Montreal is launching its first modular housing units with support services to address the growing homelessness crisis. Located on the former Hippodrome site in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, the 27-unit facility aims to provide safe, stable housing for individuals waiting for social housing. These units are designated for those without substance abuse or severe mental health issues.
The Old Brewery Mission will manage the site, providing residents with three meals a day, 24/7 support, and assistance with welfare applications, ID cards, and securing permanent housing. The expected stay for each resident is about three to six months. Mayor Valérie Plante emphasized the need for innovative solutions to offer vulnerable individuals dignified living conditions. James Hughes, CEO of the Old Brewery Mission, noted that the facility will be quickly filled, with many individuals coming from downtown and surrounding areas.
The project received a total investment of $4.7 million, including $1.7 million from the Société d’habitation du Québec and contributions from the federal and Montreal governments. The modular units are designed to help residents transition to permanent housing and facilitate their social and economic reintegration.
A second modular housing site will open in Ahuntsic-Cartierville in January, with a third expected to launch in Outremont next summer, expanding the city’s efforts to support individuals experiencing homelessness.
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