About La Petite Maison sur Laprairie

La Petite Maison sur Laprairie supports community action groups in Point-Saint-Charles by providing them affordable workspace. By working collectively towards this goal, we help community groups put their mission first.

Frontline organizations, the pillars of our community, are facing growing challenges. Rising commercial rents and the risk of eviction directly threaten their ability to provide essential services to those who need them most.

In response to this reality, four organizations with complementary expertise have come together to create La Petite Maison sur Laprairie (PMSL): an innovative and unique community hub offering stable and affordable workspace for neighbourhood organizations.

Our values

The values that guide us in our work to create a one-of-a-kind community hub for Point-Saint-Charles and Montreal’s Sud-Ouest are:

Solidarity, social justice and equity

Accessibility and inclusivity

Environmental responsibility

Gouvernance

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 local community services.

Ishelle Macz
Chair

Club Populaire des Consommateurs de Pointe-Saint-Charles (Point-St-Charles food security organization)

Hassan El Asri
Vice-Chair

Regroupement Information Logement (Point-St-Charles's tenants’ rights and advocacy group)

Annie Daviault
Treasurer

Familles en action (Point-St-Charles provider of services to young families)

Hind Es-Sadiqi
Secretary

Madame Prend Congé (Point-St-Charles’s support centre for women)

Karine Triollet
Administrator

Corporation de développement communautaire Action-Gardien (Point-St-Charles' community group coalition)

Team

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 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 art, climate change, access to housing and economic justice.

Fannie Lézarts
Development Manager

With 15 years of experience in the cultural sector and, more recently, in community real estate, Fannie Lézarts stands out for her creativity and the wide range of skills she brings to her work. First and foremost an artist, she also distinguishes herself as a cultural worker and Development Officer for La Petite Maison sur Laprairie, a role she has held since fall 2024. Combining artistic practices, project development expertise, and fundraising experience, she brings her talent to innovative initiatives that are meaningful and rooted in community impact.

Our Neighborhood: Point-St-Charles

Point-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, Point-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 Point-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 Point-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 Point-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.

Our crowdfunding campaign “Together for Our Neighborhood” has come to an end. We exceeded our goal with a grand total of $109,723 raised! Thank you to the 65 donors, 11 local businesses and corporations, and the Caisse Desjardins du Sud-Ouest de Montréal, which matched the amount up to $50,000.

Our general fundraising campaign is still ongoing. It's not too late to donate if you feel moved to give!

Click here to make a donation

Partenaires financiers

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.

Production partners