Summary#
Montréal city council approved a 24-month lease to the Centre de recherche et d'innovation en art et engagement social Artenso. The city is renting Artenso 456 square feet at 251, avenue des Pins Ouest, in the Cité-des-Hospitalières, for offices and cultural, participatory and educational mediation workshops. City staff say the lease supports temporary uses of the heritage site that respect the principles set for it.
- The lease runs from February 1, 2026, and covers rooms 153 and 158.
- Artenso will pay $23,096.40 in rent, excluding taxes. Either party may end the lease early with 30 days’ notice.
- The city will provide energy and handle maintenance and repairs. Artenso is responsible for property taxes and cleaning.
What it means for you#
- Artenso: It can continue using the rooms for the stated purposes, subject to the lease terms and the 30-day termination clause.
- City and taxpayers: The city receives rent but also takes responsibility for energy, maintenance and repairs. The decision does not create a new public service or change residents’ rights.
Money#
The city expects $23,096.40 in rent over 24 months, excluding taxes; the decision summary lists $26,555.09 including sales taxes.
- The city will record the rent as operating-budget revenue.
- Artenso must pay property taxes and cleaning costs. The city must provide energy and cover maintenance and repairs; the materials do not give those costs.
What is unclear#
- The full lease terms are not included, so other conditions are not available.
- The materials do not estimate the city’s energy, maintenance or repair costs, or the net revenue after those costs.
Case for#
- City staff say the lease lets Artenso continue activities that fit the principles for the site’s temporary use.
- Staff say the rent is within the range assessed by the city’s real-estate service.
Case against#
- One concern is that the city’s costs for energy, maintenance and repairs could reduce the rental income; the materials do not estimate the net financial effect.