Facing eviction from crumbling Montreal building, community groups rally for Quebec's support

Eleven community groups serving Montreal's Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough are facing eviction from a building that has fallen into disrepair and a landlord who says there's no other choice but to vacate the property.

"It's very, very difficult today in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve to find spaces to have these activities, especially with the price of the rent," said Marine Armengaud, community organizer with Comité BAILS, a housing advocacy group. 

Her group is one of the 11 fighting against eviction, insisting the Quebec government should fork over the funding needed to get the building up to snuff so the community can continue to be served.

The building in question is owned by Montreal's French school service centre, the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM). 

It's known as the Pavillon d'éducation populaire d'Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (PEC-HM) and is located near the corner of Pie-IX Boulevard and la Fontaine Street.

According to Alain Perron, spokesperson for the CSSDM, the school centre recognizes the importance of the PEC-HM to the community.

However, the building has been in a dilapidated state for several years, and the CSSDM has a responsibility to ensure that its rented premises are safe, Perron said. 

Despite the CSSDM's efforts to obtain funding for the building's rehabilitation, government authorities refused its proposal, Perron explained in an email, leaving the CSSDM without the financial capacity to take charge of the refurbishment without compromising its primary mission — educating children.

So the CSSDM notified PEC-HM in December 2022 that the building must be vacated by December 31, 2023. The CSSDM is exercising a clause in the lease that allows the school centre to terminate the rental contract in such circumstances. 

"We are supporting our tenants to minimize the impact of this situation," Perron said. 

As for the future of the building, CSSDM may sell it, he said.

The PEC-HM or community organizations could buy it if they wish and, even though such transitions are largely handled by the Société québécoise des infrastructures, the CSSDM can participate in selecting potential buyers, he said. 

"We understand the impact of this decision on PEC-HM and the community it serves," Perron said. "It was not an easy decision, but we must prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff."

But community organizers say the building has been part of the neighbourhood's fabric for 50 years, providing a wide range of services under one roof — cultural activities, housing advocacy and employment assistance. 

And the people who rely on all those different services cannot simply wait until a new facility is found, said Solange Laliberté, head of a social rights group, the Association pour la défense des droits sociaux du Montréal métropolitain.

"The people who come here need the service now," Laliberté said. "Not next year. Not in two years. They want it right now."

A small demonstration was held in front of the building Monday, with protesters holding signs and chanting for support from the Ministry of Education — saying it is up to the government to finance renovations and fund temporary relocation if necessary.

The ministry did not respond to a request for comment.