Federal government supports the construction of rental housing units for students in Montréal

MONTREAL, Oct. 22, 2026 /CNW/ — Far too many people in Canada are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada’s housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada is stepping up with a bold new approach to build affordable housing across the country. We are focused on building great neighbourhoods that Canadians want to and can afford to live in.

Central to that work, the Government of Canada launched Build Canada Homes, which helps increase the pace of affordable homebuilding. Build Canada Homes also helps fight homelessness by building transitional and supportive housing — working with provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities. It builds deeply affordable housing and community housing for low-income households, and it partners with private market developers to build affordable homes for the Canadian middle class.

As part of the Government of Canada’s overall efforts to tackle the housing crisis, investments are being made across the entire housing continuum to meet the needs of communities nationwide.

Today, the federal government announced more than $27 million in funding through the Apartment Construction Loan Program (ACLP) to support the construction of 95 rental units in Montréal. The project also received $11.5 million in funding from the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ when the land was purchased. Located just minutes from the Charlevoix metro station, these units are intended primarily for Concordia University students, thanks to a donation from the Concordia Student Union (CSU) to the Popular University Student Housing (PUSH) Fund. Through its transitional housing program, the CSU provides six students at risk of homelessness with temporary housing for a few weeks.

The announcement was made by the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Minister responsible for Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Ville-Marie–Le Sud-Ouest–Île-des-Sœurs, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, and Caroline Braun, Head of Housing and Urban Planning on the City of Montréal Executive Committee.

The Government of Canada is making the housing investments that will help strengthen Canadian supply chains and create good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process — helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

Quotes:

“Our Government is proud to support this project that will create more rental housing for people living and working in Montréal. This is an example of what we can accomplish when government and the private sector work together. The project is also another step in our bold and ambitious plan to build Canada strong.” – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Minister responsible for Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Ville-Marie–Le Sud-Ouest–Île-des-Sœurs

“Every new student housing unit is good news for our big university city. Students are among those hardest hit by the housing crisis, and our administration is taking concrete action to expand affordable housing options for these young people, who will help our metropolis thrive and prosper. I would like to thank all the partners who joined forces to bring this new 95-unit student housing project to life in a vibrant community, close to services and just steps away from metro stations.” – Caroline Braun, Head of Housing and Land Use Planning, City of Montréal Executive Committee

“The official opening of this seventh project is a tremendous source of pride for UTILE. We now provide housing for more than 1,400 people in over 1,000 non-profit housing units across Quebec. And this is just the beginning: by 2030, UTILE aims to operate more than 3,700 non-profit housing units. By continuing to build large-scale, non-market housing, Montréal will strengthen its position as a leading affordable city for students.” – Gabriel Fournier Filion, President and CEO, UTILE

“Our partnership with UTILE continues with the completion of this new 95-unit student housing project, alongside the federal government and partners who are equally committed to rapidly expanding Montréal’s housing supply.” – Martin Raymond, President and CEO, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ

“We are proud to have contributed to the UTILE Saint-Patrick project through a $4.4 million investment from the Fonds d’investissement pour le logement étudiant. This project demonstrates that, by applying tailored financial solutions, we can meet essential needs while generating lasting social benefits. Providing affordable housing for students is an investment in academic success, inclusion and the future of our communities.” – Jeanne Bugnon, Director of Investment and Operations, Specialized Funds, Fiducie du Chantier de l’économie sociale

“The Concordia Student Union’s partnership with UTILE gives our student community priority access to 208 rooms in the Saint-Patrick building. The building now also houses our transitional housing project, which can accommodate up to six students experiencing housing insecurity while providing support as they search for permanent housing. Stable, affordable housing is a fundamental right, and this project helps make that stability accessible to more students.” – Zoe Erika-Okoye, Sustainable Development Coordinator, Concordia Student Union

Quick facts:

• The Apartment Construction Loan Program (ACLP) has a budget of $55 billion. It provides low-cost financing to support the construction of more than 131,000 rental units across Canada by 2031–2032.
  • The ACLP offers fully repayable, low-interest loans to help boost rental construction for middle-income Canadians. This program has a positive impact on the housing system at minimal cost to taxpayers.
  • A stable supply of purpose-built rental housing is essential to ensuring that more Canadians have access to housing that meets their needs.
  • As of June 2026, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation had committed $32 billion in loans through the ACLP to support the construction of more than 81,918 purpose-built rental units.
  • The ACLP is one of many National Housing Strategy (NHS) programs and initiatives designed to help meet needs across the housing continuum.
  • It complements other NHS initiatives that focus on funding affordable housing units for lower-income households.

• Funding provided for this housing project is as follows:
  • $27 million from the federal government, through the ACLP
  • $9 million from the City of Montréal
  • $4.4 million loan from the Fonds d’investissement pour le logement étudiant
  • $1.25 million equity contribution from UTILE
  • $980,000 forgivable loan from the Popular University Student Housing Fund
  • The project was also made possible by an $11.5 million development loan from the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ to finance the purchase of the land.

Additional information:

• Visit canada.ca/housing for the most-requested Government of Canada housing information.
• Build Canada Homes is ready to partner with organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. Learn more about the portal and the Investment Policy Framework.
• 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.

SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)