Published April 27, 2024

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Marianopolis College has completed the purchase of its Westmount Avenue campus from Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame and is now the owner of the property it has called home for nearly two decades.

The purchase agreement was finalized by the Marianopolis College Board of Governors and the Congrégation de Notre-Dame’s General Council and took effect on March 21. “This transaction marks an important milestone in the College’s rich history,” said board chair Marisa Giannetti. “Marianopolis has shaped the academic journeys and careers of tens of thousands of students since it was founded over a century ago by the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. The purchase now helps to secure a home for the advancement of the College’s unique educational mission for future generations.”

“Marianopolis College is one of the Congregation’s major legacies in Montreal, and we fondly pay tribute to all those who contributed to making it a pillar of higher education in Quebec,” said Sister Ona Bessette, General Superior of Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame. “This transition is an eloquent testimony to the quality of the management of the educational institution and its ability to be sustainable, autonomous, and to carry forward the educational vision of Marguerite Bourgeoys.”

Established in 1908 as one of the first institutions of higher education for women in Quebec, Marianopolis became the only private English college offering exclusively pre-university programs within the CEGEP system in the late 1960s. The College first occupied the Westmount Avenue campus from 1926 to 1944, later moving to locations at 3647 Peel Street in 1945 and 3880 Côte des Neiges in 1975, before returning to 4873 Westmount Avenue in 2007.

“In recent years, the College has made considerable investments to enhance the campus infrastructures that are integral to the educational experience that Marianopolis offers its students,” stated director general Christian Corno. “Acquiring the property strengthens the College’s future, guaranteeing that it continues its mission and vision of providing the best university preparation as the leading college in Quebec.” The College will hold a reception next month to celebrate the purchase of the campus.

The future of the rest of the adjacent property owned by the congregation which is currently home to Villa Maria private high school is not yet clear.

The 2.27-million-square-foot estate owned by the Congregation since 1854 spans CDN-NDG and Westmount, has a residence and infirmary for nuns, an administrative centre, Villa Maria private high school as well as Marianopolis private CEGEP. The city and borough have not revealed any plans for the space.

The Congregation put the property up for sale last June, citing difficulties in managing the property and the aging population of resident nuns. Any sale will only take effect until after the remaining nuns have moved to a more suitable location, as well as termination of the lease with Villa Maria College, founded by the Congregation in 1854, in July 2030. n

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