Le Droit – The Church Where “La Patente” Was Born in Vanier Put Up For Sale
Link to original article: https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actualites-locales/ottawa/2026/06/02/leglise-ou-est-nee-la-patente-dans-vanier-mise-en-vente-ITYE6YRBGVE45GTXEXPVBSSGDU/
By Sébastien Pierroz, Local Journalism Initiative June 2, 2026
Saint-Charles-Borromée Church in the Vanier neighbourhood is for sale, just as the house of worship is about to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Order of Jacques-Cartier—nicknamed “La Patente”—within its walls.
Le Droit observed the listing on the Realtor website, where the property is posted for $5.3 million.
The English-language advertisement presents “St. Charles Market,” located at 7 St. Charles Street and 140 Beechwood Avenue, as a 21,629-square-foot commercial property. It highlights its location, visibility, versatile spaces, and investment potential in a growing neighbourhood.
The management of Modbox—a consortium of real estate developers that purchased Saint-Charles-Borromée Church in December 2014 before leading its redevelopment—confirmed the sale to Le Droit.
“We are a group of investors who bought this property, the building, and the land, with the intention of developing a condominium project, leasing all the commercial spaces, and then ultimately selling the whole thing as a completed project,” Darryl Squires, partner and CEO of Modbox, explained to Le Droit.
“It was quite an ambitious project, which ultimately ran into too many obstacles. We were envisioning a restaurant and market formula, but first we faced COVID. Then, after COVID, there were supply chain issues, skyrocketing inflation, and now trade wars.”
Built in 1908, Saint-Charles Church was closed for worship in 2010 following a study by the Archdiocese of Ottawa regarding the financial situation and attendance of several francophone parishes.
After a long saga, it was protected under the Ontario Heritage Act, a designation that notably prevents its demolition.
Granted in October 2013 despite opposition from the Archdiocese, this protection primarily targets the building’s exterior envelope, not its usage or its interior, which has since been extensively transformed.
At the time, citizens and defenders of Franco-Ontarian heritage mobilized to prevent a potential demolition of the site.
The site subsequently took the name “St. Charles Market” and serves notably as a gathering place for outdoor markets and concerts.
The Birthplace of “La Patente”
However, the church remains best known for being the birthplace of the Order of Jacques-Cartier, also known as “La Patente,” which was founded there in 1926.
This French-Canadian secret society defended the interests of francophones across the country. According to the work of historian Hugues Théorêt, it had approximately 10,000 active members in 1952 before being swept away by the Quiet Revolution and dissolved in 1965.
“A Tremendous Amount of Uncertainty in the Project”
“When you want to achieve something this ambitious, with significant capital costs, you need a certain degree of certainty. However, all these elements introduced a tremendous amount of uncertainty into the project, to the point where we finally had to abandon it,” Darryl Squires continued.
“We therefore felt that the best use of the property would be to sell it to someone who could make the best possible use of this unique space and make it the headquarters, or home, of their organization.”
The owners state they worked to allow for “the greatest possible occupancy capacity” in order to accommodate “the broadest range of uses” for a building that no longer met the standards of its former purpose.
They also mention having brought in the necessary utilities to support “just about any type of occupancy.” Despite some exterior work that still needs to be done, they assure that “there has been a lot of activity” to improve the condition of the building.
The Issue of Francophone Identity
Former chief archivist of the University of Ottawa, Michel Prévost, reminded Le Droit that the building remains protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. It is a protection that prevents its demolition without guaranteeing that the interior or the original vocation of the former church will be preserved as they were.
“I still find it sad,” he shared.
“The company paid four million dollars at the time in 2014 to acquire the church. It was said then that the church should become a community centre because we know the acoustics are very good. Today, there is no real showcasing of the old church. Plaques were supposed to be put up, but I don’t see any. We would need to double-check. And, by a coincidence of the calendar, the sale happens in the exact year of the 100th anniversary of La Patente, founded in 1926.”
For his part, the owner defended himself against accusations of underestimating the site’s francophone identity.
“This has always been an essential element of the property, and we were fully aware of it. We bought it knowing that it represented an important part of the francophone community, and knowing that its heritage character had to be preserved.”
“I think the vision has always been this: even if it is no longer a Catholic Church, this building has always been a sort of heart of the neighbourhood, a public gathering place.”
Natalie Carrier, executive director of the Vanier BIA (ZAC Vanier), offered reassurance. In an email exchange, she noted that “the historic building, as well as its important history for all Franco-Ontarians and French Canadians, will remain a protected space within the Vanier BIA.”
The mission of the Vanier BIA is to support the commercial, cultural, and community vitality of the sector, while contributing to the promotion of its local identity.