The Board of Directors will be chaired by Suzanne Gouin
MONTREAL, March 19, 2026 /CNW/ - Having reached an impasse, the lack of solutions and the urgent need to act to ensure the survival of Villa Maria College, Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame have appointed new directors and asked them to work actively to find a lasting solution to ensure the continued existence of the college for its students, families and future generations.
The Congregation has thus filled the three vacancies on the board of directors that had existed for several months, proceeded with the replacement of four directors whose terms were due to expire in four months' time, and appointed two new directors. This decision was necessary to ensure the survival of Villa Maria College.
The need to find promising solutions
The Congregation points out that the management of Villa Maria College has been informed since 2020 of the end of the lease and its non-renewal after July 2030. The last five years have been marked by a series of legal actions which, unfortunately, have not led to any concrete solutions, but have cost millions of dollars in lawyers' and consultants' fees.
With this in mind, the Congregation is appointing a new Board of Directors made up of experienced members determined to ensure the school's future. Their mandate is clear: to analyze the options in a respectful and transparent way, in order to find a permanent solution as quickly as possible.
The new Board will be chaired by Mrs. Suzanne Gouin, whose expertise in institutional governance and management is widely recognized. Mr. Rémy Trudel, a former minister, rector and well-known communicator, will be vice-chairman. The other Board members, whose biographical notes are appended, bring complementary expertise in education, finance and law. In addition, for the first time, a seat will be reserved for a parent, in addition to a seat held by an alumna, to ensure direct representation of the college's community.
A new chapter begins. A process of dialogue and the search for solutions, carried out in close collaboration between the Board of Directors and the Congregation, is now underway. It is in this spirit of respect and collaboration that lasting solutions can be found.
Ensuring the long-term future of an institution
"The steps we are announcing today are being taken in an effort to ensure the continuity of the educational mission of Villa Maria College in a spirit of openness to the community. We are looking for a sustainable way forward for this institution we founded 170 years ago," said Sister Francine Landreville, former Director of Studies and Director of Villa Maria College, who will sit on the new college Board as a member of the Congregation.
"A school institution is not characterized by its walls, but by the people who bring it to life: students, teachers, families and staff. We will work with the Congregation and the entire school community to ensure that the educational mission of Villa Maria College continues," said Mrs. Suzanne Gouin, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Continuity ensured for currently enrolled students
The Congregation wishes to reassure parents, students, teachers and all staff at the school that day-to-day activities are continuing as normal. The current lease will be respected, enabling enrolled students to complete their education at the college in both the French and English sectors. The new Board has made it a priority to keep the families concerned regularly informed of the steps being taken.
Finding suitable locations
Dozens of schools, CEGEPs and universities have relocated over the years to ensure their future and access to more modern facilities better suited to their educational mission. These decisions are strategic and necessary. The Congregation itself has been actively seeking locations to accommodate students and staff from the start of the 2030 school year. Options are already under consideration, and the Board will be responsible for the analysis and final choice.
A firm commitment to preserving the Villa Maria Domain
Recognising the importance of the Villa Maria Domain to the local community, the Congregation reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that any decisions regarding the estate's future are taken responsibly - respecting its heritage status, its zoning regulations and its natural surroundings. For over 170 years, the sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame have been careful to preserve this emblematic site and intend to continue this commitment.
The Congrégation de Notre-Dame worldwide and its investments at Villa Maria College
Over the past ten years, the Congrégation de Notre-Dame has taken steps to ensure the institutional succession of its schools, museums and other works around the world. This decision was necessitated by the changing demographics of the community, whose average age in Quebec is 88. The responsibilities involved in managing a large real estate portfolio and several institutions are now too onerous. In Quebec, four of the five schools have successfully completed their institutional succession, and the two museums are nearing completion. Villa Maria College is the last school that needs to make this transition.
The Congregation has invested more than $40 million over the past 25 years in improving and maintaining the infrastructure and buildings at Villa Maria College, in addition to leasing the buildings and grounds at a very low price since 2010. Remaining on the current site is not a viable option in the medium or long term.
It should be noted that the proceeds from the sale of the Domain, on which the college is situated, will enable the sisters to relocate, and that the profits will be invested in a dedicated fund to support vulnerable primary and secondary school students in Quebec's public education system. This is the legacy that the Congregation has chosen to leave to Quebec society.
About the Congrégation de Notre-Dame
Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame is a Catholic religious community founded in Ville-Marie (Montreal) in the 17th century by Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys. Marguerite Bourgeoys supported the Sieur de Maisonneuve in the development of the colony in 1653. She opened the first school in the colony in 1658 and welcomed and trained the Filles du Roy who came from France to marry the settlers, start families, colonize the territory and thus build the society of New France.
Les Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame are well known for their contributions to the education of girls and boys, for the establishing and managing more than 340 schools in Quebec, and for the creation of the first schools of higher and university education for women. The work of the Congregation is carried out on four continents has several facets: teaching in schools, solidarity with women, pastoral care, social justice, protection of the environment, etc.The Congregation currently has 423 sisters in Canada, the United States, Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala), Cameroon, Japan and France.
SOURCE Les Sœurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame
Source and information: Les Sœurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame, [email protected], 514-266-2156
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