An effective partnership: Mission Unitaînes will reach the milestone of 2,000 affordable housing units built for Quebec seniors

SHERBROOKE, QC, July 15, 2026 /CNW/ – Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing, and Marianne Dandurand, Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead, have announced a third phase for Mission Unitaînés. Within two years, 300 more affordable housing units for seniors with low or modest incomes will be built in three Quebec cities, including Sherbrooke. They made the announcement along with Geneviève Hébert, Member of the National Assembly for Saint-François and Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister for the Economy and Small and Medium Enterprises; Marie-Claude Bibeau, Mayor of Sherbrooke; Caroline Sauriol, President and CEO of Mission Unitaînés; and Laure Letarte-Lavoie, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Office municipal d’habitation de Sherbrooke (OMHS).

The third phase is made possible through more than $33 million in savings generated during construction of the first 17 buildings by Mission Unitaînés, as well as an additional investment of $30 million from the Government of Quebec. By reinvesting these funds into the construction of three new housing complexes in Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Montréal, the partners are maximizing every dollar invested to provide more affordable housing for vulnerable seniors, with construction costs among the most competitive in Quebec. This success is also built on the support of Desjardins, whose expertise in financial risk management and streamlined disbursement processes has helped support Mission Unitaînés since its inception.

With this announcement, Mission Unitaînés will surpass the milestone of 2,000 affordable housing units for independent seniors, confirming the success of a model that rapidly increases housing supply while ensuring careful management of public funds. The locations of the three future communities will be announced shortly.

Government investments related to the partnership with Mission Unitaînés total $400.1 million. They stem from the Canada-Quebec Agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and new matching investments announced by Quebec. The City of Sherbrooke is covering the costs associated with land acquisition and will provide a total financial contribution of approximately $4.5 million. A philanthropic donation of $500,000 from Luc Maurice, Chair of the Board of Directors of Mission Unitaînés, rounds out the financial package.

Quotes:

“Our government is determined to help communities develop local solutions to housing needs. The 300 additional units announced today will provide safer and more affordable housing for Quebec seniors. These initiatives reflect our commitment to increasing the housing supply and building an economy that works for everyone.” – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

“When we find ways to build more efficiently, we have a responsibility to go even further. The results achieved with Mission Unitaînés speak for themselves. Thanks to the savings generated, we can build even more affordable housing for seniors. This is exactly the type of effective partnership our government wants to encourage in order to provide quality living environments across Quebec.”

Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

“I remember attending the announcement of the first Mission Unitaînés projects and asking myself, ‘When will it be Sherbrooke’s turn?’ The answer has finally arrived. When a model works, it should be replicated. Today, more seniors in our region will be able to remain in their communities thanks to an increased supply of affordable housing.”

Marianne Dandurand, Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead 

“Building more quality, affordable housing that meets the needs of those who built today’s Quebec is a mission our government is committed to every day. The Mission Unitaînés project is much more than just a building — it’s a warm, modern community environment where our seniors can live with dignity and comfort. I’m thrilled with this wonderful news for the seniors of Sherbrooke!” 

Geneviève Hébert, Member of the National Assembly for Saint-François and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for the Economy and Small and Medium Enterprises

“According to the Fédération régionale des OSBL d’habitation, an estimated 2,500 Sherbrooke households are currently on waiting lists for social or community housing. A collaborative approach like this one with Mission Unitaînés opens the door to new innovative and effective models that have an immediate impact on the ground. By replicating a formula that works, we can reduce construction costs, which directly affects the cost of rent for the benefit of our seniors.”

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Mayor of Sherbrooke

“The results achieved by Mission Unitaînés demonstrate that it is possible to act quickly and effectively to address urgent housing needs. Behind these new housing units are thousands of seniors who will benefit from affordable, safe, and well-adapted living environments. At Desjardins, we are proud to support visionary organizations like Mission Unitaînés by putting our expertise to work in service of their ambition. To address the housing crisis, we need leaders who choose to take action, innovate, and make housing a collective priority.”

Denis Dubois, President and Chief Executive Officer, Desjardins Group

“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in our commitment to seniors in our community. Beyond construction, it’s about continuing to provide living environments where safety, dignity and quality of life go hand in hand. The Office municipal d’habitation de Sherbrooke is proud to contribute to the growth of this effective initiative, which provides a tangible response to the growing need for accessible and inclusive housing.”

Laure Letarte-Lavoie, Chair of the Board of Directors, Office municipal d’habitation de Sherbrooke

“We are very proud to continue our mission of building quality, safe and affordable housing for seniors more quickly and at a lower cost. We are very proud to have brought this vision to life and even exceeded our goals, and to know that nearly 2,500 seniors living in 20 different Quebec cities will benefit from this collective effort and from the effective partnerships between cities and governments.”

Luc Maurice, Chair of the Board of Directors, Mission Unitaînés

Highlights:

• Virtual tour of a Mission Unitaînés building designed by Yelle Maillé et associés architectes.
• The goal of the first phase of the Mission Unitaînés project was to add 1,100 affordable housing units to Quebec’s housing stock within two years through the construction of 11 buildings, each with 100 units, in 11 different cities.
• The second phase, announced in August 2025, brought the total number of new housing units to be built to 1,700 in 17 cities.
• Future project in Sherbrooke: Construction will begin in the coming days and is expected to be completed by fall 2028. Ultimately, the Office municipal d’habitation de Sherbrooke (OMHS) will be responsible for managing and maintaining the building.

About the Société d’habitation du Québec

The SHQ works to meet the housing needs of Quebecers, including by increasing housing supply throughout the province for people with low or moderate incomes and for those with special needs. It supports its partners in the fields of construction and renovation, property management and home adaptation. It also provides direct financial assistance to low-income households so that they can pay their rent.

To find out more about its activities, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca/english.html.

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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)