Laval to close Centre de la nature farm as part of 2026 budget; opposition seeks public input
Posted January 15, 2026 7:23 pm.
Last Updated January 15, 2026 9:27 pm.
Laval will permanently close the Centre de la nature farm in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul this year, city officials confirmed, saying it’s all part of the municipality’s 2026 budget.
Officials say the aging facility, which houses farm animals for public visits, would require millions of dollars to rebuild to modern standards. With infrastructure maintenance and essential services prioritized, the city says the farm no longer fits within its investment plan. Plans are being made to ensure the animals are safely relocated.
The closure is part of a broader budget that freezes residential taxes, raises water fees, adds funding for snow removal and public safety, and reduces the municipal workforce to maintain financial balance.
Mayor addresses public concerns
In a statement to CityNews, Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer explained the difficult decision.
“I understand the disappointment caused by the announcement of the closure of Centre de la nature farm, a place to which many Laval families are deeply attached.
“The animals there are aging and have not been replaced for nearly two years. In addition, animal welfare and safety standards have changed considerably since the farm was built, making the current facilities unsuitable. Faced with this reality, we were forced to make this difficult decision.
He added that he has asked senior city management to explore alternative ways to preserve an educational mission in the area, particularly through partnerships, while ensuring animal welfare remains the top priority.
In a separate Facebook post, Boyer highlighted the financial and operational challenges of maintaining the farm, noting that rebuilding the facility to meet modern standards would cost millions of dollars on top of its $600,000 annual operating cost. He emphasized that Laval, like many cities, is facing financial pressures and must prioritize essential services such as roads, infrastructure and flood protection.
Still, he pledged to explore alternative, family-friendly educational programming, including potential partnerships with local farms.
Former employee describes the farm’s value
Naomi Panetta, who worked at the Centre de la nature farm for several summers beginning in 2015, described her time there as transformative. Initially hired as a free skate monitor, Panetta quickly became fascinated by the farm and spent most of her shifts interacting with the animals and guiding children through educational activities.
“My first shifts were actually at the farm, and it really opened my eyes to what’s possible to have in a municipal park,” she said. “I didn’t even know this was, I always went as a kid, but I never got to see the inner working. So definitely as an employee working there, I worked where all the goats are in that area. And I would explain to children if, you know, if the goat was pregnant or if a goat was just a bit chubbier, explaining the difference. And we also had little piglets too.
“Even as staff, it was fun to be able to name the animals, and they are always really well treated, and they were really near and dear, close to our hearts.”
Panetta said the farm is especially valuable because it combines accessibility with education.
“It’s one of the only free attractions we still have nowadays. And the fact that kids can go there in such a central part of our city and it’s easy accessible for families.
“It’s really an educational farm and kids get to know where their eggs come from, where their milk comes from. And I’ll explain to them in the farm and how farm animals are used and how they are involved in our day-to-day life and really just a farm-to-table concept is really explained properly there by the staff. So I think that’s what’s really interesting for children because for a lot of children, this is their first experience seeing live farm animals. Unless you live near a farm or you live on a farm, you’re not getting this type of exposure. So the fact that we have that in Laval is so crucial and so important and I really think it’s a gem in our city.”
When news of the closure reached her, Panetta said she was “really shocked” and disappointed by the lack of public consultation.
“It was not something that I was anticipating,” she said. “I think for this type of decision, there was really no discourse about it, which is what was surprising the most. I didn’t know that the farm was in any danger of closing. I didn’t know that the barn wasn’t up to standards and because from the time that I was there, it was always really regularly maintained and I was always seeing improvements. So it was really shocking.”
She hopes the city will reconsider or at least hold a public consultation to explore alternatives.
“I think there’s more that could be done. … We could sell eggs. We could ask for donations. I don’t know. I’m sure there’s something that could be done or even partnerships with universities that work with animals that could be done. So I’m sure there are other solutions and I would really love the city to see to make that happen.”
Community rallies to save the farm
Since the closure was announced, residents across Laval have mobilized in an effort to save the Centre de la nature farm, an attraction many describe as a cornerstone of family life in the city.
A petition titled “Non à la fermeture de la fermette du Centre de la nature de Laval“ was launched by Laval resident Dennis Fiévet to urge the city to reconsider its decision. The petition highlights the farm’s educational value, accessibility, and role in community life, calling for investment in renovation rather than closure. It currently has over 18,500 signatures.
Fiévet said he was initially in disbelief when he learned about the closure, saying the announcement came quietly and caught many residents off guard.
“I wasn’t believing it first. I thought it was like fake news because there’s a lot of fake news these days,” he said. “But when I confirmed it I was like I was shocked… I said I need to do something about it. That’s why I had the idea.”
He said the rapid response to the petition reflects how deeply the farm resonates with families across generations, serving as a shared childhood memory for many Laval residents.
“I have young kids myself. I’ve been a kid myself. I went to the farm. My kid went to the farm,” Fiévet said. “Everybody goes there at least once in their lifetime and they all talk about it. So for me it’s something like really about family, which is something first about Laval.”
Action Laval demands public consultation
Action Laval and Fiévet released a joint statement earlier this week night calling for public consultation before any final decision is made on the future of the Centre de la nature farm, citing strong public opposition and the farm’s educational value.
City councillor Isabelle Piché said the announcement came as a shock — both to elected officials and to residents.
“I fell off my chair basically like a lot of people when they heard the news,” said Piché. “It was on December 19th during the city budget presentation and no one was aware of it so it was like just it felt like a brick.”
Piché said the lack of public consultation was particularly troubling, given how many families and schools rely on the farm.
“We got aware of it last minute and the public wasn’t aware of it,” she said. “It’s a place that a lot of people — there’s thousands and thousands of people, schools and that visit the farm each year. For something so big it would be nice to have a consultation and see what people really think and what they propose to instead of demolishing this farm.”
She said she has formally tabled a motion at city council calling for a public consultation and is encouraging residents to speak out.
“I hope people speak out and get up and come to next city council in February,” Piché said. “That’s when my proposition of having a public consultation will have the debate on this and I hope the mayor and all the city councillors around the table will vote in favor.”
Piché also questioned the city’s financial priorities, pointing to recent large-scale municipal investments. She added that recent investments at the farm itself raise further questions.
“Just last year the city put over 300 thousand dollars just to renovate the roof — we have a brand new roof that he wants to destroy in June,” she said. “Is that makes sense? I don’t think so.”
Piché said Action Laval will continue to push for what she describes as a bottom-up approach to decision-making.
“One of the values of Action Laval is consultation bottom up — not to wait people’s reaction,” she said. “We have to consult them before taking a decision and not the other way around.”
Opposition voices criticize closure
Laval’s official opposition at city hall, Parti Laval, also weighed in on the farm’s closure through a Facebook post, framing it as an example of the costly decisions made by Mayor Boyer in recent years.
“A simple offering, but one that is appreciated by families. The budget tabled by Mayor Stéphane Boyer marks a sharp turn for Laval families: significant tax increases, service cuts, and accelerated debt.”
The statement went on to cite other recent decisions, including reduced hours at the 311 citizen service line, the loss of a week of summer day camps, the elimination of the public art policy and neighborhood council projects, and increases to the welcome tax.
The opposition ended with a pointed question: “Is this really what it means to make you proud?”
Laval’s urban farm faces an uncertain fate
The future of the Centre de la nature farm remains uncertain, but residents, former employees, and community advocates are rallying to ensure that Laval’s beloved urban farm continues to educate and inspire children for years to come.
“I think that it really, really deserves a second chance and it shouldn’t be closed without some sort of consultation with the population,” Panetta said.
