Innovative Partnership to Deliver Affordable Housing in Montreal

📅 1 days ago 🏷️ Broccolini

A new collaborative project in Montreal aims to deliver affordable housing through a unique partnership between private and community sectors.

On November 4, 2025, the Rendez-vous de l’Habitation organized by the Société d’habitation du Québec featured a panel discussion that highlighted a pioneering collaboration between the private sector and community organizations. Adam Martelli, Vice President of Residential Real Estate Development at Broccolini, and Yann Omer-Kassin, Development Coordinator at Bâtir son Quartier, came together to present the Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles project. This initiative is set against the backdrop of the Bridge–Bonaventure district's redevelopment, a once-industrial area in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest that is currently undergoing significant transformation.
Located at the intersection of Bridge, Wellington, and Saint-Patrick streets, the project envisions the construction of two twin towers that will provide nearly 800 rental units, which includes 376 affordable, non-market apartments. The inception of this project can be traced back to 2022, when the City of Montreal initiated the Chantier Montréal Abordable, aimed at reimagining the production of affordable housing. Co-chaired by Édith Cyr, Roger Plamondon (the outgoing President of Broccolini), and Mayor Benoit Dorais, this initiative sought to connect various stakeholders, fostering discussions and the development of a common understanding.
Édith Cyr remarked, “It was in this context that the relationship of trust between Broccolini and Bâtir son Quartier took shape. We realized that we shared the same goal: to house more families, more quickly, at a reasonable cost, without compromising on quality.” The partnership further expanded to include Point Commun, a non-profit organization based in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest, solidifying a collaborative framework from the start.
In discussing the foundation of their collaboration, Adam Martelli emphasized the importance of transparency: “We began by acknowledging our respective strengths and limitations. Broccolini brings expertise in design-build execution and in cost and schedule management, while Bâtir son Quartier contributes its deep understanding of public programs and social and community structuring.” This transparent approach, characterized by an open exchange of data, margins, risks, and decision-making processes, has effectively eliminated budget redundancies and fostered genuine trust among the partners and the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ).
Martelli noted, “It’s rare for a public–private partnership to operate with such fluidity. We were able to recalculate reserves together, adjust financing parameters in real time, and find optimal solutions, without losing momentum.” The project is projected to cost approximately $130 million, integrating funding from federal, provincial, and municipal sources alongside patient capital and institutional loans, thereby creating a cross-leveraged financing structure designed to maximize the number of affordable units produced for every public dollar spent.
The project aims to achieve an average cost per affordable unit that aligns with the targeted subsidy of $100,000 per unit, while ensuring that the architectural standards remain sustainable and appealing. Construction for the non-market housing component is slated to commence in summer 2026, with an anticipated completion date in fall 2028.
Beyond the Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles project itself, the panel discussion underscored a governance and transparency model that could serve as a blueprint for future partnerships. Martelli concluded, “Every public dollar can go further when stakeholders share their information and objectives from the outset.” For Broccolini and Bâtir son Quartier, this project exemplifies how affordable housing can be achieved through collaboration, mutual respect, and a focus on tangible results rather than mere recognition. Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles stands not just as a construction site, but as a living laboratory for social and real estate innovation, aimed at fostering a more inclusive city.

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