Desjardins Affordable Housing Initiative – New living environment with 54 affordable housing units coming to Saint-Donat

SAINT-DONAT, QC, July 10, 2026 /CNW/ – The governments of Quebec and Canada, the Municipality of Saint-Donat, Desjardins and Corporation Mainbourg are proud to break ground on a 54-unit affordable housing project to be located at the end of Passage du Tennis in Saint-Donat. The new project for families and individuals will include three adapted units and four adaptable units for people with reduced mobility. The first tenants are expected to move in during the summer of 2027. They will have access to high-quality facilities and a strategic location close to everyday amenities. If eligible, 18 households could receive a rent supplement to help them pay their rent.

The Saint-Donat project is being made possible by the Desjardins Affordable Housing Initiative, an innovative partnership between the Government of Quebec and Desjardins for the rapid creation of over 3,000 affordable housing units.

The overall budget for this project totals $20 million. The funding package includes government investments that stem from the Canada-Quebec Agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), as well as new matching investments announced by Quebec. The governments of Quebec and Canada have invested nearly $4 million each in this project. The Municipality of Saint-Donat is investing nearly $2.15 million in this new living environment. Desjardins is contributing nearly $1.1 million in patient capital to the financing package, which it is completing with a mortgage loan.

The event was attended by Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, Member of the National Assembly for Bertrand, Quebec Minister Responsible for Government Administration and State Efficiency, Chair of the Conseil du trésor and Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology, Joé Deslauriers, Mayor of Saint-Donat, Émilie Boisvert, Vice-President, Desjardins Business – Montréal, François Claveau, Executive Director, Corporation Mainbourg, as well as other community partners.

Desjardins Affordable Housing Initiative: results beyond expectations

Projects completed in collaboration with the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) are part of an already well-developed roadmap that shows just how successful the partnership between the Government of Quebec and Desjardins is.

As of June 30, 2026, 1,852 units were already in operation, 1,037 were under construction, and 586 were in the approval process, for a total of 3,475 affordable housing units in 15 regions across Quebec.

At the end of 2025, in response to the housing crisis, Desjardins committed to creating more than 10,000 housing units by 2028 to address the housing affordability crisis. With this ambitious new goal, Desjardins increased its initial commitment, which was to deliver 3,000 affordable housing units over the same period.

To reach it, Desjardins will build on its innovative one-stop-shop model, which centralizes sources of funding and helps get projects off the ground quickly, through streamlined processes and support from a dedicated team.

Quotes:

“Today’s announcement is a tangible example of our commitment to providing accessible, modern communities adapted to the needs of Quebecers. We’re laying the foundation for an even stronger and forward-looking community with the start of this 54-unit affordable housing project in Saint-Donat. I’m proud to see, once again, that when we work together, we can turn great ambitions into lasting achievements.”

Karine Boivin Roy, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing

“Our government is committed to helping communities develop local solutions to housing challenges. The launch of this 54-unit affordable housing project in Saint-Donat shows what can be done when governments and municipalities work together. It’s also another step in our bold and ambitious plan to build Canada strong.”

The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada  

“Our government is determined to build more homes, faster, so that families, seniors, and people with modest incomes can find housing at an affordable cost, everywhere in Quebec. We also have a responsibility to support promising initiatives, such as the one developed by Desjardins. As the Member of the National Assembly for Bertrand, I am proud to see this project with Corporation Mainbourg take shape and to witness our partners coming together to build an inclusive, accessible and welcoming living environment for the Saint-Donat community.”

France-Élaine Duranceau, Member of the National Assembly for Bertrand, Quebec Minister Responsible for Government Administration and State Efficiency, Chair of the Conseil du trésor and Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology

“The Municipality of Saint-Donat is proud to contribute financially to this social housing project. This investment is directly in line with our commitment to improving the housing supply in our community. I would like to thank the members of the municipal council for their development vision, as well as Corporation Mainbourg for its confidence in the Saint-Donat market. This project will also help diversify our housing stock by creating a better balance between private and social housing, while benefiting from substantial government funding.”

Joé Deslauriers, Mayor of Saint-Donat

“Behind every housing unit we help create is a person, a family or a senior looking, above all, for a place to call home. Access to affordable, quality housing means the ability to live with greater stability, security and dignity. In Saint-Donat, this achievement is the result of exemplary collaboration among partners who are committed to their communities. At Desjardins, we are proud to support communities and put our expertise to work in initiatives that address a need as fundamental as having a place to call home.”

Denis Dubois, President and CEO, Desjardins Group

“Corporation Mainbourg is pleased to undertake this project to develop a new living environment in the Municipality of Saint-Donat while helping provide dignified housing for households in the region. We would like to thank all the financial partners making this project possible, including the Municipality of Saint-Donat, which is providing a significant financial contribution. This contribution from the municipality, together with the 18 units covered by the Rent Supplement Program, will make rents more affordable for financially vulnerable households. Through this project, we are proud to help Saint-Donat become one of the first municipalities to meet the target of having non-profit housing account for 20% of its housing stock.”

François Claveau, Executive Director, Corporation Mainbourg

Highlights:

• Architect: DKA
• Project visuals:
• Up to 18 households could benefit from the Société d’habitation du Québec’s (SHQ) Rent Supplement Program. If eligible, tenants will spend no more than 25% of their income on rent. This additional assistance is covered by the SHQ (90%) and the Municipality of Saint-Donat (10%).

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.quebec.ca/gouvernement/ministeres-organismes/societe-habitation.

SocietehabitationQuebec

HabitationSHQ

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About Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a federal Crown corporation and the foundation of Canada’s housing system. For over 80 years, CMHC has supported the functioning of housing markets across the country through housing finance solutions – including mortgage loan insurance and securitization – while providing trusted, unbiased data, research and market intelligence to inform policy and decision making. Through its national presence, deep expertise in housing economics and finance, and a system-wide perspective, CMHC helps foster a more stable, well-functioning housing market that supports households, communities and the broader economy.
• Follow CMHC on X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest co-operative financial group in Canada and the eighth largest in the world, with assets of $524.3 billion as at March 31, 2026. It has been named one of the top employers in Canada by both Forbes magazine and Mediacorp. Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, its online platforms and its subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world’s strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and one of the highest credit ratings in the industry.

About Corporation Mainbourg

Founded in 1995, Corporation Mainbourg is a non-profit organization operating in the social economy that owns and manages community buildings and actively contributes to the socioeconomic development of its community and to improving the quality of life of local residents.  

Through its mission, Corporation Mainbourg aims to: 

• Acquire, renovate and construct community buildings; 
• Build and manage non-profit housing that offers an improved quality of life; 
• Contribute to the development of the local community and the social economy; 
• Develop, provide and manage office spaces for community organizations. 

Mainbourg’s real estate portfolio currently includes more than 1,200 non-profit housing units and 100,000 square feet of non-residential space.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)