The City of Sainte-Thérèse has taken a major step to secure the long-term future of one of its most important cultural and community landmarks, officially becoming the owner of the Centre culturel et communautaire Thérèse-De Blainville, located at 120 boulevard du Séminaire.
The decision, approved by municipal council on April 9, 2026, transfers ownership of the building from the Corporation du Centre culturel et communautaire Thérèse-De Blainville to the City for the symbolic sum of $1. While ownership has changed hands, daily management of the building will remain with the Corporation, ensuring continuity in the services and activities offered to residents.
The cultural centre holds a significant place in the community’s history. It was inaugurated on April 28, 1995, following a major public fundraising campaign that brought together 714 donors, raising $3.5 million to make the project possible. Since its opening, the building has served as a hub for cultural, educational, and community activities, becoming deeply embedded in the social life of Sainte-Thérèse.
Until this acquisition, the Corporation overseeing the centre included four founding partners: the City of Sainte-Thérèse, the Club Optimiste Ste-Thérèse, the Club Lions Thérèse-De Blainville, and the Centre de services scolaire des Mille-Îles. The City has long played a central role in supporting the centre financially and operationally, making the transition to municipal ownership a continuation of that partnership rather than a sudden change.
Mayor Christian Charron said the acquisition is intended to ensure the financial stability of the centre while maintaining the services already available to residents. In a statement, he emphasized that the move will allow the municipality to preserve a location considered essential to the cultural and community life of Sainte-Thérèse and the surrounding region.
Although the purchase price itself was symbolic, the agreement includes the City’s commitment to assume several financial obligations tied to the building. These include outstanding loans, unpaid municipal and school taxes, and repayment of an existing line of credit. The portion of costs not already covered by earlier municipal advances and building-related loans is estimated at approximately $756,747, which will be financed using unallocated operating surpluses.
Financial details provided by the City indicate that $4,714,737 in advances previously made by the municipality will be written off as part of the transaction, while $750,347 in loans related to the building will be assumed by the City. The remaining financial responsibility includes unpaid municipal taxes totaling $426,175, a $35,000 balance on the building’s line of credit, and an estimated $295,572 in Quebec Sales Tax (TVQ).
City officials noted that the building’s location next to the municipal library makes the acquisition particularly strategic, strengthening the connection between cultural, educational, and community services offered in the area.
As part of the transition, the City plans to establish a formal agreement with the Corporation that will define how the building will continue to be managed. This agreement will be presented to municipal council at a later date for approval.
The acquisition reflects the City’s longstanding involvement with the cultural centre, which it has supported financially since the building was first constructed. Municipal leaders say the move is intended to protect the centre’s long-term role as a gathering place for residents and organizations while ensuring responsible management of public infrastructure.
With ownership now secured, the Centre culturel et communautaire Thérèse-De Blainville is expected to continue serving as a cornerstone of community life, maintaining the cultural, educational, and social programming that has defined the space for more than three decades.
