Villa Maria Domain will be put up for sale in 2031
Montréal, February 6, 2025 – As announced in June 2023, Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame have decided, after a long process of reflection and more than seven years of working diligently with the Borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and the Ville de Montréal, to sell the Villa Maria Domain. After analyzing the sisters’ needs over the past year, it was decided that the Domain would be put up for sale in 2031.
More than 105 sisters live on the Villa Maria Domain, which they have owned since 1854, and their wish is to remain there as long as possible. The Congregation has chosen and agreed on its legacy. The proceeds from the sale of the Villa Maria Domain will be dedicated to vulnerable primary and secondary school students in Quebec’s public schools. The Congregation wants to contribute to their success at school, in keeping with the mission and values of social justice of the Congregation and those upheld by Marguerite Bourgeoys, their foundress.
The Congregation has invested over $40 million in Villa Maria College over the years, which is much more than in any of its other schools, bearing the major costs associated with the buildings. Over the next few years, the Congregation will continue to beautify the Domain, notably by planting a thousand trees on the site.
In June 2023, the Congregation announced that it would sell this property in seven years. In keeping with its fundamental mission of liberating education and supporting the community, the Congregation is respecting the lease of Villa Maria College, which expires in 2030, to enable students currently attending this educational institution to complete their high school studies there without any impact.
The directors of Villa Maria College were informed in June 2023, seven years ahead of time, that the 10-year lease (2020-2030) would not be renewed when it expired. This was to provide them with time to relocate the institution outside of the Domain. A notice to parents had also been prepared by the Congregation in June 2023 for transmission to parents by the College on behalf of the Congregation.
Over the past year, the sisters of the Congregation have faced significant external pressures which led to their decision not to put the property up for sale until 2031.
This decision, carefully considered by the members of the Congregation, will ensure the respect of the needs and desire of the sisters with regard to their legacy, as well as the respect of the cultural heritage and legacy of Marguerite Bourgeoys. This heritage has characterized the Community’s work since the 17th century. The Congregation founded Villa Maria College in 1854, and the sisters taught thousands of students there for 170 years before handing over the general management of the College to a team of lay persons in 2008.
About the Congrégation de Notre-Dame
Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame is a Catholic religious community founded in Ville-Marie (Montréal) in the 17th century by Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys. Marguerite Bourgeoys supported Sieur de Maisonneuve in the development of the colony in 1653, opened the first school in 1658, and welcomed and educated the Filles du Roy who came from France to marry, start families, and thus form the society of New France.
Women of faith and commitment, Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame are well known for their exceptional contributions to the education of girls and boys, for the creation and management of over 340 schools in Quebec, including the first schools of higher and university education for women. In addition to promoting liberating education, the sisters also provide help to suffering and marginalized people.
The work of the Congregation is carried out on four continents has several facets: teaching in schools, solidarity with women, pastoral care, social justice, protection of the environment, etc.
The Congregation has approximately 470 sisters in several countries, namely Canada, the United States, Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala), Cameroon, Japan, France, and Belgium.