Solidarity, social justice and community equity
Ishelle Macz
Chair
Club Populaire des Consommateurs de Pointe-Saint-Charles (Pointe-St-Charles's food security organization)
La Petite Maison sur la Prairie is committed to supporting autonomous community action groups in Pointe-Saint-Charles in achieving their missions and pooling their strengths by establishing, maintaining, and providing affordable spaces.
We understand the challenges faced by frontline organizations in our community. The rising costs of commercial rents and the threat of eviction jeopardize their ability to provide essential services to those who need them most. That's why four organizations with complementary skills have come together to create La Petite Maison sur la Prairie (PMSL), an innovative and unique community hub offering sustainable and affordable workspaces for neighborhood organizations. For more details on the project, click here.
The values that guide us in our work to create a unique community hub for Pointe-Saint-Charles and Montreal’s Sud-Ouest neighbourhoods are:
Solidarity, social justice and community equity
Accessibility and inclusiveness
Environmental responsibility
Our Board of Directors is made up of professionals deeply involved in their community. Our directors work hand-in-hand with our dedicated team of employees and in close collaboration with our partner organizations to make our shared vision a reality and to put in place sustainable solutions that will ensure the accessibility and sustainability of community services.
Ishelle Macz
Chair
Club Populaire des Consommateurs de Pointe-Saint-Charles (Pointe-St-Charles's food security organization)
Hassan El Asri
Vice-Chair
Regroupement Information Logement (Pointe-St-Charles's tenants’ rights and advocacy group)
Annie Daviault
Treasure
Familles en action (Pointe-St-Charles provider of services to young families)
Karine Triollet
Secretary
Corporation de développement communautaire Action-Gardien (the coalition of community groups in Pointe-St-Charles)
Gabriel Townsend Darriau
Project Manager
Gabriel Townsend Darriau is an experienced project manager dedicated to community empowerment. After earning a bachelor's degree in urban planning, he worked for several years in project management in the environmental field before joining La Petite Maison in 2021. He is currently also pursuing a certificate in real estate at Université du Québec à Montréal, with the goal of making real estate work for a more just and equitable city. He is also a community organizer and has participated in a number of citizen initiatives, including in connection with climate change and access to housing.
Pointe-Saint-Charles, also known by its Aboriginal name of Teiontiakon, is a neighbourhood with a rich history in the Sud-Ouest borough of Montreal. Bordered by the majestic St. Lawrence River to the south, Highway 15 to the west, the Lachine Canal to the north and the Bonaventure Expressway to the east, Pointe-Saint-Charles is a tight-knit community.
The Point, as it is known, has undergone a series of profound, complex changes over the years. Between 1931 and 1991, residents faced various social and economic challenges owing to the closure of the Lachine Canal and the decline of local industry. Today, the revitalization of the neighborhood presents new challenges in the form of large real estate projects that risk destabilizing the local population.
Community resilience has nevertheless always been at the heart of Pointe-Saint-Charles' identity. Local residents have thus far tackled challenges with courage and determination and have managed to preserve the spirit of solidarity that unites the neighborhood's diverse communities. In the rapidly changing local landscape, the Petite Maison sur Laprairie is a beacon of inclusion and commitment to a future that celebrates diversity and supports residents’ resilience in the face of challenges.
The project goes beyond simply providing services. It exemplifies a spirit of collaboration with the community and the recognition that we must all work together to overcome current and future challenges. La Petite Maison sur Laprairie provides a space where residents can gather, share ideas and help shape an inclusive, prosperous future for Pointe-Saint-Charles.
La Petite Maison sur Laprairie is an innovative project aimed at building bonds within the community. Our four founding community organizations have joined forces with the goal of strengthening the local social fabric, providing vital services and preserving Pointe-Saint-Charles’ unique identity. We are aware of the emerging issues and challenges and are committed to working with the community to ensure an inclusive, resilient and diverse future for the neighbourhood.
As a 100% community-led project, PMSL embodies the collective spirit of The Point. Here, we imagine, mobilise around, and realise our dreams together in order to make a collective impact. Ours is a project that's close to the hearts of the many people who work and live in the community.
As our funding comes together day by day, and with construction beginning this fall, we're calling on your help to complete the funding of this major independent community project. Our goal is to raise $50,000 with the help of the neighborhood.
And we're not alone - every dollar raised will be matched by the Caisse Desjardins du Sud-Ouest de Montréal, doubling the total to $50,000!
Thanks to our partner
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
La SOCAM
SOCAM is a property management social enterprise that has been managing more than 1,500 cooperative and non-profit housing units in Montreal for over 35 years. Its mission is to acquire and renovate non-profit housing and provide management, maintenance and repair services to cooperatives and non-profit housing organizations offering social housing. Website (in French only):
https://www.gestionsocam.org/index.html.
Bâtir son quartier
SOCAM is a property management social enterprise that has been managing more than 1,500 cooperative and non-profit housing units in Montreal for over 35 years. Its mission is to acquire and renovate non-profit housing and provide management, maintenance and repair services to cooperatives and non-profit housing organizations offering social housing. Website (in French only):
https://www.batirsonquartier.com/
Pivot
Pivot is Quebec’s first-ever architectural coop. It was co-founded by designers and architects seeking to organize their practices around a transparent, self-managed structure.
https://pivot.coop/