New social housing project for vulnerable people in Lachine

Montreal, March 6, 2023. – The Lachine borough council today authorized the start of the zoning change process allowing construction of a new social housing project for people who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.

The project will be led by the Old Brewery Mission and funded by The Tenaquip Foundation. The new building at the corner of William-Macdonald Street and 6th Avenue will have 18 permanent apartments, including 13 studios and 5 larger units, as well as common areas and an office for Old Brewery Mission staff, who will provide assistance and psychosocial support tailored to the residents’ needs.

The project was welcomed by the members of the Lachine borough council. In recent years, the Lachine borough has seen an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. This project directly addresses the issues and needs of vulnerable people in Lachine. “The Lachine borough council is very grateful to the Old Brewery Mission, all of its people and its private donors for filling a gaping need by building this housing that our community has long been waiting for,” said Lachine borough mayor Maja Vodanović. “We salute the generosity of The Tenaquip Foundation, which has made this project possible.”

This Tenaquip Foundation-funded project will increase the supply of resources for vulnerable populations in the Lachine borough and expand the Old Brewery Mission’s social housing portfolio to a new neighbourhood. “Homelessness is no longer a phenomenon confined to downtown Montreal,” says James Hughes, President and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission. “It is growing in all the boroughs. So we need to reach out to this population and offer solutions that meet their needs in their home neighbourhoods.”

This project aligns with the Old Brewery Mission’s new approach to homelessness prevention and rehousing. which minimizes the time people spend in emergency shelters and increases their chances of getting off the street for good.

The acquisition of the lot in March 2022 was made possible by The Tenaquip Foundation, a long-time partner of the Old Brewery Mission. Michael Fitzgerald, Executive Director of The Tenaquip Foundation, has been involved in each step of this project since its inception. “This is a very important and exciting project for all of us at The Tenaquip Foundation,” says Mr. Fitzgerald. “It is getting us one step closer to ending homelessness, something we feel great to be a part of. Ken Reed, the founder of The Tenaquip Foundation, was always a big supporter of the Old Mission Brewery. He passed away in 2006 after a battle with ALS. He would have been a huge supporter of this housing project and proud of The Tenaquip Foundation and his family for seeing it through to fruition.”

The building will be located near LaSalle Park and the Promenade du Rail, giving residents access to green spaces. It is also close to Lachine East, an area undergoing major redevelopment. Construction is scheduled to begin in early summer 2023 and to be completed in summer 2024. The project has been made possible by the collaboration of Groupe CDH and the L. McComber architectural firm.

Picture: perspective by L. McComber – architecture vivante