City leases space to NRC

Summary#

Montréal’s city council approved a two-year lease from the City to the Conseil national de recherche du Canada (National Research Council of Canada). The lease covers 87.32 square metres of office space at 7140 rue Albert-Einstein in the borough of Saint-Laurent, from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2028. City staff say the lease is intended to provide stable occupancy while keeping flexibility in how the City manages the space.

  • The tenant will pay $119,040 in rent, excluding taxes.
  • The tenant will also pay property and school taxes, billed directly to it.
  • The City will record the rent as revenue in the budget of its real estate and housing service.

What it means for you#

  • The City: It will lease the office space and receive rent revenue for two years.
  • The National Research Council of Canada: It may use the space for offices and must pay the rent and property and school taxes.
  • Other residents: The decision does not directly change residents’ rights, services or taxes.

Money#

The City expects $119,040 in rent revenue over the two-year term, excluding sales taxes.

  • City staff list total rent including GST and QST as $136,866.24.
  • The tenant must pay property and school taxes directly; their amount is not stated.
  • The tenant does not pay the City’s administrative fee because it already has a contract with the City.

What is unclear#

  • The materials do not state whether the lease has a renewal option.
  • They do not give the lease terms for maintenance, repairs or early termination.

Case for#

  • City staff say the rent matches the market rate, based on an assessment by the City’s real estate valuation section.
  • Staff say office use fits the building’s purpose and its operating and layout limits.
  • Staff say the two-year term offers stable occupancy while preserving flexibility to manage the space.

Case against#

  • The materials do not provide the full lease terms, so it is unclear how responsibilities for maintenance, repairs or early termination are handled.
  • The City is waiving its administrative fee because the tenant already has a contract; the materials do not state the value of that fee.