Montreal’s forgotten buildings

Repurposing what already exists to meet urgent needs

OpinionsLory Saint-Fleur — Published October 20, 2025 0 minutes

According to the Government of Canada, most Canadians spend 35 to 50 per cent of their income on housing and utilities, whether it be on rent or mortgage. That leaves little room for savings, stability or planning for the future. What if there were concrete solutions—and concrete buildings—hidden in plain sight?

In December 2024, municipal officials estimated that around 800 buildings sat derelict and empty in Montreal. 

That’s 800 potential homes, studios, or community spaces lying dormant while rents climb and shelters overflow. Housing is a basic human right that everyone should have access to. Instead of leaving those spaces unused, we should prioritize creating new and low-cost accommodations. 

Heritage properties such as the Saint-Sulpice Library or parts of the Royal Victoria Hospital are crumbling while thousands search for housing. At the same time, Canada has launched a Housing Plan promising nearly four million new homes by 2031. While the government focuses on spending money and building more houses, hundreds of possible housing situations continue to deteriorate.

Every empty property represents a wasted space and wasted opportunity.

In Montreal, there’s a worrisome increase in homelessness. Shelters are overflowing, unable to help everyone, and are often forced to turn people away. As the number of homeless continues to increase, repurposing vacant buildings becomes not just practical but a moral necessity.

For younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials, the possibility of owning a house in the future becomes slim to none. As rent and home prices continue to rise, we’re stuck paying more money for less space. The world cannot offer stability when landlords can increase your monthly rent with the snap of a finger.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation believes that housing supply holds the key to restoring affordability, estimating that an addition of 430,000 to 480,000 units per year until 2035 is needed to meet demand. Moreover, this goal relies solely on new units, which implies a high cost of construction and development. Due to the long timeline, it might not even serve those who truly need housing. 

We can convert the hundreds of derelict, empty buildings across Montreal far more quickly and affordably than breaking ground on new projects. Repurposing vacant spaces is smart and sustainable. It will create housing faster for those who need it now, not 10 years from now.

Housing cannot remain a luxury.

We all deserve a place to stay, a place to go back to after a long day. There is no shortage in housing; we simply do not properly use our current buildings.