Affordable housing in Quebec gets $400 million injection

The federal and provincial governments have agreed to invest a total of $407 million into social housing in Quebec over two years, with Ottawa contributing $286 million to the province's$121 million.

Jean-Yves Duclos, federal minister of social development, made the announcement in Montreal onMonday.

This investment comes in addition to the $577 million in joint funding that's currently provided under the Investment in Affordable Housing Agreement.

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The money will help build more than 200 social housing units in Montreal. It will also be spent on day centres, affordable rental units and hiring front-line support workers.

"The federal government has a tendency to give strict norms," he said. "But this funding will give [housing organizations] some flexibility."

Duclos spoke in Montreal alongside representatives of the Rseau d'aide aux personnes seules et itinrantes de Montral (RAPSIM), a coalition group of about 100 community organizations that helps the homeless.

RAPSIM will be responsible for overseeing the construction of the social housing units in Montreal.

In a news release,RAPSIMsaid the group ishappy with the investment, but added they'd like to see anaffordable housing strategy that covers a longer period.

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MarjolaineBoutin-Sweet, NDP housing critic and MP forHochelagawas also on hand forthe announcement. She echoedRAPSIM'sconcerns about the two-year funding package.

"Investing in housing is prevention because people are able to have somewhere to live," she said. "It saves costs in health and prisons, and the judicial system."