City of Montreal new policy to turn municipal buildings into housing

The City of Montreal has introduced a new policy aimed at transforming municipal properties into social and affordable housing.

Announced on Tuesday, the policy seeks to make municipal assets, such as vacant lots, parking areas, and sites with outdated buildings earmarked for redevelopment, accessible to non-profit organizations and housing cooperatives at reduced prices.

This initiative aims to support the creation of non-market housing projects.

Under the policy, eligible organizations can acquire municipal properties either by submitting applications for available sites featured on an interactive online map or by responding to specific calls for certain properties.

The map will provide details on available land, including costs and conditions, to promote transparency and accelerate project development.

“This new municipal property disposal policy directly supports our goal of speeding up the construction of off-market housing and preserving Montreal’s affordability,” said Mayor Valérie Plante.

She added that the initiative will help Montreal achieve its objective of having 20 percent of housing as non-market units by 2030, addressing demands from community partners for clearer information on development opportunities.

The policy responds to calls from non-profit real estate developers for greater transparency regarding available development options within the city.

Eligible entities include housing non-profits and cooperatives, with priority given to the Montreal Housing and Development Corporation (SHDM) and the Montreal Municipal Housing Office (OMHM).

These organizations will be able to establish specific agreements with the city to develop and manage sites.

Benoit Dorais, a member of Projet Montréal, emphasized the importance of simplifying the process for interested organizations.

“By sharing information about available land, the city is creating more opportunities for NPOs and co-ops to build homes more quickly,” Dorais noted. “With this policy, we are actively involving our partners to further expand housing options in Montreal.”