Access to affordable housing in the D’Autray MRC
The Comité local en développement social de D’Autray (CLDS), in the Lanaudière region of Québec, promotes exchange, consultation, and collective action focused on social development and improving living conditions in the community. Since 2019, this organization, in collaboration with a variety of actors in the territory, mobilizes around high-priority issues such as mental health, educational success, and food security. In addition, its housing committee focuses on access to affordable and quality housing.
A systemic approach to tackling the housing crisis
To support the housing committee’s work, the MIS was mandated to produce a documentary portrait, to carry out consultations and diagnostics, to identify inspiring initiatives implemented elsewhere, and to develop, with the members of the committee, an action plan linked to the work and activities of the Chantier régional en habitation.
This mandate is based on a systemic approach that highlights the deep-seated causes, beliefs, and structures of the system that have contributed to the housing crisis in the D’Autray MRC. Beyond creating a statistical portrait of the situation (including data on the housing supply, the demographics of the rental and resale market, and the supply of social and community housing), the team also organized multiple meetings with stakeholders who seek to deepen and expand the quantitative analysis of housing challenges at the territorial level.
Developing an action plan
Launched in fall 2022, the mandate continued in 2023 with the finalizing of a systemic analysis of the housing situation in the MRC. This report, based on a dozen individual and group interviews with housing stakeholders, highlighted the challenges they perceived and the repercussions of those challenges for the community. It also explored trends in housing at the scale of the MRC, its subregions, and the province as a whole.
After drawing on a systemic analysis of structures, beliefs, and mental models, the team concluded the report by surveying some thirty innovative solutions for municipal, community, and private-sector actors. The broader goal was to provide decision support for municipalities wishing to create programs to foster the development of affordable housing.
“A new meeting with the community in September 2023 enabled us to co-define a vision, objectives, and priority initiatives for the action plan. The project has reached the approval stage, and the MRC’s council of mayors is currently considering both the initiatives and the resources to be invested. The project is the first of its kind in the region, and other MRCs are looking to it for inspiration. The workshops with the community have been well-received, with an ever-growing number of participants.”
Loïc Nigen, Senior Strategic Advisor
Maison de l’innovation sociale
“We are delighted to be working with the Maison de l’innovation sociale to help us explore the complexity of housing challenges in our territory and to assist us in developing an action plan that makes room for innovation. Our collaboration solicits the active participation of multiple stakeholders and allows us to move forward collectively towards sustainable solutions for increasing affordable housing for the benefit of our community.”
Daphné Kelly, Mobilization Agent D’Autray MRC
Our other projects
Discover our other projects lead by our team in Strategic advisory and Social R&D.
