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Mar 06, 2025

A Rooftop Garden Transforms Montreal

ByLiza B. Zimmerman , Contributor. The greenhouse in Montreal. Given Quebec’s many months of tough winter, the Canadian province has had to address local sourcing of fresh fruits and vegetables

ByLiza B. Zimmerman

, Contributor.

The greenhouse in Montreal.

Given Quebec’s many months of tough winter, the Canadian province has had to address local sourcing of fresh fruits and vegetables differently. In a truly innovative, and environmentally friendly style, hydroponic rooftop gardens were planted in 2010 in Montreal.

Lufa Farms, as the gardens are called, are scattered all over the city and focus on different fruits and vegetables. The one I visited in the Ahuntsic neighborhood focuses on eggplants, herbs and greens. According to Emily Péloquin, the director of public relations, for this this 31,000-square-foot garden, “produces around 2,500 pounds of vegetables per week, totaling about 130,000 pounds annually, including eggplants, herbs and microgreens.”

Eggplant

The garden is by far the most ambitious example of hydroponic growing I have seen anywhere to date. Péloquin added that several similar initiatives in the U.S. include Gotham Greens, Little Leaf Farms and Natoora. However, Lufa is unique for a number of reasons.

Making Organic Produce Accessible

One of the most important ideas behind Lufa was making healthy, local produce available to all residents of Montreal regardless of their financial status. The vegetables are available to people on food stamps and other social services. “We currently feed roughly two percent of Montreal,” says Péloquin, of a city of almost two million. And the company grows products based on actual consumer demand.

Emily heads up Lufa Farms in terms of pr.

Across Lufa’s greenhouses and indoor farms, the operation harvests about 215,000 portions of vegetables every week, according to Péloquin, “We were fortunate to build the world’s first commercial rooftop greenhouse, focusing on sustainability every step of the way. Our approach uses hydroponic systems to grow food without soil, captures rainwater and recirculates irrigation water,” she shares. This growing process “significantly reduces waste and cuts energy use in half compared to traditional ground-level greenhouses.”

Cross Marketing and Growth

Another innovative aspect to how Lufa promotes itself is by tying its products in with other business. “We connect directly with our community through our online Marketplace, delivering customizable baskets of fresh, local produce each week,” she notes. To date the service, “features 2,000 products from over 400 local partners and we deliver customizable baskets to homes and pickup points throughout a wide radius around Montreal."

Tomatoes growing on rooftop.

Péloquin adds that the focus of the garden is on local and seasonal. Beyond highlighting seasonal produce, she adds that Lufa offers frozen options when fresh isn’t in season. “Everything is either pesticide-free or organic. For our other product categories, we focus on organic, Quebec-made products using local ingredients, seeking out unique artisanal goods alongside everyday essentials to make it easy for customers to do all their grocery shopping with us. Recently, we’ve also been focusing on competitive pricing to offer the best value."

While she did share details about new openings, including a recent expansion was the Marché Central rooftop greenhouse in Montreal, opened in 2024, clearly the long-term plans are major for the company. Péloquin added that, “We're always on the lookout for new projects and opportunities to grow because our ultimate goal is to feed as many people as possible with fresh, local food.” The service is able to expand delivery to neighboring Ottawa shortly.