This program aims to create favourable conditions for investment projects on land whose  economic, residential and institutional development potential is hampered by soil contamination. The contaminated lots must be located in Montréal.

For all projects

• Comply with all applicable Québec laws and regulations, including the Environment Quality Act, the Act Respecting the Preservation of Agricultural Land and Agricultural Activities, the Protection Policy for Lakeshores, Riverbanks, Littoral Zones and Floodplains and Québec’s Action Guide concerning soil protection and contaminated land rehabilitation.
• Involve the complete rehabilitation of the contaminated lot.
• Involve the use of a tracing system that is approved by the province’s Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MELCC).
• Promote the use of in situ treatment.
• Promote the treatment of excavated soil for recovery purposes if in situ treatment is not possible.

Private projects

• Build a structure on land used for parking or when the building erected on the land was demolished before April 1, 2019.
• Any structure with a residential component and for which a construction permit application was submitted before April 1, 2021, must:
  • Be eligible for a subsidy under the By-law concerning subsidies for the development non-profit cooperative housing (02-102), or​​​​
  • Be covered under the city’s Strategy for the inclusion of affordable housing in new residential projects, or
  • Be eligible for Accès Condos accreditation from the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal.

Municipal projects

There is no obligation to build on the land.

Private projects

The application will be deemed ineligible if:

• It involves a contaminated lot where landfill, storage, collection, sorting, conditioning, transfer and treatment operations were carried out on or after April 24, 1997, including mine tailings sites, pulp and paper water disposal sites, dry material disposal sites, landfills, storage centres, and soil, water waste and hazardous materials treatment centres.
• The owner of the contaminated lot emitted, deposited, produced or released, in whole or in part, a contaminant under section 1 of the Land Protection and Rehabilitation Regulation (CQLR, chapter Q-2, r.37) or allowed a contaminant to be emitted, deposited, produced or released prior to the date on which the application was submitted.
• The contaminated lot has been owned, since January 1, 2015, by a person who emitted, deposited, produced or released, in whole or in part, a contaminant under section 1 of the Land Protection and Rehabilitation Regulation (CQLR, chapter Q-2, r.37), or allowed a contaminant to be emitted, deposited, produced or released, or if the lot was rented by that person or under that’s person’s control.
• The owner of the contaminated lot is listed in the Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics.
• The applicant has already received another municipal subsidy for the work.
• Work on the site began prior to the date on which the subsidy application was declared eligible.

Municipal projects

The application will be deemed ineligible if:

• It involves a contaminated lot where landfill, storage, collection, sorting, conditioning, transfer and treatment operations were carried out on or after April 24, 1997, including mine tailings sites, pulp and paper water disposal sites, dry material disposal sites, landfills, storage centres, and soil, water waste and hazardous materials treatment centres.
• Work on the site began prior to the date on which the subsidy application was declared eligible.

Financial assistance is the same for all types of projects. It is provided in the form of subsidies equal to 15 to 75 per cent of eligible project expenses, depending on the nature of the project and the type of decontamination technology used.

For example:

• Off-site transport and disposal: 15 to 30 per cent
• On-site treatment and transport or treatment at an authorized site: 70 per cent
• in situ treatment: 90 per cent

In all cases, the sum of the municipal subsidy and the federal and provincial assistance must not exceed 75 per cent of eligible expenses.

The maximum subsidy for former waste disposal sites is $500,000.

This program has been integrated into one of the 2016-2020 Sustainable Montréal Plan’s action items: Implementing a soil decontamination program. Land decontamination reduces soil pollution and purifies runoff water in addition to reducing heat islands, in some cases.

You have until December 31, 2023 to submit an application.

Rehabilitation work must be completed within a maximum of 60 months of the eligibility start date. An additional 24 months may be granted for in situ decontamination, with valid supporting documents.

Private projects

• Completed private owner application form
• Proof of property ownership or signed offer to purchase
• Characterization studies, phases I and II
• Résumés of the professionals who signed the studies: Must have a minimum 10 years of experience and be experts authorized by the MELCC, depending on the case
• Appendix C (cost estimate sheet)

These documents, if a power of attorney is necessary:

• A resolution from the board to designate a representative
• The representative’s résumé. The representative must have at least five years of experience. 
• A sworn declaration signed by both the representative and the owner

These documents, if an investment project is planned:

• Implementation plans or detailed description of the investment project
• Proof that the residential project meets the criteria set out in article  6 of the by-law.
• Calls for tender and estimates
• If the land is subject to the application of the Environment Quality Act: An application for approval of the rehabilitation plan from the MELCC, or declaration of compliance

If in situ treatment is not used, you must submit a technical report from an expert to justify it.

If excavated soil is not repurposed, you must submit a technical report from an expert to justify it.

Municipal project

• All the documents required for private projects
• Municipal applicant’s form (required)

• PDF file Form for private applicants – Contaminated soil rehabilitation (in French) [PDF 265 KB]
• PDF file Form for municipal applicants - Contaminated soil rehabilitation (in French) [PDF 233 KB]
• PDF file Appendix C, which sets the cost of eligible work - Contaminated soil rehabilitation program (in French) [PDF 145 KB]
• PDF file Guide for private applicants – Contaminated soil rehabilitation (in French) [PDF 195 KB]
• PDF file Directive for the rehabilitation of contaminated municipal land or land belonging to a municipal organization (in French) [PDF 325 KB]

Applications must be sent to the following address: [email protected].