In 2023, a group of about 20 partners from Quebec’s social and community housing sector traveled to Vienna, Austria, to explore sustainable solutions to the housing crisis. Vienna, renowned worldwide for its affordable housing model, builds approximately 7,000 new units per year and now provides social and community housing to over 60% of its population.

Key lessons from the mission include:

• Human-scale densification with well-integrated green spaces.
• Social housing accessibility for middle-income households, fostering inclusivity.
• A stabilizing effect on the housing market, helping to curb rising rents.
• Reinvestment of housing cost savings back into the local economy.
• The ability to develop high-quality housing projects with strong architectural and environmental standards.

In this episode, we speak with Jean-Pierre Girard, the study visit leader, who explains what makes Vienna’s social housing model so successful and how its principles could inspire new approaches elsewhere. Beyond gathering insights, this mission reinforced the importance of collaboration between governments, social housing organizations, and urban planners to create long-term, affordable housing solutions. 

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