Former prison in Quebec to become affordable housing

An old prison in Laval, Que., will be transformed into affordable housing, as confirmed by the Government of Canada.

In a press release on Saturday, federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant Jean-Yves Duclos announced that the St-Vincent penitentiary will be transferred to the Canada Lands Company by the end of 2025 for the development of the housing project and the creation of community spaces.

The Canada Public Land Bank, which was launched in August 2024, is part of the federal Public Lands for Homes Plan, aiming to repurpose surplus and underused public lands into affordable housing options.

Correctional Service Canada will finalize its due diligence by April 2025 for the disposal process, as stated in the release.

“The development will be designed to provide socio-economic benefits for Canadians. This initiative exemplifies our whole-of-government approach to tackling the housing crisis in the country,” Duclos added.

“This marks the official beginning of the site’s redevelopment, which is fantastic news,” stated Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “This has been a project we’ve been actively pursuing for years, and it was the main topic of discussion during my initial meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau.”

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Constructed in 1873, the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary was originally a Sisters of Providence Sacred Heart Convent. The Government of Canada East acquired the site in 1861 to establish a reform school.

In 1872, the federal government bought it from the Province of Quebec and refurbished it for use as a federal penitentiary. It served as the only French-language correctional facility in the country for many years, according to the Canada National Trust website.

“The initial group of offenders, officers, and their families were transferred to Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary by steamship from the Kingston Penitentiary on May 19, 1873,” mentioned in the government release.

The prison ceased functioning as a federal correctional facility and was declared a surplus asset in 1989. In 1990, the property was recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada.

The Canada National Trust site highlights that the prison gained global notoriety when the military was called in to suppress a riot in 1962.

Since the launch of the Canada Public Land Bank in August 2024, nearly 100 properties have been identified by the government as available for potential development.

A similar initiative is being considered in Ontario. In January, the federal government disclosed that Kingston Penitentiary, a former maximum-security prison that housed notorious criminals like Paul Bernardo, could be repurposed for housing.

— with contributions from La Press Canadienne and Aaron D’Andrea