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Housing
Renovation of more than 27�000 dwellings occupied mainly by low-income households
Revitalizing Older Neighbourhoods Program
To better meet the revitalization needs of eligible major cities and extend government action to small and average-sized cities, the 2002-2003 Budget Speech provides for investments totalling $95 million between 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. This initiative will enable restoration of over 21 000 dwellings.
Under the terms of financing renovation and revitalization projects in older neighbourhoods, the government matches the municipality’s contribution dollar for dollar. The owner must cover at least one third of the cost of the renovations. The federal government funds a portion of projects.
The Revitalizing Older Neighbourhoods Program aims to support major cities in their residential renovation, neighbourhood enhancement and architectural heritage preservation efforts.
The chief purpose of the Revitalizing Older Neighbourhoods Program, created in 1996, is to stimulate residential renovation in favour of households in the older neighbourhoods of 43 Québec municipalities with a high concentration of deteriorated dwellings.
In 2000, 26 municipalities signed an agreement with the Société d’habitation du Québec under the Revitalizing Older Neighbourhoods Program, providing for the renovation of 7 291 dwellings.
RénoVillage program
The 2002-2003 Budget Speech announces the renewal of this program for 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. With a $16-million commitment by the SHQ over two years, this measure will enable renovation of 6 000 dwellings over the same period.
The RénoVillage program was introduced under the government’s 1997-2001 action plan on housing. The program provides financial assistance to low-income homeowners in rural areas for the purpose of carrying out major repairs required to their dwellings.
Financial assistance is provided in the form of a grant covering as much as 90% of the cost of eligible work, up to $6 500. Eligible work consists of repairs to correct major defects relating to the structure, the frame, the plumbing, heating or electrical system, or fire safety.
In 2000, the RénoVillage program enabled renovation of 2 245 dwellings. Between the program’s inception in 1998 and the end of 2000, some 7 500 low-income households have benefited from the program.
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