Why move?

The YWCA launched its "2023 Plan for the Future" to address emerging issues of inequality and exclusion.

The sale of the downtown land allows the organization to:

• Finance the relocation to more modern facilities.

• Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the organization through the transaction proceeds.

• Deploy services where the needs are most urgent, particularly toward the eastern part of the city.

The flagship project of this new era is named Résidenti’ELLE.

 The organization is settling at 1275 De Lorimier Avenue (near the Papineau metro station), returning to the very borough where it was founded 150 years ago.

An Architecture of Dignity

The Résidenti’ELLE project is more than just a residential complex.

With its 96 units, it targets a demographic often overlooked by the private market: single women and single mothers.

This living environment was designed to break isolation through the "360-Degree Support Hub," an integrated model where housing meets psychosocial support.

The opening, scheduled for the late winter of 2026, comes at a turning point.

Usage statistics for YWCA services show unprecedented demand:

• Demand: The occupancy rate for social housing for women in Montreal is nearly 100%, with waiting lists stretching over several years.

• Expanded Support: Beyond its walls, the center will become a hub for the fight against domestic violence and for employability assistance for newcomers.

• Reach: It is estimated that the 360 Hub will serve several hundred women annually, creating a robust safety net in the city's East End.

Résidenti’ELLE is the prototype of what modern urban development should be: inclusive, local, and gender-focused.

By reinvesting in the De Lorimier sector, the Women's Y proves that urban planning can be a tool for social justice.

Technical Specifications and Project Analysis

The Résidenti’ELLE project is not limited to building walls; it is a complex social infrastructure designed to offer lasting stability.

Here are the structural and operational details of this flagship initiative.

1. Stakeholders and Project Management

• Owner and Developer: The Women's Y of Montreal (YWCA).

  The organization provides long-term management and service programming.

• Architecture: The design was entrusted to Ray-Co Architecture, a firm recognized for its expertise in community housing, with an approach centered on occupant safety and natural light.

• Construction: The construction phase is supervised by experts in sustainable building, meeting energy performance standards to minimize costs for tenants.

2. Use of Space and Design

The building at 1275 De Lorimier is divided into strategic zones to maximize social impact:

• Residential Zone (96 units): A mix of studios for single women and large apartments for female-led families.

• The 360° Support Hub: Located on the lower floors, this space houses intervention offices, employability training rooms, and secure areas for youth programs.

• Common Areas: Collective kitchens and indoor play areas to encourage the creation of a social fabric among residents.

3. Funding Structure

The project's financial structure reflects the multi-level collaboration essential for the viability of affordable housing in 2026:

• Global Budget: Estimated at approximately $45 million.

Deploying such a project represents a major investment in the city's social economy.

• Financial Aid: 

Governments of Quebec & Canada:

Funding through the Habitation abordable Québec (PHAQ) program and the CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI).

City of Montreal: Land contribution and subsidies related to the revitalization of the Papineau sector.

Private Sector: Major fundraising campaigns led by the Women's Y Foundation for the development of support services.

4. Expected Traffic and Attendance

The site will become a high-activity hub upon its inauguration:

• Residents: Approximately 150 to 200 women and children will live on-site permanently.

• External Users: The 360 Hub is expected to host more than 3,000 annual visits for point-of-service needs (job searches, psychosocial support, newcomer assistance).

• Social Impact: The project aims to reduce the waiting list for specialized emergency housing for women in the Ville-Marie borough by 15%.

  
  

By stabilizing housing for 96 families, the project reduces indirect costs related to homelessness and emergency service usage while promoting a return to the workforce.

More Than Just an Address

Montreal’s urban landscape is shifting, but few projects carry as much symbolic and social weight as Résidenti’ELLE. By moving just a stone's throw from the Papineau metro, the organization is doing more than opening a building; it is closing a 150-year historical loop by returning to where it all began.

From a macroeconomic perspective, Résidenti’ELLE generates substantial savings for the public system.

Every woman stabilized in supported housing reduces the pressure on healthcare services, emergency shelters, and the justice system.

The YWCA’s return to 1275 De Lorimier Avenue is more than a relocation: it is a strategic investment in Montreal’s human capital, anchored in a neighborhood undergoing full urban revitalization.