What began as an ambitious idea from a group of students has, in just 10 years, become a recognized model rooted in the social economy.
Their initial goal: to transform the long-abandoned Îlot Voyageur Nord site in Montreal into affordable student housing.
They quickly realized the absence of resources and actors dedicated to student housing. From grassroots activism to social entrepreneurship, their ambition grew: to create a sustainable model, a solution grounded in local realities and inspired by the best international practices.
From the outset, UTILE set out to tackle an issue that was invisible — or at least forgotten: student housing. A pressing need, yet one missing from public priorities and sustainable solutions.
In 2014, UTILE laid a solid foundation for its work by grounding its action in field research, beginning with an initial study on student housing conditions in Québec.
Since then, subsequent research has provided a deeper understanding of students’ housing needs.
In 2020, eight years after its founding, UTILE brought its mission to life with the opening of its first building: La Note des bois, now UTILE Parc La Fontaine.
This pilot project, born of thousands of hours of work and the commitment of a small, seasoned team, marked a turning point by proving that student housing can be designed differently — and responsibly.
Since then, new buildings have opened in Trois-Rivières, Québec City, and Rimouski — with more to come.
Today, UTILE is a team in motion, a model that continues to grow, and a shared ambition: to give students every opportunity to thrive and, in turn, to become responsible citizens committed to building a more sustainable, fair, and equitable world.
