Villa Maria estate in Montreal set for sale

The Congregation of NotreDame says it will put the historic Villa Maria estate in Montreal’s west end on the market, while requiring any buyer to respect Villa Maria College’s current lease. The school’s lease runs until July 2030, and the buyer would also need to negotiate an additional lease of at least two years. The congregation said the sale could proceed only after two conditions were met: relocating the roughly 100 sisters living at BonSecours Residence and completing a review of the college’s future. According to the congregation, both conditions are now satisfied, and the sisters will be moved to another residence for older adults over the next two years. The organization said it wants the sale to preserve the site’s green space and heritage value. It also said Villa Maria College may have the right of first refusal after the congregation considers an acceptable offer. The net proceeds are expected to go into an endowment fund to support vulnerable students in Quebec public schools.