First major affordable housing project announced for Montreal’s Bridge-Bonaventure neighbourhood

A major milestone for the Bridge-Bonaventure sector has been reached with the announcement of its first large-scale affordable housing project.

Backed by all levels of government and key partners, the project will deliver 376 affordable housing units in Pointe-Saint-Charles as part of a broader effort to transform the Bridge-Bonaventure district into a living and working environment.

Located near the St. Lawrence River, Old Montreal and the Lachine canal, the overall development plan of the neighbourhood focuses on public and active transportation, access to the shores, enhancing the industrial heritage and the Expo 67 legacy.

In March, the city revealed that over the next few years, 13,500 housing units may be built.

“It shows how we were able, like all together, work together, convene everybody behind this vision of housing mixed city, and to come up with half of them that is social and affordable,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante. “To me, it just shows that it works. So I want to thank all of our partners here. It’s amazing. And I think other cities in Quebec and even other cities in Canada should look at this model that we’ve put together, all together.”

On Monday, the affordable housing initiative of the project was announced during a press conference that took place on a lot at the intersection of Bridge and Wellington Streets.

“I’m very proud of this project,” said Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau. “It is the first one here in Bridge-Bonaventure. A great partnership between the private sector and the non-for-profit sector. We’ll deliver 800 units. Half of them are off-market. The other half are at-market.

“It shows that by working together, we can come up with innovative solutions. It’s also the first project under the financing program of the Société d’habitation du Québec. It was very hard to get there, but we got it. It now gives tools to the Société d’habitation du Québec to finance more efficiently any housing projects.”

Plante called the initiative a cornerstone of her vision for Bridge-Bonaventure: a green, connected, and affordable neighborhood delivering up to 13,500 new homes—nearly half of which will be off-market.

“Accelerating the development of Bridge-Bonaventure is the final element I committed to delivering during my last 300 days as mayor,” she said. “The development of this exemplary neighborhood is underway and will directly contribute to the city’s affordability, for the benefit of all future generations.

“Working with our different partners here, there was obviously a need and a request for more housing options. It makes a lot of sense. But there was also this, people wanted to make sure that different types of people could live here, which makes a lot of sense. We truly believe the city of Montreal is a mixed city — social, cultural, economic, mixed city. And this is an amazing collaboration. This is a great project where we’re going to have two towers and one will be social affordable. The other one will be private, but they’re working together. So to me, this is amazing.

“This is what we want to reproduce here in Montreal. We have this goal of 20 per cent out-of-market renting or housing by 2050. And this is a good project that shows that we’re serious about it and we’re able to convene different partners, private and non-for-profit into this vision. And then of course, different level of governments.”

Developed in partnership with Broccolini, Bâtir son quartier and non-profit Point Commun, the affordable housing project will be a residential rental complex and is set to be developed in two phases, each consisting of a high-rise tower: one for off-market housing (50 per cent) and one for market-rate units (50 per cent).

Construction of the first phase—a 20-story affordable housing tower at the intersection of Bridge, Wellington, and St. Patrick streets—is set to begin in summer 2026, with completion expected in fall 2028.

The most affordable two-bedroom apartment will be available to rent for $1,062 a month, with a more expensive option offered at $1,593. Duranceau explained those numbers will increase slightly based on market rates in 2026.

The $130 million project is funded through a combination of federal, provincial, and municipal contributions, leveraging financing tools like “patient loans” to increase unit delivery by up to 25 per cent without increasing subsidies.

“It will be a key element in creating a truly affordable living environment with spaces that meet the needs of the local population and future tenants,” the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation wrote in a news release on Monday. “Such as shops, local services, mobility infrastructure, green spaces, and opportunities for a socio-ecological transition.”

Once completed, the development will offer housing as well as community and commercial spaces to serve both residents and the broader Pointe-Saint-Charles community.