Montréal's Economic Development Agency (SDÉ) has initiated the accelerated marketing of municipal Lots 12 and 13, two major parcels totaling over one million square feet located in Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles (RDP-PAT), near Highway 40, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard, and Henri-Bourassa East Boulevard.
These formerly contaminated sites benefited from significant decontamination, partly funded by a provincial envelope of $100 million (although the direct decontamination investment for these two lots is estimated at $14M).
The City aims to attract high-value-added industrial projects focused on innovation, sustainability, and urban integration, particularly in the sectors of ecological transition, cleantech, and the circular economy.
The simplified over-the-counter (gré à gré) sales method is favoured to accelerate project selection and is expected to lead to the start of construction around 2026.
A Historical Challenge
East Montreal, the birthplace of a long industrial tradition, seeks to reinvent itself to meet the challenges of the modern economy and the ecological transition.
Lots 12 and 13, strategically positioned in the heart of the Pointe-de-l'Île Industrial Sector (SIPI) in RDP-PAT, embody this commitment to transformation.
These vast areas, totaling over one million square feet, have long been industrial wastelands due to historical contamination.
Accelerated Land Strategy: Over-the-Counter Sales for Innovation
To celebrate the ecological transition and serve as a showcase for industrial redeployment, the City of Montreal has adopted an innovative land strategy for these parcels.
Rather than resorting to a conventional call for projects, the SDÉ favors a simplified over-the-counter (gré à gré) approach for the sale of the lots. This method is specifically chosen to:
Expedite negotiations and the selection of companies.
Streamline the process for qualified investors.
Prioritize projects that best align with the City's vision (innovation, sustainability, economic impact, and urban integration).
The selected buyer must make a formal commitment to finalize their project within three years of signing the deed of sale.
This requirement suggests that construction could begin on these sites as early as 2026, marking a visible step in the revitalization of SIPI.
Budget and Economic Impact
The cleanup of these soils was made possible by political will and substantial investment.
Although the global envelope of $100 million granted by the Government of Quebec served for the decontamination of several strategic sites in the East, Lots 12 and 13 benefited from a direct investment of $14 million for their decontamination.
The objective of this marketing strategy is to ensure optimal economic and environmental return on investment. The City targets companies promising:
Creation of quality jobs with high added value.
Strong economic performance and significant contribution to metropolitan growth.
Development of new industrial clusters in ecological transition, cleantech, biofood, and smart logistics. Traffic Statistics and Logistics
The location of Lots 12 and 13 is a major asset for economic attractiveness.
Situated in the immediate vicinity of Highway 40, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard, and Henri-Bourassa East Boulevard, these lots benefit from exceptional intermodality.
This position ideally places them as a strategic hub for smart logistics, with proximity to the road, port, and rail infrastructure of the East.
Social Impact and Urban Integration
The development of Lots 12 and 13 is conditioned by criteria that go beyond financial profitability alone.
The City of Montreal, in alignment with its Montréal 2030 strategic plan, prioritizes projects that guarantee a positive social impact and successful urban integration, notably through:
Alignment with the SIPI Master Plan: Projects must comply with the SIPI 2050 Master Plan, which aims for best practices in urban planning, sustainable mobility, and climate resilience.
Sustainability Requirements: Proposals must demonstrate a commitment to sustainable development practices, greening, and distinctive architecture to harmonize with the urban fabric and the character of the neighborhood.
The success of this approach will transform an environmental and land liability into an economic and social asset, making Lots 12 and 13 a true showcase for the industrial redeployment of the East.