Work begins on La Petite Maison sur Laprairie

Construction is underway on La Petite Maison sur Laprairie in Montreal. The hub will help solve the crisis of affordable community workspace in the Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood.

The 19,500-square-foot centre will open in summer 2026, with a community thrift store, a drop-in daycare centre that will support 200 low-income families, a solidarity grocery store, a community kitchen that will prepare 2,000 cooked meals annually, a housing committee that will mobilize and support 1,800 participants through workshops, assemblies, gatherings and training programs focused on housing rights, and a women’s centre with 150 members, including victims of domestic violence and their children.

The upper floors of La Petite Maison sur Laprairie will accommodate 52 social housing units constructed by the non-profit organization Habitation Laprairie. A multipurpose hall will act as a central venue for workshops, events, and community activities. Additionally, a public square and a pedestrian path will strengthen existing connections within the neighbourhood.

“Located on a site that residents have been advocating be put to collective for over 20 years, the project carries on this legacy by becoming a space for gathering, mutual aid, and resource sharing, benefiting thousands of people each year,” said Ishelle Macz, chair of the PMSL board of directors and coordinator of the Club populaire des consommateurs de Pointe-Saint-Charles.

Zero Carbon Building

Developed through a co-design process facilitated by Pivot: Coopérative d’architecture and in collaboration with the community, the project will also be certified as a Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) by the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) and, implementing various strategies to minimize its environmental footprint.

These include a hybrid concrete and wood structure, reducing the use of more than 1,000 m³ of concrete; the integration of low-carbon materials; high energy performance through an efficient building envelope and mechanical systems; and optimal rainwater management incorporating water retention, soil permeability, and vegetation.

The technical resource group Bâtir son quartier, the construction company SIDCAN, and the engineering firms Poincaré Experts-Conseils, Infrastructel, and Écohabitation will support the La Petite Maison sur Laprairie’s design and implementation.

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