The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion selected as one of 20 finalists in the 2024 Ovation municipale competition

The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion is pleased to announce that its project La Genèse, un toit pour toi has been selected as a finalist in the 2024 Ovation Municipale competition, for the category Habitat, logement, équité et diversité. The project will be presented at the Pavillon mérite Ovation municipale during the annual conference of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) to be held next May 23rd and 24th at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

In total, the jury selected 20 projects, divided into 8 categories, from the 110 submitted by municipalities. The projects were evaluated for the innovation displayed in their approach, the results obtained, the optimization and mobilization of internal and external resources, their impact on the municipal organization, territory, and community, as well as their impact on the fight against climate change, where applicable.

With the project La Genèse, un toit pour toi, the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion innovates in terms of affordable housing by implementing a more fitting legal framework, creating a dedicated fund, establishing a non-profit organization in collaboration with the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional Housing Bureau and other community partners, acquiring land, and carrying out concrete projects. In 2024, Vaudreuil-Dorion is expected to host a first construction project on the land acquired by the City that was merged with the land donated by the Sisters of Sainte-Anne in 2020, for social purposes, on Rue Saint-Michel. In the coming months, this project for 12 affordable housing units intended for families will be submitted to the conditional use process.

The City also donated a second piece of land to the non-profit organization Toit d’Abord Habitations abordables Vaudreuil-Soulanges, acquired for the amount shown on the 2021 assessment and located in the same area as the first project. In 2024 or 2025, this land could accommodate 18 affordable housing units also intended for families.

“Throughout Quebec, there is a shortage of social or affordable housing, and Vaudreuil-Dorion is no exception. Given the very low vacancy rate, rental properties are not always accessible to low-income individuals. We have had the audacity to implement a series of actions to reduce obstacles to the creation of affordable housing. Our employees and partners have worked hard to make this vision a reality. I believe the Sisters of Saint-Anne would be happy to see the project that is expected to be built this year on the land they entrusted us with” commented Mayor Guy Pilon.

The Ovation municipale competition honours the ingenuity, creativity and determination of Quebec municipalities. This annual event highlights the work done by local governments to advance and grow innovative projects that meet the needs of their population. “I am very proud that our project has caught the jury’s attention, and I believe our peers will be interested in visiting our booth at the UMQ conference. This is an initiative that can be replicated in other municipalities and benefits all communities. I encourage municipalities in the MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges to follow suit and collaborate with Toit d’Abord to increase the availability of affordable housing in the region,” added the mayor. The winners will be announced at the gala evening on May 24th, 2024