During the last meeting of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough council, elected officials authorized the construction of a residential building with around twenty social housing units at 7965, boulevard de l’Acadie. They also adopted a draft amendment to the Zoning Regulations to prevent the conversion of commercial premises into housing on several streets in the area.
“The construction of social housing on Boulevard de l’Acadie responds concretely to the needs of the Parc-Extension community. By focusing on prefabricated construction, this project makes it possible to explore innovative solutions and accelerate the creation of housing. We are proud to see a structuring initiative developed in the neighborhood that will facilitate our citizens’ access to social housing,” declared Jean François Lalonde, mayor of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension district.
New social housing coming to Parc-Extension Borough council members approved plans to construct a three-story building comprising 26 social housing units at 7965 boulevard de l’Acadie. Led by the Monde-Uni housing cooperative, the project is part of the Quebec affordable housing program of the Société d’habitation du Québec and aims to be completed by the end of 2026.
The building, designed from prefabricated modules, will mainly include studios and will offer a ground floor accessible to people with reduced mobility. The project also includes significant landscaping, which will cover nearly 68% of the land, as well as the planting of six new trees.
Thanks to a careful layout, brick architecture and green developments, this new construction will integrate harmoniously into its environment and will contribute to increasing the supply of quality social housing in Parc-Extension.
Preserve commercial premises to support the vitality of neighborhoods In line with the Montreal 2050 Urban Planning and Mobility Plan (PUM), the borough council authorized an amendment to the Zoning Regulations in order to prohibit the conversion of businesses located on the ground floor into housing on several commercial streets.
This measure aims to protect the supply of local shops, particularly in the Villeray-Est sector, located between avenue Christophe-Colomb and boulevard Saint-Michel, where vacancy of premises and residential conversions are already weakening the commercial fabric. The ban also applies to other streets in the borough, including rue de Liège Ouest and rue Saint‑Roch in Parc‑Extension, as well as rue Legendre Est and avenue Émile‑Journault in Saint‑Michel, in addition to several other sections frequented by the resident population and previously unprotected.
This measure does not affect the residential premises already present on the ground floor, but prevents any further conversion. The District thus wishes to preserve spaces intended for businesses, maintain complete and walkable living environments, and support the economic vitality of its neighborhoods.
This regulatory modification is a transitional measure, pending the results of a commercial consolidation study planned for 2026 and a more global reflection on the uses of the territory.