The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion's "La Genèse, un toit pour toi" project is a finalist for the mérite Ovation municipale 2024 award in the Habitat, housing, equity and diversity category. The project will be presented at the Pavillon mérite Ovation municipale during the Assises 2024 of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) on May 23 and 24, at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

With the "La Genèse, un toit pour toi" project, the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion is innovating in terms of affordable housing by putting in place an appropriate legal framework, creating a dedicated fund, setting up a non-profit organization in collaboration with the Office régional d'habitation Vaudreuil-Soulanges and other community partners, acquiring land and carrying out concrete projects.

In 2024, Vaudreuil-Dorion is set to welcome its first construction project on the land acquired by the city and merged with that given over by the Sisters of Sainte-Anne in 2020, for social purposes on rue Saint-Michel. In the coming months, this 12-unit affordable housing project for families will undergo the conditional use process.

The city has also donated a second plot of land to the non-profit organization Toit d'Abord Habitations abordables Vaudreuil-Soulanges, acquired at the value entered on the roll in 2021 and located in the same sector as the first project. By 2024 or 2025, this lot could be home to 18 affordable housing units, also aimed at families.

"Everywhere in Quebec, there is a shortage of social or affordable housing, and Vaudreuil-Dorion is no exception. With a very low vacancy rate, vacant rental units are not always accessible to people with modest incomes. We were bold enough to implement a series of actions to reduce the obstacles to the creation of affordable housing. Our employees and partners have worked hard to realize our vision. I think the Sisters of Sainte-Anne would be delighted to see the project that should be erected this year on the land they have ceded to us," commented Mayor Guy Pilon.

The Ovation municipale award pays tribute to the ingenuity, creativity and determination of Quebec municipalities. This annual event highlights the work accomplished by local governments to advance and grow innovative projects that meet the needs of their populations.

"I'm very proud that our project caught the attention of the jury, and I think our peers will be interested in visiting our booth at the Assises de l'UMQ. It's an initiative that can be replicated in other municipalities and that benefits all communities. I encourage the municipalities of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC to follow suit and collaborate with Toit d'Abord to increase the supply of affordable housing in the region," added the mayor.

The winners will be announced at the gala evening on May 24, 2024.