Press release- Parc-Extension: Community Groups Denounce the Opening of Value Village and the Gentrification of the Neighborhood

[Sam Boskey]

For immediate release

Parc-Extension: Community Groups Denounce the Opening of Value Village and the Gentrification of the Neighborhood

The Regroupement en aménagement de Parc-Extension (RAMPE) is denouncing the opening on Thursday, December 4, 2025, of a Village des Valeurs store in the heart of the neighborhood, in the iconic building of the former Jean-Talon train station. For RAMPE's member organizations, this development is a missed opportunity to meet the pressing need for community space and risks accelerating the gentrification of one of Quebec's poorest neighborhoods.

The opening of this store is taking place a few months after the eviction of some fifteen community organizations from the William Hingston Complex. These groups, which provided essential services to the population—food assistance, tenant support, French classes, and much more—are now scattered throughout the neighborhood due to a lack of adequate space. The historic Jean-Talon station building could have housed some of these organizations and helped fill a major shortage of community space. 

Furthermore, when the City sold the station building to the Loblaws group, the contract reserved a portion of the interior space of the former station for social and community uses, a condition that was never fulfilled. For the organizations that make up RAMPE, this development confirms the urgent need for a firm commitment from all levels of government to fund a new community center for Parc-Extension, a project that has long been championed by the Parc-Extension Neighborhood Roundtable and is now more necessary than ever.

The RAMPE asserts that Village des Valeurs is a for-profit American company that resells used items at prices often higher than those of other local thrift stores or social organizations. Its arrival could also reinforce the gentrification already well underway in Parc-Extension. By transforming the commercial offering and attracting a new clientele in search of “deals,” this type of business tends to upset the social balance of the neighborhood, putting additional pressure on long-time residents. There are plenty of examples in Montreal: many trendy commercial streets have attracted renewed interest from real estate developers and led to a significant increase in rents.

The arrival of Village des Valeurs in a building as symbolic as the Jean-Talon station reveals a lack of vision in the neighborhood's urban planning. As Parc-Extension experiences a crisis in access to community spaces and rapid gentrification, RAMPE urges government levels to prioritize the needs of the community over those of for-profit businesses. The Jean-Talon station could have been our shared heritage and the living heart of Parc-Extension: instead, it will ultimately serve to enrich a select few.

About the RAMPE

The Regroupement en aménagement de Parc-Extension (RAMPE) brings together organizations working on development and housing issues in the neighborhood of Parc-Extension.

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Contact:

Amy Darwish: 514-992-1662

Source:

Regroupement en aménagement de Parc-Extension (RAMPE)