How can we keep families in montreal? MaTV and SHDM delve into the matter.
On March 9, SHDM’s Director of Real Estate Development Johanne Mallette made a guest appearance on MAtv’s Mise à jour Montréal, hosted by Sophie Vallerand, to discuss how families can be encouraged to stay in Montreal.
Joined by fellow guests Jean-Philippe Meloche, Assistant Professor at Université de Montréal’s Institut d’urbanisme, and Nathalie Clément, Director of Via Capitale du Mont-Royal, Mallette highlighted the key role of SHDM and its Accès Condos program in providing new housing that meets family needs.
She pointed out that 30% of certified Accès Condos units have three or four rooms and that two-storey units featuring up to 1,600 sq. ft of living space are favored. Projects also often integrate playgrounds into shared garden spaces that can be accessed from the ground floor.
Mallette agreed with Meloche’s comments that young middle-class families often can’t afford Montreal homes that suit their needs. She added that Accès Condos has helped 3,600 families purchase reasonably priced, good-quality homes in Montreal with just $1,000 down payments, not to mention that 64% of them enjoy the combined benefits of both the Accès Condos program and the Ville de Montréal Home Ownership Program. What’s more, 50% of Accès Condos clients are 25 to 34 years old and 80% of them have family incomes of $50,000 to $80,000, proof that the program is a fine solution for keeping families in Montreal!
Interestingly, the suburban flight trend we’ve witnessed since the 1960s seems to be changing, according to Meloche. The number of children in Montreal is on the rise, and more and more families are choosing to stay in the city.
Clément also noted a trend in the opposite direction, with families returning to Montreal as their kids finish high school. Proximity to CEGEPs, universities, and public transit is very appealing to parents who are sick of being taxis. Clément added that young families are increasingly looking to improve their quality of life. “To many of them, the stress of leaving the office at 5 p.m. and hoping that you make it back in time to pick up the kids at daycare an hour later is unthinkable,” she explained. She also noted that many urban families are quite happy with just one car, given the availability of public transit and other options like car sharing. In fact, going that route allows families to put about $500 more toward their mortgage every month.
These observations correlate with our own findings—68% of families purchasing Accès Condos units have just one car, and 13% have none.
Everything seems to suggest that families have a bright future ahead of them in Montreal, and SHDM is proud to be contributing to it.
Click here to watch the entire program.