Definition
Affordable housing in Quebec is supported by several overlapping programs from the federal, provincial and municipal levels.
**Federal programs (CMHC)**: - **National Housing Construction Initiative (NHCI)**: low-rate financing for builders - **Rental Construction Financing Initiative (RCFI)**: repayable loans for affordable rental housing - **National Co-investment Fund (NCIF)**: grants and loans for social and affordable housing
**Provincial programs (Quebec)**: - **AccèsLogis Québec** (SHQ): support for the development of community and affordable housing through non-profits and housing cooperatives - **Private Renovation Assistance Program (PRAP)**: assistance to low-income property owners - **Housing allowance**: direct monthly assistance to low-income tenants
**Housing cooperatives**: Hybrid forms of affordable housing where residents are members of a cooperative that owns the building. Specialized financing through the Fédération des coopératives d'habitation and the Mouvement Desjardins.
**Mortgage relevance**: Some of these programs include preferential-rate mortgages or loan guarantees allowing community organizations to access financing. Mortgage brokers specialized in institutional financing navigate these programs for social housing developers.