MONTREAL, 19 August 2025 – From September 2 to 7, 2025, Montreal will host the first edition of Fermes en ville, a new initiative designed to connect urban farms with key players in the agri-food industry and showcase urban agriculture as a driving force for the future. The Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central is proud to partner in this landmark project, underscoring the sector’s strategic role in shaping the growth of urban agriculture in Montreal.

A veritable fertile ground for urban agriculture, District Central is home to more than 390,000 square feet of cultivated surface area—making it the largest urban agricultural hub in Montreal. It supports a thriving ecosystem of 28 active businesses, farms, and organizations that span the entire chain, from production to commercialization.

“Fermes en ville shines a spotlight on District Central’s strategic role in the urban food chain. This is where concrete solutions are taking root to address food resilience, sustainable development, and the creation of local economic value,” said Hélène Veilleux, Executive Director of SDC District Central.

An ecosystem in full swing

Since 2023, twelve new agricultural facilities have taken root in District Central, including Asclépiade Apiculture, Fermes Citipouss, Ferme Gush, Germina, Tulsi Farm, Ville en vert, and the new Lufa Farms greenhouse at Marché Central. This momentum confirms the district’s emergence as a hub of agricultural innovation.

Today, the area is home to nineteen companies producing food and related products—ranging from fruits and vegetables to mushrooms, honey, fish, seeds, and fertilizers. In addition, eight specialized organizations provide support services for urban agriculture, including vertical farming consulting, agricultural management, organic cooperatives, and non-profits with socio-environmental missions.

“These figures confirm what we see on the ground: District Central, recognized as a Metropolitan Innovation Zone (ZIM), is a veritable agri-food laboratory in the heart of Montreal. Here, it is possible to produce, process, distribute, and consume locally—all within just a few streets,” said Hélène Veilleux, Executive Director of SDC District Central.

By supporting and participating in Fermes en ville, the SDC District Central is taking concrete steps to structure a local economy, strengthen food security, and promote responsible business models rooted in the solution economy. This shared vision for the economy of tomorrow reflects the district’s ambition: a productive, interconnected territory, grounded in its environment and focused on the future.

About the SDC District Central

The Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central is the catalyst and the voice of the Ahuntsic-Cartierville business world. It represents the combined forces of 2,100 business leaders united to develop a sector with outstanding economic, urban and human potential. Its mission is clear: to breathe new life into this legendary neighbourhood, make it shine on a broader stage and propel it to the very top of Montreal’s economic landscape.  Covering an area of 3km2, the District Central is the 4th largest employment centre in Montreal, with 25,000 workers grouped around three business hubs: design, urban manufacturing and technology.

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INFORMATION

SDC District Central web site

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MEDIA CONTACT

Maude Ouellette Archambault

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450 602-8620