The housing crisis is felt everywhere, even in the idyllic village of Baie-Saint-Paul, best known for its art galleries and small boutiques. Faced with the emerging phenomenon of homelessness, the mayor is increasing his initiatives, be it converting a shed into an apartment or creating a new neighborhood of tiny houses.
According to the Municipal Housing Office (OMH) of Baie-Saint-Paul, there are currently about fifteen homeless people in the Charlevoix West region.
“These are homeless people who are a little different from Quebec or Montreal. We don’t see people squatting on the streets and begging,” explains Michaël Pilote, 30, who became mayor of the municipality in 2021.
It’s more about people who have to sleep with friends, live in a caravan or in their car. “However, the fact remains that we are witnessing a certain form of homelessness, which is increasingly worrying for Baie-Saint-Paul,” admits the mayor.
Pandemic, telecommuting and floods
While the community of 7,370 people, like several communities far from major centers, experienced a quiet decline, the pandemic brought with it almost 200 new residents.
Some have taken advantage of telecommuting to settle in a charming environment, even if it means traveling to Quebec a few days a week. “There are several people who live in Baie-Saint-Paul and work in the Quebec public service,” notes Mr. Pilote, but still says he is happy with this mini-boom.
Making matters worse, last spring’s floods affected about 200 homes, many of which remain uninhabitable.
And that doesn’t count the temporary foreign workers that need to be accommodated to respond to labor shortages at Club Med, the local IGA and other local businesses.
Tiny house neighborhood
In this context, all projects are good for increasing housing supply. The city recently commissioned an architectural firm to build a neighborhood with about fifteen small houses.
Residents got a taste of this last June when a modular house measuring 12 by 2.5 meters to house the health network’s staff was inaugurated in Quebec.
“It will diversify the offering. Given the price of materials and house prices, sometimes people cannot afford to buy a property for $400,000 or $500,000. If we arrive with a tiny house that costs about $200,000, it will be easier to acquire this property,” emphasizes the mayor.
Similarly, Baie-Saint-Paul has changed its urban planning regulations to allow, for example, the conversion of a shed at the back of the yard into a rental apartment or the addition of living space above the garage.
This approach, called “accessory housing units,” allows for gentle densification without sprawl. The project, which started in the spring, is attracting curious attention. “There are people who are interested and want confirmation. We believe it should bear fruit soon,” says Mr. Pilote.
In addition, an NPO was founded in partnership with the city to create around forty affordable units. Unlike the social housing managed by the OMH, this is intended for the middle class. The city is now waiting for a response from Quebec to move forward.
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