Proposal 2 — Pivotal financial products

Sub-theme — Financial levers: Financing

Brief summary of the project

Creating one or more regional bodies capable of issuing community bonds

Key elements

• Issuance of community bonds
• As a traditional investment (return on investment)
• Open to all types of investors (Co-op, NPO, individual, Caisse de dépôt, pension funds)
• Bonds could be secured
• The amounts invested come from the financial administration of the funds (reserve fund)
• Providing a way to leverage building equity
• Pivot would be a key player

According to its creators,  the advantages of this project are:

• Allows for forgoing traditional investors
• Allows for diversification of actors
• Offers a one-stop solution
• Combines 2 financing and guarantee solutions (equity + liquidity, reserves)
• Reactivates dormant capital                                     

The transformational impact on the sector would include the following

• Positive economic impacts for investors and beneficiaries
• Accelerating the social transformations generated by the projects
• Change in business culture among sector organizations and contributors
• Providing a way to capture sector assets
• Paving the way for a convergence of sector interests, but remaining open to a diversity of partners

Proposal 3 — Collective Housing Reserve Fund — CHRF

Sub-theme — Financial levers: Pooling existing assets/income generation

Brief summary of the project

Creating a pooled financial reserve fund that includes reserves and equities

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Key elements

• Reserve investment vehicle in which capital is guaranteed
• Sector financial lever with returns comparable to or better than what local groups currently get
• Financial partners can easily invest
• Open membership/collaboration for all community or social groups (NPO, Co-op, OH, CPE, etc.)
• Democratic governance giving a voice to contributors
• Management supported by expert committees

According to its creators, the advantages of this project are:

• Gives an “added value” to the common fund
• Creates a lever to develop new projects (renovations, development)

The transformational impact on the sector would include the following            

• Developing an economic force of impact
• Having a collective vision for the use of funds
• Can serve and be of interest to private condominium corporations
• Could replace the municipal tax exemption as a type of municipal intervention

Proposal 4 — Constellation

Sub-theme — Services and operations: Merger/consolidation

Brief summary of the project

Creating a solidarity co-operative capable of supporting struggling community housing organizations

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Key elements

• Aiming to preserve social and community housing stock
• Providing financial, engineering and management expertise
• Consolidating identities and merging assets
• Producing tools

According to its creators, the advantages of this project are:

• Protects struggling housing organizations from bankruptcy
• Seeks out opportunities for new consolidations based on proximity and clientele
• Preserves the financial base
• Promotes structures that can be replicated by region

The transformational impact on the sector would include the following            

• Consolidating several buildings from struggling community organizations
• Centralizing housing organizations’ decisions and management

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​Proposal 5 — Profusion

Sub-theme — Financial levers: Land trust

Brief summary of the project

Creating a support tool for the creation and development of social utility trusts, which are a Quebec-specific instrument equivalent to land trusts. A collective of accompanying organizations would ensure the creation and development of these trusts (TRGs, Federations, others). Developing a toolkit and resources for creating community land trusts at the neighbourhood, municipal and RCM levels

Key elements

• Hybrid tax-advantaged funds (donations, grants and very patient capital)
• Support offer
• Mix of projects and members
• Legal, financial and organizational research and development
• Building on the expertise of TRGs, co-ops, non-profits
• Mutualization of assets (e.g. pooling of reserves, offering a common investment product)
• Social utility trust
• Community of practice
• Pilot project
• Collective approach to land assembly

According to its creators, the advantages of this project are:

• Prevents or reduces speculation by removing properties from the speculative market
• Creates sustainable affordability
• Promotes the development of integrated and diverse living environments
• Tax-advantaged fund
• Community bond, donations, grants, patient capital

The transformational impact on the sector would include the following            

• Developing and providing support for the creation and development of CLTs across Quebec
• CLTs host a mix of perpetually affordable real estate projects

Proposal 6 — Housing passport

Sub-theme — Services and operation: Services

Brief summary of the project

• Creating a needs assessment tool for universally accessible and adapted housing
• Finding available accessible and adapted housing (already exists locally)
• Using research data to build a picture of the needs

​Key elements

• Providing information on available housing
• Providing information on needs:
• Disability
• Income
• Number of families
• Location

According to its creators, the advantages of this project are:

• Centralization of data on specific housing needs
• Records (data)
• Allows tenants to stay in the community and social sector by moving from one tenure to another
• Identifies regional needs in order to develop and adapt community housing
• Contributes to the visibility and promotion of the sector

The transformational impact on the sector would include the following            

• Pressure on government
• Less effort to research and update housing needs in Quebec
• More inclusive and equitable placement and development