Criteria for ceding a lane

At least ⅔ of owners must agree to purchase the portion of the lane adjacent to their property. These owners must represent at least ⅔ of lots along the lane.



Lanes must not:

• Be required for public purposes, like garbage collection
• Be bounded by buildings that are joined by groups of more than two buildings 
• Be used by commercial or institutional lots 
• Obstruct building exits 
• Create enclaves if closed to traffic

The city is under no obligation to cede lanes, even if the application complies with all criteria.

Apply now

• Complete the application concerning a building (in French)
• Attach a photo or plan of the premises
• Include the addresses of buildings along the lane. If there is no building, provide the name of streets that form a quadrangle around the lane
• Submit your documents to the city’s Service de la stratégie immobilière or Accès Montréal office

If your application is accepted, a new lot will be added to the property titles of owners who live along the lane. They will receive a document confirming their property rights. You will receive detailed information about the acquisition process Subdivision plans for the lane and neighbouring lots where there are buildings A petition form to have signed by affected owners.

Municipal and school taxes

À partir de la date du transfert de propriété ou de l’acte notarié, les propriétaires sont responsables de payer les taxes municipales et scolaires du terrain acquis.

Fees

Buying a lane is free when it rectifies an existing situation. Fees for subdivision of property transfer documents are paid by the city. However, if the transaction is part of a private sale, the buyer must pay all costs.

• PDF file Application for a building (in French) [PDF 741 KB]

• Montréal's city charter