Innovative Partnership to Transform Affordable Housing in Montreal

📅 2 weeks ago 🏷️ Broccolini

A new collaboration between Broccolini and Bâtir son Quartier aims to deliver affordable housing in Montreal's Bridge-Bonaventure district through a transparent public-private partnership.

On November 4, 2025, the Rendez-vous de l’Habitation, organized by the Société d’habitation du Québec, featured a panel discussion showcasing a significant collaboration between the private sector and community organizations. This event highlighted the Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles project, which is set to redefine the landscape of affordable housing in Montreal. Present at the panel were Adam Martelli, Vice President of Residential Real Estate Development at Broccolini, and Yann Omer-Kassin, Development Coordinator at Bâtir son Quartier.
The Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles initiative is part of a broader effort to revitalize the Bridge–Bonaventure district, a former industrial area located in the Sud-Ouest borough of Montreal. Plans include the construction of two twin towers at the convergence of Bridge, Wellington, and Saint-Patrick streets. These towers will provide nearly 800 rental units, of which 376 will be 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, a program aimed at rethinking affordable housing production. Co-chaired by Édith Cyr, Roger Plamondon (the outgoing President of Broccolini), and Mayor Benoit Dorais, this initiative gathered various stakeholders to foster collaboration and idea exchange. Édith Cyr remarked on the trust that developed between Broccolini and Bâtir son Quartier, noting their shared objective of providing more housing for families in a timely and cost-effective manner without compromising quality.
The project was born from this collaborative spirit, with a third crucial partner joining the team: Point Commun, a non-profit organization based in Montreal's Sud-Ouest. Adam Martelli emphasized that the key to their successful partnership lies in transparency. He stated, "We began by acknowledging our respective strengths and limitations. Broccolini brings expertise in design-build execution, while Bâtir son Quartier has a profound understanding of public programs and community structuring."
Their open-book approach, characterized by the complete sharing of data, margins, risks, and decision-making processes, has eliminated budget redundancies and fostered genuine trust among the partners and the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ). Martelli noted that such fluidity is rare in public-private partnerships, allowing them to recalibrate reserves together and adjust financing parameters in real-time without losing momentum.
The projected cost for the Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles project is approximately $130 million, combining federal, provincial, and municipal funding with institutional loans in a cross-leveraged financing structure. The aim is to maximize the number of affordable housing units per public dollar invested. By utilizing density and efficient design strategies, including 20 storeys and shared infrastructure, the average cost per affordable unit aligns with the target subsidy of $100,000 per unit while upholding sustainable architectural standards.
Construction for the non-market housing component is slated to commence in the summer of 2026, with an anticipated completion date in the fall of 2028. Beyond the immediate project, the panel discussion shed light on a governance and transparency model that could serve as a blueprint for future collaborations. Martelli concluded, "Every public dollar can go further when stakeholders share their information and objectives from the outset."
For Broccolini and Bâtir son Quartier, the Triangle Nord Pointe-Saint-Charles project exemplifies how affordable housing can be achieved through collaboration, mutual respect, and a focus on results rather than recognition. This initiative is not just about construction; it represents a living laboratory for social and real estate innovation, promoting a more inclusive city.

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