Major redevelopment planned for former NFB head office in Montreal

A site once home to Canada’s most iconic documentaries and animated films is set for a dramatic transformation.

Canada Lands Company (CLC), the federal Crown corporation that acquired the former National Film Board (NFB) headquarters on Côte-de-Liesse Boulevard, unveiled its master plan for a complete redevelopment of the roughly five-hectare property in the Saint-Laurent borough.

The vision is a new urban neighbourhood blending housing, green space, culture, and commerce while preserving the site’s cinematic legacy.

“We want to keep the DNA of what the NFB is and what people love about it,” said Christopher Sweetnam-Holmes, senior director of real estate at Canada Lands Company. “This project is about respecting that legacy, while meeting the community’s needs today — for housing, for parks, and for local services.”

The site, which spans nearly 49,000 square metres (roughly the size of six football fields) is set to be redeveloped over the next several years. The latest version of the plan was presented to the public at an open house Thursday.

The proposed mixed-use neighbourhood includes 700 residential units, half of which are expected to be below-market or affordable housing. CLC’s Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern said it’s a direct response to one of the most common themes to emerge from community consultations.

“We had several open houses — about 600 people came through — and the need for affordable housing came up again and again,” said the company’s vice-president of corporate communications and public affairs.

Developers said the goal is to create an inclusive, accessible living environment with an emphasis on meeting the needs of the existing community, especially for vulnerable residents.

“There are a lot of people in this neighbourhood who are immigrants and who currently live in unsatisfactory housing,” said Sweetnam-Holmes. “We want to build something that responds to that — that integrates people instead of pushing them out.”

To help achieve that goal, the self-funded federal agency said it’s working with community groups and non-profit housing developers as planning moves forward.

In addition to housing, about 35 per cent of the site will be reserved for commercial and office use. The plan includes local shops and workspaces aimed at supporting innovation and small business growth.

Cultural preservation is another core element, which is why the company plans on preserving 80 per cent of the site’s existing buildings — a decision that helps reduce the project’s carbon footprint, while also honouring the NFB’s long history in the space.

“Some of the spaces, including one of the theatres, will remain as-is, so people can still screen films there,” said Sweetnam-Holmes. “It’s important to maintain that connection to what this site meant for Montreal and for Canadian film.”

The future neighbourhood will also feature significant green space. More than 8,860 square metres — between 18 to 20 per cent of the total site — is slated to become public parks and landscaped areas.

Right now, much of the property is paved over or dominated by grey infrastructure. But project leaders said their goal is to build something sustainable and inviting.

If the plans are approved by the City of Montreal, construction could begin as early as 2026. Full completion is expected within six to seven years.

For Canada Lands Company, the project represents a rare opportunity to reshape a major urban site with both history and potential.

“We’re trying to create a place that tells a new story,” said Gomez-Wiuckstern. “But one that still remembers where it came from and celebrates its history.”