Posted March 19, 2026 4:11 pm.
Last Updated March 19, 2026 5:38 pm.
When the Quebec government unveiled its latest budget Wednesday, it said the focus was on reducing the deficit while funding what it calls “core services.”
But the plan, described by officials as “sober,” is already drawing criticism from community groups, which say it doesn’t go far enough to address homelessness and the housing crisis.
The budget promises to spend $740 million to build 1,000 new affordable housing units over three years, while also renovating existing low-income housing that need repairs.
But some housing advocates say that’s just a drop in the bucket, arguing what’s needed is actually closer to 10 times that figure.
“129,000 tenants (are) paying more than 50 per cent of their income only in the province of Quebec for the rent, so we’re basing our numbers on that,” said Catherine Lussier, the coordinator for Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU).
The criticisms come as Quebec shaves down its deficit to $8.6 billion – a 13 per cent decrease from the year before.
Officials describe spending measures as “targeted.”
“For sure it’s the budget that they put more new units. But that’s kind of disastrous when you look at the eight last years and how much they haven’t invested in new social housing units,” Lussier said.
$25M for homelessness
To address homelessness, the government has put aside $25 million. That money will go to services like personalized support and transitional housing.
“All those actions are for managing the crisis. It’s not in prevention,” said Johanne Cooper, the project manager of partnership development at Coalition Jeunes+.
That concern comes from groups working with vulnerable youth. They say they’re looking for more concrete measures like direct payments to help young people avoid falling into homelessness in the first place.
“One-in-three young people who are living the youth protection system are going to live a situation of homelessness in the first years when they get out,” Cooper said.
Montreal’s new administration has set addressing homelessness as its top priority.
“We welcome the government’s investments in the homeless, though we are still waiting to see where the funds will be allocated and what the details of those allocations will be. However, we are concerned about the underfunding of public transit and infrastructure,” said in a statement Claude Pinard, responsible for homelessness in Montreal and president of the city’s executive committee.
CityNews spoke to a few Montrealers who felt the province should have spent more to address housing issues.
“They should have taken the budget from Northvolt and put it into housing,” one man said.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to buy a home with the way things are going,” his wife added.
“The economy is probably tight and everything, that’s true too,” another Montreal said. “But the housing problem never goes away.”
“They should be doing more with old buildings that could be converted,” added another.