Bill 83

FECHIMM expressed its opposition to Quebec Housing Corporation (Société d’Habitation du Québec) appropriating the Quebec Community Housing Fund (Fonds québécois d’habitation communautaire - FQHC) in a brief (FR) submitted during the ongoing consultations on Bill 83 (FR).

The Federation responded to one of the Bill’s critical measures meant to all intents to abolish the Fund established in 1997 in order to support the development and upkeep of co-operative and non-profit housing units and to transfer its assets to SHQ.

FECHIMM expressed doubt that SHQ would demonstrate better management and accountability once it has absolute control of the Fund, as it never fulfilled its obligations under the Fund agreement.

FECHIMM recalls that SHQ has still not reimbursed to the Fund the amounts collected before its implementation and which had been entrusted to it. It also failed to carry out complete buildings evaluations when co-operatives’ reach their tenth year, before forcing them to pay their contributions to the Fund. This approach has undermined several co-operatives and added a financial burden on members, according to the Federation.

Endorsing the proposal of the FQHC Board , FECHIMM is urging the government to intervene in revising the modus operandi related to these compulsory contributions. It also calls for the establishment of a responsible body in which the contributors to the Fund would together own a majority of the votes without any veto being assigned to any member whatsoever.

FECHIMM considers that it is in the interest of the government, as well as in that of the co-operative sector, to have tools to reduce its dependence on the State while serving as economic development levers. This is the role that the Fund, well nourished and effectively managed, can play.

FECHIMM’s brief (FR)