Summary#
Montréal city council approved the purchase of a vacant lot from Les Cours Pointe-St-Charles inc. for a community garden in the Sud-Ouest borough. It also authorized steps to complete the purchase and put the lot into the city’s public domain. City staff say the purchase is intended to add green space and provide a community garden.
- The lot is 1,167.1 square metres, in the extension of rue Sainte-Madeleine, east of rue Le Ber.
- The city approved a price of $1,623,270, plus applicable taxes. The purchase was negotiated directly with the seller, not through a call for tenders.
- The resolution authorizes a professional-services agreement with the seller’s notary holding the funds in trust, and a cheque for the transaction.
- The city will pay the purchase and costs related to preparing and publishing the deed. The Sud-Ouest borough will pay for securing, maintaining and developing the lot, if needed.
- The lot has a recorded notice restricting its use. The purchase provides no warranty about the condition of the soil, subsoil or groundwater; the warranty is limited to ownership rights.
What it means for you#
- People in the area: The purchase is for a community garden, but the resolution does not set an opening date or describe how the garden will be designed or operated.
- City and borough: The city is responsible for the purchase. The Sud-Ouest borough must handle any costs of securing, maintaining and developing the lot.
- People doing future work on the lot: The recorded notice sets out measures required for excavation and follow-up work by the borough. The city’s environmental department found the soil compatible with the intended garden use, but the purchase does not warrant soil, subsoil or groundwater condition.
Money#
The purchase price is $1,623,270, plus applicable taxes; the materials do not give a total including taxes.
- The acquisition is funded through borrowing bylaw 21-016, with the budget planned and available for 2026. The acquisition cost is borne by the city centre.
- The city also pays the costs of preparing the deed, including its publication in the land register.
- The borough may have additional costs for securing, maintaining and developing the lot; no amounts are given.
What is unclear#
- No publicly available information on when the garden will be developed or opened, or how it will be operated.
- The exact terms of the sale deed and the notary services agreement are not set out in the decision summary.
- The amount of applicable taxes and the borough’s future costs are not stated.
- The recorded notice requires excavation measures and borough follow-up, but the materials do not give their expected cost or schedule.
Case for#
- The purchase follows an earlier development agreement under which the city committed to acquire the lot.
- City staff say the price matches a market-value assessment made by the city’s real-estate analysis division.
- City staff say the purchase will add green space and provide a community garden for the area.
Case against#
- The city negotiated directly with the seller, rather than comparing bids through a call for tenders. The materials say the price was assessed as market value, but that assessment dates from 2020.
- The soil is considered compatible with the garden use only with restrictions and follow-up measures. The purchase gives the city no warranty about soil, subsoil or groundwater condition.
- The purchase price is known, but the eventual costs of developing and maintaining the garden are not.