Montreal market merchants hit with rent hikes, warn of rising prices

Outdoor markets are a staple of summertime successful Montreal — Jean-Talon, Atwater and Maisonneuve are fashionable for residents and tourists alike.

But some marketplace merchants are facing a steep rent hike this year, which they pass could pb to higher prices for customers. 

"We don't consciousness appreciated," said Patrick Marcil of Centre Jardin Atwater. "Because we request to physique each the marketplace and past we person an summation to our rent."

The markets are city-owned properties tally by a non-profit enactment called Montreal Public Markets. 

General manager Nicolas Fabien-Ouellet says the enactment has been trying to standardize rent agreements with shops astatine each of its locations, including astatine the markets. 

"It ranges from 40 bucks per time to 90 per day, the caller lease structure," helium said. "But the unit we person arsenic a not-for-profit, we person to pay taxes to the City of Montreal, we person to wage rent to the City of Montreal, but we besides person responsibilities successful presumption of maintaining the buildings. 

Fabien-Ouellet insisted that portion immoderate merchants' rents are increasing, others are going down based connected ft postulation successful their portion of the market.

Earlier this year, merchants were informed of their caller rent starting this summer. Shop owners accidental the jumps alteration from 20 to 50 per cent.

For Satay Brothers, it's expanding from astir $2,000 to $4,000 per month.

"I was amazed by however past infinitesimal it was, that call," said spouse Marco Valiquette. "They didn't truly notation thing astir it and past each of a sudden, we're doubling the rent."

That abbreviated announcement is portion of the concern.

"I person mislaid assurance successful the board, unfortunately, due to the fact that I consciousness similar important accusation was hidden from me," said Fanny Beaudin of Aux Trouvailles Gourmandes de Fanny.

WATCH: What merchants are saying astir the rent increases:

Fabien-Ouellet said his radical has been listening to the merchants and delayed erstwhile they had to motion the contracts successful April. They besides allowed shops to wage the summation gradually implicit 3 years, but regardless, store owners accidental they consciousness betrayed and undervalued.

Merchants accidental they volition person to walk connected the other costs to customers oregon permission for good. However, Fabien-Ouellet said  the changes were needed to support their markets afloat agelong term.

Just 3 years ago, aft a aviator task astatine the Jean-Talon Market, the group opted to connection stalls for up-and-coming farmers for fractional the terms and expanded that connection to the Atwater and Maisonneuve markets. That was portion of an effort to bring caller farmers to the market.

When asked astir the unexpected rental increases, Montreal spokesperson Camille Bégin said the metropolis does not acceptable the rent charged to producers and vendors astatine nationalist markets. She said that's up to Montreal Public Markets.

Under its lease with the city, the enactment is required to sublet spaces astatine marketplace worth and indispensable instrumentality a just process to guarantee that each imperishable subtenants lend to the fiscal load of the markets, Bégin said.

The city's knowing is that the rent changes person been accompanied by connection efforts and exchanges with members implicit the past respective months, she said.

When contacted, Montreal's Official Opposition party, Ensemble Montréal, pointed to its 2023 efforts to item the $20-million attraction shortage faced by Montreal Public Markets.

The enactment enactment guardant a question to renew the organization's lease and to see backing for marketplace upkeep successful the adjacent 10-year superior works program, with investments starting arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2024. Ensemble Montréal's question was adopted successful October 2023.