Summary#
Montréal city council unanimously adopted a position on the decision titled Adopter la partie de l'inventaire des immeubles patrimoniaux construits avant 1940 de l'agglomération de Montréal visant le territoire de la Ville de Westmount. Its position is to adopt an inventory of 3,667 heritage buildings in Westmount under Quebec’s Cultural Heritage Act. City staff say the inventory is part of a legal requirement to list qualifying buildings built before 1940 by April 1, 2026. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting.
- If the agglomeration council adopts this part, the 3,667 listed buildings would be considered heritage buildings under Quebec’s land-use law.
- City staff say those buildings may then be subject to special rules under municipal bylaws on demolition and on building occupancy and maintenance.
- This is one part of a larger inventory, which is being adopted in stages for different parts of the agglomeration.
What it means for you#
- Owners of listed buildings in Westmount: If the agglomeration council adopts this part, your building would be considered a heritage building under the law. It may be subject to special provisions in the relevant municipal bylaws.
- Residents and businesses: The decision does not itself set out a demolition ban, a repair duty, or a process for reviewing individual properties.
Money#
No Westmount-specific cost estimate is provided.
- City staff say the inventory work is funded under an agreement with Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications. The agreement provides for up to $5,000,000 in provincial funding and an equal contribution from Montréal for the agglomeration-wide inventory.
What is unclear#
- The supplied material does not include the list of the 3,667 buildings or the information recorded for each one.
- It does not explain how the ministry’s assessment method identifies buildings with heritage value.
- It does not specify which special bylaw provisions may apply to listed buildings, or how those provisions would affect owners in practice.
Case for#
- The inventory appears intended to meet the legal requirement to identify older buildings with heritage value.
- City staff say the agglomeration has about 90,000 buildings built before 1940, so adopting the inventory in parts allows completed areas to be dealt with before the deadline.
Case against#
- One concern is that listing a building may expose its owner to additional rules, while this decision does not explain which rules would apply.
- The supplied material does not show the individual property information needed to understand why each building was selected.