Research Basis

ReCONstruct, chair in Architecture, Energy, and Environment

05–2023 to present

︎ Multi-unit residential buildings
︎ Social and affordable housing ecosystems
︎ Société d’habitation du QUébec (SHQ)

ReCONstruct's MURB (multi-unit residential building) group has been conducting research on Québec's social and affordable housing ecosystem in order to identify opportunities and potential barriers to the development of deep energy retrofit pipelines in this sector of the province's building stock. The team consists of Ella Fortney, Gabi Goldman and Madeleine Lachance.

Our ongoing background research includes: an overview of the history of housing policy in Québec, the study and mapping of the major actors and organizations (public and non-profit) in Québec's housing sector, the scope and age of the social and affordable housing building stock in the province today and the study of the key funding programs and financing resources that produced this housing stock.

Looking forward, our research is exploring the systems and technical resources that currently exist for the renovation and retrofit of social/affordable MURBs along with the public programs and financing available to facilitate it.

Timeline of Québec’s affordable housing programs and policies alongside a tracking of the quantity of housing built into the HLM, Non-profit, cooperatibe and municipal housing stocks over time.

CREDIT: Gabrielle Goldman

Brief descriptions of the key actors in social and affordable housing in the Montreal region at the federal, provincial and municipal level.

CREDIT: Gabrielle Goldman & Madeleine Lachance (support from Ella Fortney)

Brief descriptions of the most influencial policies and housing programs that have contributed to the state of housing today. 

CREDIT: Gabrielle Goldman & Madeleine Lachance (support from Ella Fortney)