At its meeting held on July 6, Municipal Council adopted its very first Housing Policy, titled Living, Thriving and Staying in Rosemère, 2026–2046. For the first time in its history, the Town now has a clear road map to plan and guide residential development over the next twenty years, while preserving the green character and quality of life that define it.

 Responding to the aspirations of every generation

Rosemère is changing. Its population is aging, land is becoming scarce, and property values have risen sharply. The Town's housing stock, made up of more than 80% single-family homes, no longer meets the diversity of needs: many seniors wish to remain in Rosemère in housing better suited to their needs, while young families would like to settle here but find few homes within their means.

That said, the Town is not creating housing alongside ongoing projects; rather, it is putting a framework around residential development across its entire territory, including the future regional hub (Special Planning Program, or PPU), which will help meet some of the identified needs.

Based on extensive public consultation held in spring 2026, the Policy pays particular attention to residents aged 55 and over, a group expected to grow significantly. According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the number of households aged 75 and over could rise from about 900 to 1,300 by 2041. The Policy rests on four areas of ntervention: partnerships and collaboration, land, financing, and processes and regulations, broken down into twelve priority actions.

By 2046, Council aims to address clearly identified needs in Rosemère: up to 300 units in seniors' residences (RPA), as well as 400 affordable housing units for young people, families and all generations, including 200 non-market units (social, community or cooperative housing, with rents kept below market prices). Spread over twenty years, these targets reflect a gradual and measured pace of development, suited to Rosemère's scale. To meet the needs of seniors, the Town wishes to collaborate with seniors' residence managers and developers and begin discussions to that end, as several sectors of Rosemère already have zoning favorable to this type of project.

“This is a great day for Rosemère. With this very first Housing Policy, we are making a simple promise to our residents: the promise of being able to live, thrive and stay here, at every stage of life. I have a special thought for our seniors, who built this community and deserve to age here surrounded by their loved ones, but also for our young families, who wish to settle where their roots are. Together, we will keep our town welcoming, today and for generations to come,” said Marie-Elaine Pitre, Mayor of Rosemère.

A first concrete outcome

The Town is already moving from vision to action. On the current site of the community centre, along Grande-Côte Road, it wishes to see a multi-unit residential development built with a primarily affordable and multigenerational focus, bringing together a variety of housing units suited to different needs and budgets. Designed as a complete living environment, this project would allow households of every generation, from young families to seniors, to find housing in Rosemère suited to their means, in a country-style setting.

To make way for this project, the community centre will be relocated to the village core (Côté cœur), near the library, on Grande-Côte Road, helping to revitalize the area. This neighbourhood is at the heart of local life, and the growing number of residents will give local merchants a second wind. At that same July 6 meeting, Council also took concrete action by acquiring a plot of land between the recreational services house and the library, demonstrating its resolve to move quickly on this priority file.

With this same objective in mind, Municipal Council has also made the future multi-use cycling path on Grande-Côte Road a priority of its sustainable mobility strategy. This path will help drive the vitality of the village core (Côté cœur).

“Seeing a first project take shape in the heart of the village, close to local services and businesses, is exactly the spirit of this Policy. And we owe this to the hundreds of residents who shared their ideas, and to Town staff, whose work brought this vision to life,” said Mayor of Rosemère Marie-Elaine Pitre.

Next steps

The Housing Policy is now entering its implementation phase. The Town will carry out an annual review of its progress and maintain dialogue with the community, particularly with seniors. It will keep residents informed of developments in the policy in the coming months and remains available to answer questions from residents.

The Housing Policy is available on the Town’s website.