Summary#
Montréal city council approved a two-year lease with Pomerleau inc., starting May 1, 2026. The City will rent the company about 14,144 square feet of land at 505 boulevard De Maisonneuve Est in the Ville-Marie borough for storage and parking without a user fee. City staff say the lease provides nearby space for construction work that benefits the City and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).
- The rent is $100,000 for the two-year term, excluding taxes.
- Either party may end the lease with 90 days’ written notice.
- Pomerleau must also pay a $588 administration charge, including taxes, as well as operating costs and property taxes.
What it means for you#
- Pomerleau: The company may use the land for storage and non-fee parking, subject to the lease terms. The lease does not guarantee use for the full two years because either party can end it with 90 days’ written notice.
- Residents and other land users: The decision does not change a general right or service. City staff say the City does not need this land immediately.
- The City: It receives rent and assigns the revenue to the operating budget of its Service de la stratégie immobilière.
Money#
The City will receive $100,000 in rent before taxes over the two-year term.
- The decision summary lists $14,975 in GST and QST, making total rent receipts $114,975 including those taxes.
- Pomerleau must pay an additional $588 administration charge, including taxes, plus operating costs and property taxes. The materials do not give amounts for those costs.
- City staff say the rent is $50,000 a year before taxes. They also say the average rental rate for the term is $3.54 per square foot.
What is unclear#
- The lease’s full terms are not included, so other conditions on use of the land are not available here.
- The materials do not explain how the rent was set or whether other sites or tenants were considered.
- The amount of operating costs and property taxes Pomerleau will pay is not stated.
Case for#
- City staff say the City does not need the land immediately and that Pomerleau needs nearby space for work serving the City and STM.
- Staff say that without this lease, Pomerleau would have to rent land at least half a kilometre from the work site.
- The City receives rent for use of its land. Staff say a charge was acceptable because the work benefits both the City and STM, whereas the City generally allows free use when a contractor’s work is for the City alone.
Case against#
- The materials do not explain how the rent was set or whether the City considered other options.
- Pomerleau’s total costs are not clear because operating costs and property taxes are additional to the stated rent, and their amounts are not given.