HAN-LOGEMENT AND THE CITY OF EAST ANGUS INAUGURATE 16 HANDICAP-ACCESSIBLE APARTMENTS

In partnership with Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ, Société d'habitation du Québec and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

EAST ANGUS, QC, May 31, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - NPO Han-Logement today inaugurated two 8-unit buildings on Warner Street in East Angus. The newly built affordable housing meets the needs of persons with a physical or intellectual disability, or living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The $3.6-million project was carried out in a partnership between Han-Logement, the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ, the Government of Québec, through Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ), and the Government of Canada, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The SHQ contributed $360,000 for the building at 275 Warner Street, drawn from the funding provided by the federal government under the Canada-Québec Rapid Housing Initiative Agreement. The SHQ will also offer eligible tenants a subsidy under its Rent Supplement program, which caps their rent at 25% of their income. The remainder will be assumed by the SHQ (90%) and the municipality of East Angus (10%). 

The City of East Angus and business people concerned with the well-being of their community's members also made a significant contribution to the project.  Desjardins Entreprises, which is providing a mortgage, is playing a major financial role, along with the Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins (Cécosol) and Investissement Québec (IQ).

"Every Quebecer deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. We believe in giving everyone a chance to succeed, especially those who live with unique challenges. That's why we are thrilled to support this wonderful project. These 16 new apartments will provide tenants with an inclusive and affordable home in the community, close to their families and friends."
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and Member of Parliament for Compton?Stanstead

"I applaud all the partners for their work on this project, which culminates today with this important inauguration for the East Angus community. Our government is proud to have contributed to this initiative, which fulfills the objective of providing adequate housing for people with special needs. Housing is a priority for our government and it warms my heart to know that these tenants will have a better quality of life thanks to these new apartments."
François Jacques, MNA for Mégantic, on behalf of Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

"I am very pleased that East Angus can now offer affordable accessible housing to 16 families with a disabled member. I would like to thank Han-Logement for having succeeded in raising the required funds and for its excellent work. This initiative greatly enhances the quality of life of our citizens, who thanks to these handicap-accessible apartments can live independently and close to family and friends. The City of East Angus was happy to participate in this project and I would like to express my heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the tenants and all the citizens of East Angus, to the generous donors who made it possible, especially the Caisse Desjardins du Haut-Saint-François, the Haut-Saint-François RCM and, of course, our main donors, Daniel Desruisseaux and his associates of Proxim-Gestion Pharma Angus. It is thanks to our community's invaluable support that we are inaugurating?Les habitations L'Apothicaire?today." 
Lyne Boulanger, Mayor of East Angus

"The key to the success of a project of this magnitude is community mobilization, engaging all its citizens and giving them every opportunity to flourish. For more than 20 years, Han-Logement has succeeded in transforming lives, one apartment at a time. We started out building accessible housing in Magog and Sherbrooke. As the concept we developed proved its worth, demand grew. After working in various municipalities in the Eastern Townships, we branched out and now have projects in other regions of Québec. These achievements showed us the importance of the local community's contribution, both economically and socially. In East Angus, the community has benefited from this collective involvement. I would like to thank all those who participated in any way and hope that the tenants of these accessible apartments will take full advantage of this opportunity."
Gilles Daoust, Chairman of the Han-Logement Board of Directors

"The inauguration of a project like this one in East Angus is a great source of pride for the Fonds immobilier and for the entire Fonds de solidarité FTQ network. We first teamed up with Han-Logement in 2017 and it's inspiring to see how the partnership has evolved. Together, we aim to build 500 accessible housing units in about 40 cities in Quebec. This unique and profitable business model that brings together donors and financial, municipal and government actors around the same mission has a real impact in society."
Martin Raymond, Senior Vice-President, Real Estate Investments, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ

PROJECT PARTNERS

Major local donors
Daniel Desruisseaux pharmacists' group (Proxim affiliated pharmacy - Gestion Pharma Angus Inc.)

Local partners (support)

• City of East Angus (land donations)
• Caisse Desjardins du Haut-Saint-François
• RCM of Haut-Saint-François

Local partners (services)

• Les étincelles de Bonheur
• Office régional d'habitation du Haut-Saint-François (OMH)

Major financial partners

• Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ
• Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ)
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Desjardins entreprises ? Estrie
• Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins (Cécosol)

About Han Logement
Founded in 2002, Han-Logement is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with a physical and/or intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) living in unsuitable housing by offering affordable, quality units adapted to their needs. The organization has 16 buildings totalling 160 accessible apartments in Magog, Sherbrooke and Richmond, East Angus and Cowansville. To learn more about Han-Logement, visit: hanlogement.org

About the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ
Created in 1991, the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ promotes economic growth and employment in Québec by strategically investing in profitable and socially responsible real estate projects in partnership with other industry leaders. The Fonds immobilier backs residential, office, commercial, institutional and industrial projects of all sizes across Québec. The Fonds immobilier backs mixed-use, residential, office, commercial, institutional and industrial projects of all sizes across Québec. As at December 31, 2021, the Fonds immobilier had 54 projects worth $4.9 billion in development or construction that will create some 40,000 jobs, along with 84 portfolio properties under management, 1.8 million square feet of land for development and $146 million allocated to affordable, social and community housing. The Fonds immobilier is a member of Bâtiment durable Québec.

About the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About the Société d'habitation du Québec
As a leader in housing, the SHQ is dedicated to meeting the housing needs of Quebecers by providing affordable and low-rent housing and offering assistance programs to support the construction, renovation and adaptation of homes, as well as access to homeownership. In addition, the SHQ fosters the development of partnerships with communities, collaboration among sector stakeholders and innovation. To learn more about its activities, visit www.habitation.gouv.qc.ca, http://www.twitter.com/HabitationSHQ

SOURCE Fonds de solidarité FTQ