Santropol Roulant is taking a new step alongside our community by launching a community bonds campaign to help fund the construction of the agroeducational centre at the Roulant Farm. By investing in accessible and educational infrastructure at the farm, we will be providing people of all ages and levels of mobility opportunities to learn about sustainable food systems, grow their gardening skills and access the mental and physical health benefits of connecting with nature.
We would like to invite the communities and mindful investors of Montreal and the West Island to take part in creating this unique learning space on the Island of Montreal.
The Project
The funds raised through Santropol Roulant’s community bonds campaign will be used to finance a new project at the Roulant Farm – the agroeducational centre. Building construction is already 90% complete, with final construction, final landscaping, and programming still to come. The full project includes:
- Construction of a 3-season building at the farm, which will provide:
- Learning space for workshops
- Shelter for visiting groups from the sun and the rain
- Accessible washrooms
- Centralized storage for tools and cold storage for harvests
- Transformation of half of the site into an educational farm, featuring:
- An outdoor classroom
- An orchard and educational greenhouse
- Accessible walking paths
- Expansion of the parking facilities to accommodate more visitors, including schoolbuses
The Info Kit & Info Session
The information kit provides additional details on community bonds, the agroeducational centre project, the terms of the bonds, and the risks associated with this type of investment. To complement this online resource, we are hosting an info session on April 30 from 6:00-7:30 PM to answer any questions you have about our community bonds.
Why invest?
Santropol Roulant community bonds offer investors the opportunity to support the creation of a unique ecological and agricultural education space and to benefit from financial returns of 4% per annum over the bond term – July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027. The Roulant is committed to keeping investors informed on the progress of construction work, the development of programming, and the activities taking place at the centre.
These community bonds will function as bridge financing, meaning that the funds raised by these bonds will be repaid via financing already committed by private foundations.
Bond details:
Our Goal:
What are community bonds?
Community bonds are a financing tool used by community organizations and social economy enterprises to access financing by mobilizing their communities. In other words, community bonds are like loans provided by community members which do not involve any financial institution, meaning that the interest from the bonds goes back into the community instead of a bank. Community bonds are not donations. Rather, they are investments that earn prorated annual interest for the investor, and involve no management fees.
Bonds are available to all types of investors, both individuals and organizations.
Why is the Roulant offering community bonds?
Although the Roulant has reached the funding target for the construction and development of the agroeducational centre, the funds granted by our partners (mainly private foundations) are not being paid at the same rate as expenses. Community bonds will enable the wider community to participate in the completion of this unique project by providing the cashflow needed to pay subcontractors and purchase building materials. Meanwhile, investors will directly benefit from the interest earned on their investment.
Invest now:
Fill out this form to receive the investor package and purchase Santropol Roulant community bonds. If the form does not appear below, please click this link to open it in a separate window.
Meet the community bonds team:
Pier Liné
Executive Director
Serving as the link between the various aspects of the agroeducational centre project, Pier ensures that the vision, budget, funding, partnerships, and construction are all aligned. As the driving force behind community initiatives, he mobilizes the necessary expertise to ensure the project moves forward with confidence. He is responsible for aligning these ambitions with the charitable and social change commitments of Santropol Roulant, which he has led for the past twelve years.
Guillaume Charpenel
Board Treasurer
Guillaume is an active entrepreneur, investor, and catalyst in the world of renewable energy and sustainability. As a member of Santropol Roulant’s board and finance committee, he oversaw the launch of community bonds, drawing on his extensive background in project finance, strategic growth, and corporate governance.
Leo Holton
Community Bonds Project Lead
Leo comes to the community bonds project equipped with a background in management consulting, where he transformed environmental reporting at large banks. He weaves his financial and technical experience into the growth of Santropol Roulant, building a framework for community members to invest in our mission of sustenance and social inclusion.
FAQ
Many well-known organizations have held successful community bonds campaigns, such as Cinéma du Parc, Carrefour solidaire, and Brique par brique.
Both the capital and the interest are paid out by direct deposit in the two weeks following December 31, 2027, the maturity date of the investment term.
Interest earned from a community bond is taxed as regular Investment Income from Canadian Sources. Consult with a tax accountant for your individual case.
Please get in touch with the community bonds team; we’ll be happy to answer your questions!
Building plans
Site plans
Project Timeline
Our partner
Santropol Roulant would like to thank L’ampli, which we have worked closely with in developing our community bonds campaign. This Québec-based organization brings together legal and industry expertise to support participatory finance initiatives. Their contribution to this campaign has been invaluable.