City extends rent-free garden lease

Summary#

Montréal city council approved a rent-free extension of the City’s lease of land to Ville en vert, a non-profit organization. The extension runs from April 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, for a community garden in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

  • The 10,000-square-foot site is south of rue Louvain Ouest and west of boulevard Saint-Laurent.
  • Either party may end the lease with 60 days’ written notice. There is no renewal clause.
  • The site is part of lot 1 487 577; the staff summary says a cadastral operation is underway and the lot will become lot 6 712 042.

What it means for you#

  • Ville en vert: It can continue using the site rent-free to operate the garden during the extension, unless either party ends the lease with 60 days’ written notice. It must pay operating costs and any applicable taxes.
  • Local residents: The garden can continue on the site during the lease term. City staff say Ville en vert grows pesticide-free produce and sells it through public markets, including to more vulnerable communities.
  • Taxpayers: The City is providing use of municipal land without rent. The stated value of that benefit is described under Money.

Money#

The rent-free use is recorded as a property subsidy valued at $121,100 for the 21-month term.

  • This is the stated rental value of the land use, not a stated cash payment to Ville en vert.
  • Ville en vert must pay operating costs and any applicable taxes.
  • The materials give no estimate of the City’s other costs.

What is unclear#

  • The materials do not provide the full lease terms, beyond the rent-free use, termination notice, and tenant-paid costs and applicable taxes.
  • No publicly available information is provided about garden access arrangements or how produce is distributed.

Case for#

  • City staff say the garden has been operating since 2024 and that extending the lease avoids dismantling its existing garden and related installations.
  • A rent-free lease lets the City support a community garden on municipal land while the site is awaiting permanent development.

Case against#

  • The City is forgoing rent with a stated value of $121,100. The materials do not compare this support with other possible uses of the land.
  • The lease can end on 60 days’ written notice and has no renewal clause, so the garden’s longer-term future on this site is not secured.