The 2021-2022 annual report (1) of the Société d’Habitation du Québec (SHQ) has just been published and we can see that housing assistance has been given to 62,203 households assisted in the private housing stock with rent payment assistance.
This number has decreased compared to the 2020-2021 report(2): when 71,506 households were assisted in the private housing stock by rent payment assistance.
On the other hand, the number of housing units available for housing and adapted housing has increased:
| Report | Help with rent payment (Private) | Housing citizens | Renovation and adapted housing |
| 2020-2021 | 71 506 | 133 635 | 1 926 |
| 2021-2022 | 62 203 | 134 747 | 3 121 |
| NUMBER OF INTERVENTIONS BY PROGRAM | 2022-2021 | 2020-2021 | |
| Non-profit housing program (HLM program) | 74 399 | 74 328 | |
| AccèsLogis Québec (ACL) | 35 826 | 35 422 | |
| Affordable Housing Quebec (LAQ) | 8 563 | 8 563 | |
| Housing subsidy (PAL) | 62 203 | 71 506 | |
| Rent Supplement Program (LSP) | 34 153 | 34 709 | |
The Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) notes with regret that the construction and/or renovation of social housing is always put forward to cover rent supplements that would have an immediate effect on the vulnerable population.
Yet, housing construction is becoming more and more expensive and so are maintenance costs. And a delay in the maintenance of existing social buildings is felt.
The SHQ has implemented the obligation to carry out, over a five-year cycle, health checks of buildings in the public HLM housing stock, which make it possible to properly plan renovation work and ensure the quality of the housing stock.
In the last report the target was 76% in 2021-2022 for “Rate of public HLM housing stock in good condition according to the government state index”; but the real rate is 72%.
It is high time that subsidies were put in place for both the private and public markets. Tenants have the right to a healthy and safe rental market, no matter where they live.
The APQ will continue to advocate for an expansion of the eligibility criteria so that tenants can get more rent supplements and the government will invest less in the expensive construction of social buildings.