City approves CMAQ lease extension

Summary#

Montréal city council approved a fourth extension of the City’s lease to the Conseil des métiers d'art du Québec (CMAQ). The 18-month extension starts January 1, 2026, and covers office space at Marché Bonsecours, 390 rue Saint-Paul Est. City staff say the space is not needed for municipal use.

  • The CMAQ will pay $86,010 in rent before taxes for the extension.
  • The CMAQ pays property taxes directly; rent includes operating and energy costs.
  • Either the City or the CMAQ may end the lease with three months’ written notice.

What it means for you#

  • CMAQ: It can continue using the roughly 2,461.50-square-foot office for 18 months. It is responsible for cleaning and minor upkeep.
  • City: It will receive the rent, which is recorded in the City’s operating budget. The lease does not prevent either party from ending it with three months’ written notice.
  • Residents: The decision does not directly change residents’ services, taxes, or rights.

Money#

The City expects $86,010 in rent before taxes over the 18-month extension.

  • The total including GST and QST is $98,890. The CMAQ pays property taxes directly.
  • The rent includes operating and energy costs. City staff estimated those costs for 2025 at about $33,000; that is not an estimate for the extension period.

What is unclear#

  • The materials do not estimate the City’s operating and energy costs for the 18-month extension, so the net financial effect is unclear.
  • The resolution approves the extension under the agreement’s terms, but the full agreement is not included in the supplied materials.

Case for#

  • City staff say the space is not needed for municipal purposes, so renting it lets the City collect revenue while the CMAQ continues using it.
  • Staff say the rent is $23.29 per square foot, within the stated range of $23 to $30 for comparable space, excluding property taxes.

Case against#

  • The City’s rent revenue includes operating and energy costs, but the materials do not estimate those costs for the extension. The City’s net return is therefore unclear.