Société immobilière Bélanger has finished retrofitting 49 rental housing buildings in Quebec City and Lévis as part of a $5-million project, upgrading the energy efficiency of over 1,300 units and reducing their carbon emissions.

The Quebec City-based company announced in mid-March it completed the effort which was unveiled in April 2025. The goal of the project was to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption of the buildings by 40 per cent.

Over 500 heat pumps were installed, 13 central heating and hot water systems were modernized, and the lighting in over 1,300 units was replaced with LED equipment. Additionally, the water flow in over 2,500 plumbing fixtures was reduced and the weatherproofing and insulation of almost 500 units were improved, Société immobilière Bélanger said.

"Although this project was ambitious, the mobilization of our teams, the collaboration of our tenants, and the support of our invaluable collaborators allow us as of today to offer 1,340 greener and more energy-efficient apartments,” Sébastien Dion, vice-president of development and acquisitions at Société immobilière Bélanger, said in a release.

Société immobilière Bélanger declined an interview with Sustainable Biz Canada.

How the retrofit was done

Most of the buildings addressed in the project are over 50 years old, the company said, posing “significant technical and operational” challenges around “aligning them with current environmental standards.”

Another obstacle to overcome was doing the work in occupied buildings, which could disrupt occupant comfort. Through planning and close coordination with building managers, the retrofits were completed without relocating tenants, Société immobilière Bélanger said.

The retrofits were finished in late February, with the last two buildings in Quebec City.

Residents are expected to have improved quality of life from the retrofits, such as reduced electrical consumption, increased comfort in the summer and winter, and better air circulation.

"We are not a foreign investment fund; we are local owner-managers, deeply involved in our community,” François Bélanger, president and founder of Société immobilière Bélanger, said. “Continuing the decarbonization of our real estate portfolio means investing directly in the future of our city and in the well-being of our tenants.”

The project was supported with financing from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Société immobilière Bélanger said in April 2025 it was exploring the potential to certify some of the buildings under recognized energy performance and decarbonization standards. It also announced a medium-term goal of aligning its assets with industry best practices in carbon neutrality. In the March announcement, the company did not disclose the progress on qualifying for the standards.

After finishing the project, Société immobilière Bélanger plans to move on to its next ambition: enhancing the energy performance of its entire real estate portfolio numbering over 3,860 apartment units in 69 buildings.

The company has supported other sustainability efforts beyond the retrofits, such as installing electric vehicle chargers at its properties, tree planting and collaborating with local company Myni to offer biodegradable and compostable single-use item alternatives to its tenants and employees.