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Shelter Improvement Program

This shelter improvement program (PAMH) is dedicated to temporary shelters for women (regardless of age) and young people aged 28 (or younger) who are victims of domestic violence.

This program aims to help non-profit organizations that are responsible for these shelters to make them safe, healthy and functional.

It therefore affects shelters that require repairs or that lack the facilities essential to the pursuit of their vocation.

Eligibility

This program, PAMH, is effective throughout Quebec, including Nunavik, excluding Indian reserves.

This program is intended for an NPO whose mission is to provide temporary accommodation for victims of domestic violence, who fall into two categories:

  • women and their children, if applicable;
  • young people in difficulty aged 28 and under.

The organization must be recognized by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) and obtain an agreement from the latter for the shelter to be included in the program.

The organization must, on the date of signature of the request for assistance, hold a right of ownership or a very long-term lease of the place used as a shelter.

Help offered

The maximum financial assistance is calculated based on the number of recognized residential units and the region concerned, i.e.:

  • $18,000 for the South region;
  • $21,000 for the North region;
  • $27,000 for the Far North region.

Eligible work

The shelter is eligible if it lacks essential facilities or requires repairs in at least one of the following categories:

  • fire safety;
  • electricity;
  • the plumbing;
  • the framework;
  • heating;
  • customer security;
  • accessibility for people with disabilities;
  • spaces for holding activities intended for the resident clientele, including the development of play areas for young people and the installation of permanent play equipment (indoors or outdoors);
  • spaces to make the shelter more functional.

Eligible costs for the purpose of calculating financial assistance include, where applicable:

  • the cost recognized by the SHQ for eligible work (labour and materials provided by the contractor);
  • the cost of the municipal permit to carry out the work, upon presentation of proof of payment;
  • professional fees for the study of codes, for the preparation of plans and specifications, for the supervision of the work and the issuance of the certificate of acceptance of the work;
  • expert fees recognized by the SHQ, if these fees are related to the approved project;
  • related taxes, if applicable (GST and QST). Any reimbursement of taxes that the applicant may claim must be deducted from the eligible costs.

Work must not begin before having been approved by the MRC or the municipality.

The work must be carried out by a contractor holding an appropriate license in force, issued by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, and holding a valid QST number. In this, En Mouvement qualifies perfectly.

The materials must be provided by the contractor to be considered in the recognized costs. The materials must be new and at least of standard quality.

The financial assistance will be paid at the end of the work.

Program registration

The MSSS determines with its partners the priorities among the requests made to it and these are forwarded to the SHQ. The SHQ may establish priority criteria for the selection of projects.

The organization is required to demonstrate to the SHQ the financial viability of the shelter, i.e. that it has the financial resources necessary to ensure the continuity of its activities. This information should be provided in the letter of support from the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) and the Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS).

Transmission of requests

Any renovation project must be presented by the organization (shelter) to the General Social Services and Community Activities Department of the MSSS:

1075, chemin Sainte-Foy, 8th floor
Quebec (Quebec)
G1S 2M1
Telephone (secretary): 418 266-6863

The documents to be sent to the MSSS by the organization are as follows:

  • letters patent of the organization;
  • the letter of support from the CISSS or the CIUSSS;
  • a description of the works and a summary estimate of their costs.

Following the analysis of the information provided by the MSSS, the SHQ entrusts the partner with the mandate to prepare a file for each selected project. The mandate is accompanied by the relevant documents.

At the same time, the SHQ informs the organization that a mandate has been sent to the partner for the preparation of the file.