Trois-Rivières — Affordable Housing Development Support Program

• Completed and signed “Application for Financial Assistance” form (Demande d’aide financière)
• Proof that the project will be supported by a government affordable housing program

• The applicant must be a housing authority, a housing cooperative, a non-profit housing organization, or another duly constituted non-profit organization whose objective is to offer affordable housing to moderate-income households.
• The applicant must own (or become the owner upon completion of the works) of the property where the project will be carried out and must have no outstanding debt/claim owing to the City of Trois-Rivières.
• The project must be located within the program’s eligible territory (Old neighbourhoods and the Saint-Louis-de-France village core, or the First ring).
• The project must create new non-market rental housing units through one of the following: new construction, expansion of an existing building, or recycling/rehabilitation of an existing building.
• Once completed, the building must include at least two affordable housing units, and the units must meet the program’s minimum floor areas (Studio 50 m²; 1-bedroom 66 m²; 2-bedroom 84 m²; 3+ bedrooms 105 m²).

Who is eligible?

• Housing offices (public housing authorities)
• Housing cooperatives
• Non-profit housing organizations (NPOs)
• Other duly incorporated non-profit organizations whose objective is to offer affordable housing to moderate-income households

Who is not eligible

• For-profit companies (the program is intended for social economy and non-profit/community housing organizations).
• Projects that create rental units as part of a divided co-ownership (condominium) project.
• Applicants who have an outstanding debt/claim owed to the City of Trois-Rivières.
• Projects that already received a building permit before the City has made a decision on the related funding application.
• Projects funded under the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) AccèsLogis Québec program or the Programme d’habitation abordable Québec (PHAQ).

Eligible expenses

• Construction, expansion, recycling/rehabilitation work costs (materials, labour and applicable taxes), based on a complete compliant quote and supported by invoices.
• Professional fees related to the work (architecture and engineering).
• Building permit costs.
• Utility service installation fees.
• Demolition costs (eligible at 50% up to $50,000, where applicable under the program).
• Land decontamination costs (eligible at 50% up to $50,000, where applicable under the program).

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Projects that create housing units as part of a divided co-ownership (condominium) arrangement.
• Projects for which a building permit was issued before the City made a decision on the related funding application.
• Projects financed under the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) programs AccèsLogis Québec or Programme d’habitation abordable Québec (PHAQ).

Eligible geographic areas

• City of Trois-Rivières (eligible properties must be located within the program’s designated “application territory” covering the Old Neighbourhoods (Vieux quartiers, including the village core of Saint-Louis-de-France) and the First Ring (Première couronne), as mapped in the program annexes.

• Projects carried out on a municipal property sold by the City for redevelopment purposes (prioritized).
• Projects located near services and employment hubs (prioritized).
• Projects that generate clear physical and economic spin-offs in their immediate environment and are likely to have a ripple effect (prioritized).
• Projects supported by a recognized affordable housing government program or funding, or by a housing fund with recognized affordability objectives and requirements (including rent-setting, financial viability, and duration of affordability) (prioritized).

• Applications are processed in the order received, until the program’s budget is exhausted.
• The City issues a conditional acceptance notice to applicants whose request is accepted.
• If accepted, the applicant must obtain the required building permit and start the work within 90 days of being informed; otherwise, the financial assistance may be withdrawn.
• To receive the grant, the applicant must sign a formal commitment (agreement) with the City setting out required undertakings.
• Once the project is completed and required final documents are received, the City pays the financial assistance in a single payment within 30 days (an advance of up to 20% may be paid after the final agreement is signed and the permit is obtained, in certain cases).

• Applications are processed subject to budget availability and until the program’s funds are exhausted.
• The program is funded through the City’s Affordable Housing Development Fund (by-law: 2021, chapter 117).
• The by-law establishing this program repeals the “Habiter au centre-ville” program (2008, chapter 125) and removes certain housing-related provisions from the by-laws for “Redéveloppement des premiers quartiers” (2017, chapter 30) and “Revitalisation des artères commerciales des premiers quartiers” (2017, chapter 87).
• For 2024, the regulation includes reference market rents and maximum required rents (set at 25% below market) and specifies permitted add-ons for parking (indoor/outdoor) and storage lockers.