Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Quebec government has announced two ambitious initiatives to bring its 250-acre agro-park in the Quebec City area to life in a move to create one of the largest public green spaces in the provincial capital region.

In making the announcement Nov. 4, Quebec Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne said the government is looking for community horticultural projects and for an organization to manage the agro-park and have it ready by summer 2025.

The Legault government bought the land, located in the Quebec City suburb of Beauport, from a religious order known as les Soeurs de la Charité in 2021. The amount of the bid was not made public, but reports pegged the offer at about $30 million, approximately the municipal valuation of the land.

Included on the land is a large seven-storey convent built in 1952. According to a spokesman for the management firm handling the order’s interests in the land deal, as the nuns who live there age and the number of its residents diminishes, much of the vast building is empty. A use for the grey-stone building will need to be found, the spokesman said.

Earlier this month, Lamontagne was joined by other prominent politicians, including Bruno Marchand, mayor of Quebec City. Lamontagne said bids for community horticultural projects will be received until Jan. 10, 2025. Projects submitted must enable the development of a 10-hectare agricultural parcel through its full use, for the benefit of the population and the surrounding community. In addition, they must make agricultural products accessible with a view to food autonomy and security.

“From the moment we acquired the land, we wanted this project to be as inclusive as possible,” Lamontagne said. “Since then, we have acted accordingly through consultations and partnerships with citizens, the farming community and researchers. Whoever is chosen will take charge of a project that will enhance the value of these high-quality lands, for the benefit of Quebec City and Quebec as a whole.”

Cutline:

The provincial government bought this 250-hectare tract of farmland in the Quebec City district of Beauport in 2021. Now known as an agro-park, it is one of the largest public green spaces in the provincial capital region.