Quebec Affordable Housing Program (QAHP) - Component 3: Highly Prefabricated Multi-Unit Housing Initiative

Who is eligible?

• Cooperatives operating in the real estate/housing sector
• Non-profit organizations involved in real estate/housing activities
• Legally constituted and registered private entities (persons, trusts, partnerships or other groups) engaged in real estate activities

Who is not eligible

• Businesses or organizations that are not legally constituted (incorporated or otherwise formally created) according to applicable laws.
• Businesses or organizations that are not registered with the Registre des entreprises du Québec.
• Projects where the applicant will not own the building (or hold an emphyteutic lease of at least 50 years) on a permanent basis.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations legally constituted and registered in the province of Quebec (immatriculated in the Registre des entreprises du Québec).
• Projects located within the urban perimeter of a Quebec municipality.

• Guarantee and potential for successful completion of the housing project.
• Strength and clarity of the project’s financing structure.
• Presence and significance of local issues or barriers related to creating new housing units.
• Level of community support and overall quality and suitability of the proposed site.

• Step 1: Understanding the Program
  • Consult the normative framework of the program to verify the project's compliance with the requirements of component 3.
  • Familiarize yourself with the available supplementary documents (project evaluation grid, requirements and best practices for implementation, regional needs, maximum rents, weighting factors, maximum incomes).
• Step 2: Creation or Access to SHQ User Account
  • Create a user account on the Quebec Housing Corporation (SHQ) web platform or log into an existing account.
  • If necessary, refer to the guide "Creation and Use of an SHQ User Account" to complete this step.
• Step 3: Preparation of Project Documentation
  • Prepare a detailed presentation of the project using the designated form.
  • Prepare the financial aid application using the Excel template (DAF-PHAQ) available on the web platform.
  • Consult the specific instructions for filling out the financial aid application (DAF-PHAQ) to correctly complete the document.
  • Develop the project implementation schedule.
  • Obtain the resolution from the organization authorizing the application, designating the person representing the applicant to sign, transmit the required documents and information to the SHQ, and ensure follow-up of the application.
  • Obtain the municipality's letter of interest confirming the project's compliance with zoning regulations and its location within the urbanization perimeter.
  • Gather the letters patent, incorporation articles, or additional letters patent as needed, depending on the type of organization.
  • Obtain the certificate from Revenu Québec in the applicant's name.
  • Obtain the criminal record verification certificate from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the applicant and all administrators if the applicant is a private company.
• Step 4: Electronic Submission of the Project on the Web Platform
  • Log into the SHQ web platform dedicated to the submission of PHAQ projects.
  • Complete all requested project-related information online.
  • Upload each of the required documents as separate files, following the format and nomenclature specified in the document "Step 1 – Project Submission".
  • Submit the project for the current call for projects before the closing date.
• Step 5: Analysis and Evaluation of the Project by the SHQ
  • Wait for the SHQ's analysis of the project, conducted based on guarantee criteria and potential for implementation, financing structure, housing creation issues, community support, and site quality.
  • Refer to the project evaluation grid to understand the elements considered.
• Step 6: Receipt of the SHQ's Decision
  • Receive, within a maximum of 90 working days after the project call has ended, a letter stating the status of the application.
  • Review the decision indicating whether the project is eligible and selected, eligible but not selected, or not eligible.
• Step 7: Networking with a Designer-Builder (Selected Project)
  • For a selected project, be matched by the SHQ with one of the selected designer-builders to carry out the project according to a standard real estate solution (SIR).
  • Collaborate with the designer-builder to adapt the SIR to the site's specifics and applicable municipal requirements.
  • Jointly commit with the designer-builder to respect the timeline and project cost.
• Step 8: Submission of Additional Documents After Selection
  • Provide the SHQ with all requested information in the selection letter.
  • Submit all required documents to progress through the various stages of the project, according to SHQ guidelines.
• Step 9: Signing the Agreement and Commitment to Conditions
  • Conclude an implementation and operation agreement with the SHQ specifying the conditions to be met for the awarding and maintenance of the grant.
  • Commit to always respecting the conditions of the agreement and the program.

• The initiative uses a collaborative design–build approach called "conception-construction en planification optimisée (CCPO)", based on predefined reference real-estate solutions (SIR) that are then slightly adapted to the site and municipal requirements.
• Projects are submitted and managed through a dedicated SHQ web platform, where each required document must be uploaded as a separate file following specific format and naming rules described in the document "Étape 1 – Dépôt de projet".
• The SHQ matches each selected applicant with one of the preselected designer-builders and acts as an intermediary for this pairing process.
• The applicant will receive a written decision on the status of their application (selected, eligible but not selected, or not eligible) within 90 business days after the end of the call for projects.