Montreal developers prefer to pay fines and hand over properties rather
than build new social housing units, says the city’s official opposition party.

Citing data that it compiled, Ensemble Montreal says no social units have been constructed  since the city enacted a new housing bylaw two years ago. The party has called on city hall to incentivize developers.
Mayor Valerie Plante attributed the situation to a lack of provincial funding.

“The Quebec government has its foot on the brake,” she told CBC.

The controversial bylaw requires developers to pay a fine or relinquish land, buildings or individual units to the city if new projects exceeding 4,843 square feet do not contain social-housing components. CBC reported that private developers have built 150 new projects, a total of 7,100 housing units, since the bylaw effect in April 2021.

But only $24.5 million has been collected from developers, according to the network.

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