into the urban landscape, and how we work closely with other sectors, such as the health sector,¶ll also discuss how our work improves the living conditions of city dwellers and how it brings much more to society than we could have imagined. 1 About the 6RFLpWpG¶KDELWDWLRQGX4XpEHF First, for those of you who are not familiar with our mission, WKH 6RFLpWp G¶KDELWDWLRQ GX 4XpEHF LV WKH JRYHUQPHQW
organization responsible for housing in Québec. QUÉBEC 62&,e7e'¶+$%,7$7,21'848e%(& (Québec Housing Corporation) 2 We work mainly with low-­income households. Through our social and community housing programs, we offer approximately 150,000 dwellings to people in need. This is equal to 10 % of our rental housing stock, or 5 % of all of 4XpEHF¶s housing stock. Without public or subsidized housing, these individuals would have a very hard time finding a place to live. Every year, we also build approximately 3,000 new dwellings. Through our renovation assistance measures, we encourage the upkeep of existing dwellings, which also serves to revitalize older residential areas and communities. In total, more than 230,000 Québec households a year receive assistance from the 6RFLpWpG¶KDELWDWLRQGX4XpEHF For many years now, we have thought about how our housing projects could best fit into our urban landscapes, while ensuring they best meet the specific needs of each community. To understand this paradigm shift, we need to take a step back in time. 3 HABITATIONS JEANNE-­MANCE From large projects to small buildings In Québec, the first low-­rent housing units appeared in the early 1960s. Habitations Jeanne-­Mance was first built as a solution to the slums that existed in a central downtown Montréal neighbourhood, one which faced serious problems of prostitution and crime. 4 The government at the time saw the project as offering a twofold advantage: 1. It improved the lives of tenants in that part of the city;; 2. It reduced the prostitution area in the neighbourhood. With its 800 units, Habitations Jeanne-­Mance housed nearly 3,000 people soon after its construction. Authorities then noticed social problems that could be linked to the large, concrete housing projects, such as the creation of ghettos. This is why, 10 years later, low-­rent housing was built in smaller buildings that respected the neighbourhood, were better integrated into their environments and still also met strict urban planning principles. 5 EFFICIENT URBAN INTEGRATION :H GRQ¶W HOLPLQDWH SRYHUW\ ZH EUHDN LW XS DQG slow its development. Given that almost 70 % of households in our dwellings are supported by women, we have an even better idea of the positive benefits of the work we do.1 1
In our dwellings, 72% of households in public low-­rental housing are supported by women. This figure is 67% in housing co-­operatives and 64% in non-­profit housing. Les femmes et le logement. 6 Projects that are well integrated into the urban and social fabric Here are some examples of projects that have completely transformed sections of our cities. ANGUS SHOPS ± CITY OF MONTRÉAL In the early 20th century, the Angus Shops were one of 0RQWUpDO¶V PDLQ LQGXVWULDO VLWHV 8S WR SHRSOH EXLOW
and repaired trains there. When railway activity declined, the area needed to be put to new use. 7 ANGUS SHOPS ± CITY OF MONTRÉAL Today, it has more than 2,600 housing units, more than 1,000 of which are social housing dwellings. 8 ÎLOT BERTHELOT ± QUÉBEC CITY For almost 40 years, the Ilôt Berthelot was at the centre of the redevelopment of Québec¶V 3DUOLDPHQW +LOO. Located in WKH KHDUW RI WKH FLW\ D VWRQH¶s throw from Québec¶V parliament building, the area now has 120 dwellings within three housing co-­operatives. These projects have enabled the most impoverished people to live in one of the wealthiest and most sought-­after neighbourhoods. Even though the land is expensive, the city has understood that in the long run, it is more beneficial to society to have these dwellings as part of the urban landscape, in the spirit of diversity. 9 ÎLOT PELLETIER ± CITY OF MONTRÉAL $ IHZ \HDUV DJR 3HOOHWLHU 6WUHHW RQ 0RQWUpDO¶V QRUWK VLGH
