Bâtiment 7

Bâtiment 7 is one of the rare places in Montreal that feels entirely claimed by the people who use it. Sitting at the edge of Pointe-Saint-Charles on former rail lands, the project was wrestled into community hands by the Collectif 7 à Nous and turned into a hub where art studios, workshops, co-ops, a bar, and a neighbourhood grocery share the same industrial shell. It runs on horizontal governance, collective ownership, and the belief that a building can double as a political tool. The site is accessible—ramp, automatic door, lift—though the walk from Charlevoix and the rugged terrain can be a consideration. With major expansions still planned, including childcare and food-production spaces, Bâtiment 7 continues to operate like a living experiment in what a neighbourhood can build for itself.