Fermes en Ville Is Launched: Montreal’s Urban Agriculture Takes Center Stage

Despite weather conditions that presented their share of challenges, 320 guests gathered at the Esplanade Louvain for the Fermes en Ville Banquet, officially kicking off the activities for this second edition.

Co-organized by SDC District Central and PME MTL Centre-Ouest, the banquet had a very specific goal: to showcase what Montreal produces and to bring urban agriculture businesses closer to the restaurant industry and the public.

For one evening, Montréal’s urban agriculture took center stage. A menu created by Chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard—featuring produce grown, raised, and processed in Montreal—was prepared and served by the Festigoût team of La Corbeille.

Mushrooms, vegetables, fish, honey, edible flowers, beverages, and other Montreal-made products: the Banquet provided a very concrete demonstration of everything our city is capable of producing.

Showcasing the Companies Behind the Products

The experience wasn’t limited to what was on the plate. Guests could also explore a digital exhibition created by Eastern Bloc, dedicated to urban farms and the companies whose products made up the menu.

Images, production sites, and expertise came to life to put faces and stories behind what ended up on people’s plates, while introducing visitors to the farmers and producers working in the heart of Montreal.

This spotlight addresses one of the key observations that led to the creation of Fermes en Ville: Montreal is home to innovative agricultural businesses and high-quality products, but these businesses need visibility and consistent market opportunities to continue growing.

From farm to table… and into new markets

Behind the menu was an entire network of Montréal-based businesses, urban farms, and organizations:

Atelier Champignons Big Bloc · Laboratoire sur l’agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB) · AquaVerti · Café TorQué · Cidre Sauvageon · Combit - Coopérative de solidarité · Cuisine Collective Hochelaga-Maisonneuve · CIRKA Distilleries · Fin Soda · Fleurs en ville · La Bête à Pain · Le Collectif Super Boat People · Les Fermes Lufa · Lieux Communs · Locavore · Myceliana · Opercule · Polliflora · Redfrog Lab · Sano-sake · Tulsi · Ville en vert · Zaatar Du Sud

For PME MTL Centre-Ouest, this is precisely where Fermes en Ville comes into its own. Restaurants can serve as both customers and showcases for Montreal producers. By creating opportunities for these two worlds to come together, the initiative seeks to foster relationships that can continue long after the event.

The Banquet was just the beginning

Fermes en Ville continues through September 13 throughout Montreal.

Participating restaurants, culinary discoveries, farm tours, and activities now allow the public to meet the people who grow, process, and cook Montreal’s food.

For participating businesses, it’s also an opportunity to raise their profile, build new relationships, and showcase the potential of a more local food economy rooted in the Montreal region.

After bringing 320 people together around a single large table, the entire city is now invited to discover what grows right in its own backyard.