Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

Although the Transition Village project has been on track, there will now be significant delays to the schedule.

During the holidays, a few containers had been installed on the Guertin site. However, the milder temperatures, rain and refreezing caused the ground to shift, which led to the misalignment of the holes for installing the piping for three containers.

The solution to stabilizing the containers involves installing piles, which will result in additional costs of more than $200,000. More than 50 containers will be delivered, which will also require the installation of piles. “If the project had not been postponed, we would not have needed to install these piles,” emphasizes Nancy Martineau, General Manager of Transition Village.

At present, only the private sector has injected money into the project. “It was very complex; it prevented us from moving forward with all our efforts,” said Martineau. “It is essential that we obtain financial support from the government to allow us to move forward.”

According to Martineau, this is a unique project. “We are transforming shipping containers into housing, and this is causing problems for the government, which does not really know if it is housing or not, and if it is transitional or not,” she explains. “They can’t put it in the right box.”

According to the information gathered, the 20 or so residents who have already moved into a container seem very satisfied. “I have a goal; that’s for sure. In six months, I will be gone,” said Mylène, a resident of the village. “I have already started working to get a few hours here and there,” she added. “I believe in the Transition Village.”

The occupants of the containers must pay rent that varies between $200 and $500, or 25% to 35% of the person’s income.

Photo: Containers of the Transition Village (January 10, 2025) (MG) Photo: Facebook Page Transition Village