was known for its criminal gangs, which were behind drug trafficking and many violent crimes in the city. After a hefty undertaking by numerous partners, the neighbourhood has been completely revamped. More than 200 community housing dwellings have been built. This had an immediate effect on residents, and other projects to transform things have been started. The Ilôt Pelletier is now unrecognizable as the neighbourhood it once was, thanks to the work of the residents there, who took action and organized community efforts for change. Here again, we do not claim to have wiped out crime, but we clearly diminished its influence by lessening its concentration. Montréal is now much more calm and safe. 10 HOUSING + HEALTH SYSTEM : A WINNING COMBINATION Projects stemming from the community + alliances Since 1994, we have created community housing and affordable housing in Québec with the help of many partners. The projects are suggested by people from the communities where we build. This ensures that our actions are tailored to local needs. This approach makes way for innovation and partnerships with other networks, such as the health network, or the local community. In addition, formal ties are made in Québec between the health and housing public sectors. The savings generated are substantial. Here are some examples. 11 Help and support for Victoriaville seniors In Victoriaville, in the Central Québec region, an innovative project was started by the local housing authority and the UHJLRQ¶VKHDOWKDQGVRFLDOVHUYLFHVFHQWUH The Aide et support aux aînés project offers seniors living in VRPHRIWKHUHJLRQ¶VORZ-­rent housing projects home support and health services that vary depending on their individual needs. Available services range from meal preparation and housekeeping to long-­term, full-­time health care. The project provides an effective, less costly alternative to the residential options traditionally offered by health care system, which, OHW¶V QRW IRUJHW LV SXEOLF LQ 4XpEHF :H¶UH talking about an average of $12,000 a year for each person who uses our services, compared to $60,000 a year for someone living in a residential and long-­term care centre (CHSLD). 12 HOUSING + HEALTH SYSTEM : A WINNING COMBINATION Habitations La Traversée ± Montréal A huge convent was renovated and turned into 72 dwellings for independent seniors. A new wing was also added to the existing building, making space for 49 rooms for seniors who have lost some independence but need less than two and half hours of care a day. 0RQWUpDO¶V Health and Social Services Agency¶s involvement in the project allows these individuals to have access to care that is adapted to their needs, and to stay in their own homes longer. Having everyone from the health and housing sectors work together brings a lot to cities and to society. These sectors VKRXOGQRWZRUNLQLVRODWLRQ,WWDNHVHIIRUWEXWLW¶VZRUWK it. 13 THE IMPACTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING ON CITIES Benefits for society as a whole Two years ago, the 6RFLpWp G¶KDELWDWLRQ GX 4XpEHF conducted a study to assess the benefits of its work. Through the study, we were able to determine that our actions have far-­reaching economic, social and land-­use impacts. In particular, we learned that every dollar invested by the 6RFLpWp G¶KDELWDWLRQ GX 4XpEHF injects $2.30 into the Québec economy. We also saw a positive impact on our social fabric, our quality of life, the distribution of wealth, our health and ability to continue living at home, the safety of our cities and avoided costs for society. In the area of social 14 housing, people are well cared for, and this is a value that is shared with all of society. This year, we are completing the second phase of the study. :H¶UHQRZORRNLQJIXUWKHULQWRWKH avoided costs for society when public funds are invested in a way that encourages accessible and affordable housing. This includes avoided costs with respect to health care, emergency services and incarceration. WH¶OO also show that our programs positively affect employability, household disposable income, conditions that encourage education, VRFLDOUHLQWHJUDWLRQVDIHW\LQSXEOLFVSDFHVLQFLWLHVSHRSOH¶V
behaviour, the integration of immigrant communities, etc. Through well-­planned, well-­integrated housing projects, we break up concentrations of poverty and contribute to the fight DJDLQVW FULPH %\ GRLQJ VR ZH LPSURYH HYHU\RQH¶V OLYLQJ
conditions, especially those of women, whose safety and integration at work is also improved. In short, ZH¶UH ORRNLQJ
at just the beginning of a long chain reaction. 15 Given this information, we are and will be better equipped to show policy-­makers, and the entire population, that social housing is an investment, not an expense. We believe that public housing has to be looked at this way in the Global Housing Strategy. In 2015, we will be bringing together in Québec, in collaboration with the Réseau Habitat et Francophonie, social housing managers from around the word to discuss the topic, in preparation for our participation in Habitat 3. :KDWHYHUFRQWH[W\RX¶UHZRUNLQJLQWKHVLWXDWLRQVSUHVHQWHG
here likely apply to you in one way or another. Housing is central to a city, and to the lives of everyone living there. This is true no matter where you are. Housing absolutely has to be thought about IURPDOOWKHDQJOHV,¶YHMXVWGLVFXVVHGLQ
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Québec is a perfect example of that. 16 Merci de votre attention.
Thank you!
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