Facing an unprecedented housing shortage, the City of Montreal has decided to play its most valuable card: its own land inventory.

 In a recent announcement, the Plante administration confirmed the market release of several lots across key sectors.

This initiative is not merely about replenishing city coffers, but primarily about accelerating the construction of diverse residential projects.

A Strategic Inventory

The list of identified sites spans several boroughs, reflecting a commitment to smart densification across the island. Here are the sites officially targeted by this strategy:

• Le Faubourg Sector (Ville-Marie): Near downtown, for mixed-use densification.

• L'Assomption Sud-Longue-Pointe (Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve): A sector undergoing a full transformation.

• Namur-Hippodrome (Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce): The flagship project destined to become a "net-zero" neighborhood.

• Lachine-Est: A new district focused on sustainable mobility.

• La Savane (Mont-Royal/Saint-Laurent): A critical sector for student and family housing.

• Diverse Sectors: Specific parcels in Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles.

Economic and Financial Impacts

The budget allocated for preparing these sites and supporting developers (private and non-profit) is part of the City's Three-Year Capital Expenditure Plan.

• Land Valuation: The market value of these lands is estimated in the tens of millions of dollars.

• Financial Leverage: For every dollar invested by the city in land, there is an estimated leverage of $4 to $6 in private or government investment (federal/provincial).

• Delivery Goal: The objective is to reach the threshold of 3,000 housing units by 2027–2028.

Social Impact and Usage

Social impact is at the heart of this project. The City is imposing mix-use criteria:

• Social Housing: A minimum of 20% of units must be dedicated to vulnerable populations.

• Affordability: Utilizing models such as community land trusts to ensure prices remain below market rates in the long term.

• Proximity Urbanism: These projects are located near transportation networks (Metro, REM, bike paths), aiming for increased pedestrian traffic and reduced car dependency.

Montreal is no longer content to wait for the market to self-regulate.

By becoming a direct actor in land sales, the metropolis is attempting to dictate the shape of its future urban landscape: denser, more social, and more resilient.

A Financial Lever: The "Fonds Plancher"

Beyond simple land sales, the City is deploying financial tools to support developers, particularly those from the community and social sectors.

Montreal will contribute $3 million to the Fonds Plancher, a crucial initiative providing pre-development loans of up to $250,000 per project.

 This venture capital covers architect fees, notary costs, and soil studies before permanent financing is secured, unlocking projects often stalled by a lack of initial liquidity.

Detailed List of Priority Sites and Development Potential

Sites Already in Planning

In addition to immediate sales, several strategic sites are already under study for upcoming integration:

• East Sectors: Bélanger St. (St-Léonard), Sherbrooke/Du Quesne, and L’Assomption/Marseille (MHM).

• Urban Core: Rachel St. East, Laurier East (former Minigolf), and Marie-Anne East (Plateau).

• North Island: Hutchison St. (VSP), Sauvé/Meilleur (Ahuntsic), and Marcel-Laurin (St-Laurent).

• West and South: Hippodrome and YMCA NDG (CDN-NDG), Ducharme (Outremont), as well as several lots in the Sud-Ouest (Wellington, Hall, Coursol Sts.) and Ville-Marie (St-Antoine/De la Montagne).

Official Resources and Search Tools

To locate these sites and follow the progress of calls for proposals:

1. City of Montreal Portal: Information on land for non-profits/co-ops at montreal.ca/en/programs/sale-of-buildings-for-housing-purposes.

2. Press Room: Search for "3000 housing units" or "Fonds Plancher" at montreal.ca/en/news.

3. Open Data: Search for "Municipal buildings for housing purposes" at donnees.montreal.ca for GPS coordinates.

4. Implementation Partners: Consult the SHDM and Bâtir son quartier websites for architectural details.

Quick Tip: To see a site immediately, copy-paste the address (e.g., "6540 rue Hutchison, Montreal") into Google Maps to view the current lot or building.

Impacts and Vision

The social impact of this measure is twofold: it revitalizes underutilized spaces (like surface parking lots) while guaranteeing a home for hundreds of families.

 Economically, these projects will generate recurring property taxes for the city while stimulating the construction sector.