Soraya Martinez Ferrada, a mayoral candidate and leader of Ensemble Montréal, unveiled a comprehensive plan to tackle the city’s homelessness crisis during a recent announcement. If elected as mayor in the upcoming municipal elections, she has committed to developing over 2,000 transitional and permanent housing units equipped with psychosocial support within her first term.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Martinez Ferrada emphasized the importance of leveraging municipal land and buildings. City estimates suggest that around 1,500 units could potentially be constructed on existing properties. Additionally, the plan involves the implementation of prefabricated homes and buildings, offering a quicker and more cost-effective construction solution.
This initiative aligns with the federal government’s initiative to build 4,000 prefabricated homes nationwide. Martinez Ferrada stressed the need for a collaborative effort involving private, community, and other partners to deliver stable, effective, and compassionate services to address the pressing issue of homelessness.
“We must take a proactive approach and work together to find sustainable solutions,” Martinez Ferrada stated.
In a related move, Martinez Ferrada’s administration aims to establish a homelessness matching fund totaling $10 million. This fund will encourage contributions from the private and philanthropic sectors to further support the ongoing battle against homelessness.
These initiatives form part of a wider strategy to combat homelessness, which includes a $120 million investment during Martinez Ferrada’s initial term, enhancements to the Rent Assistance Bank, and the establishment of a housing bank for individuals left without housing options after July 1st.
