Laboratoire Sur L'agriculture Urbaine

What Laboratoire Sur L'agriculture Urbaine does

Laboratoire sur l'agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB) is a Quebec-based non-profit research laboratory founded in 2009 in Montreal that operates as the province's central hub for urban agriculture development. The organization delivers four interlocking practice areas: enterprise accompaniment (MontréalCulteurs, QuébeCulteurs, Tremplin AgriUrbain incubator), social innovation programs (S'Enraciner, Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine, ValorisonsMtl, Cultive ta ville, Jardin Voyageur), knowledge transfer (École d'été sur l'agriculture urbaine, RDV AgriUrbains webinars, training), and municipal advisory services (Urban Agriculture Policies (PAU), Nourishing Community Development Plans (PDCN)).

AU/LAB serves three principal customer segments: Quebec municipalities and boroughs (named clients include Gatineau, Brossard, Longueuil, Quebec City, Montreal boroughs, Laval, Candiac, Boucherville) requiring policy frameworks, territory mapping, and food-systems planning; commercial urban farm entrepreneurs seeking agronomic consulting, business planning, and rooftop test-space incubation (200–500 m² at Esplanade Tranquille and Centrale Agricole); and non-profit community organizations running social-inclusion, immigrant-integration, and food-security projects. Underlying the offering are applied research assets including rooftop demonstration installations (Palais des congrès de Montréal, Esplanade Tranquille), a co-located third-place (Tiers-lieu) operated in partnership with developer Prével, and an extensive content library of publications, the Cultive ta ville information hub, and the Récoltes de ville local-product certification label (80%+ Montreal-sourced).

The revenue model blends four streams: fee-for-service consulting (accredited Réseau Agriconseils provider with MAPAQ subsidies of 50–75% for eligible urban farms), multi-source government and institutional grants (MAPAQ, CDPQ, MSSS, Ville de Montréal, Ville de Québec via Vision entrepreneuriale 2026, Fondation du Grand Montréal), modest training and event revenue ($50 per participant per day, ~100 participants per École d'été edition), and revenue from incubator space rentals and Tiers-lieu event bookings. Distribution is regional (Quebec, concentrated in Montreal and Quebec City) and relationship-driven, with no disclosed app, API, or proprietary software platform. The organization has supported over 50 urban agriculture projects across Quebec municipalities and trained more than 2,000 cumulative participants in its École d'été since 2009.

Name

Laboratoire Sur L'agriculture Urbaine

Legal name

Laboratoire sur l'agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB)

Website

https://au-lab.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laboratoire sur l'agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB) is a Quebec-based non-profit research laboratory founded in 2009 that supports urban agriculture through consulting, incubator services, social innovation programs, training, and municipal policy advisory across the province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements for urban farm enterprises and municipalities, including agronomic advice, business planning, market analysis, and regulatory guidance. AU/LAB is an accredited Réseau Agriconseils provider, with client subsidies of 50-75% through MAPAQ for eligible agricultural enterprises.
2. Government Grants and Program Funding: Core operations and specific programs are funded by government partners including MAPAQ (Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec), Ville de Montréal, Ville de Québec, and the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity (MSSS) under the poverty reduction plan.
3. Training and Event Fees: Fee-based training programs including the École d'été (Summer School) and startup formation courses (formation en lancement d'entreprise). Registration fees (e.g., $50 per training day including materials and lunch) generate modest revenue alongside government support.
4. Incubator and Space Rental Revenue: Incubator spaces on rooftops (Esplanade Tranquille, Centrale Agricole) provided to startups; the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine generates revenue from space reservations for community and private events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AU/LAB is a Quebec-based non-profit research laboratory that provides consulting, advisory, incubation, and training services to advance urban agriculture. It supports municipalities in developing urban agriculture policies (PAU) and nourishing community development plans (PDCN), accompanies urban farm entrepreneurs through programs such as MontréalCulteurs, QuébeCulteurs, and Tremplin AgriUrbain, and delivers community-focused programs like S'Enraciner and ValorisonsMtl. It also operates demonstration sites including rooftop farms and the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine in Montreal.

Product overview

Laboratoire Sur L'agriculture Urbaine (AU/LAB) offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services for urban agriculture development in Quebec. The core offerings include MontréalCulteurs and QuébeCulteurs, which provide incubation, matching, and accompaniment services for urban farms in Montreal and Quebec City respectively, operating under the Tremplin AgriUrbain acceleration framework. Community-focused initiatives include S'Enraciner for collective agricultural projects and ValorisonsMtl for circular economy synergies. AU/LAB also operates the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine, a multifunctional co-working and event space, and hosts the annual École d'été sur l'agriculture urbaine summer school. Additional offerings include the RDV AgriUrbains webinar series, the Cultive ta ville information platform, Jardin Voyageur cultural heritage project, and the Récoltes de ville certification label for urban-grown products. The organization also provides direct advisory services through its service-conseil for agricultural business development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MontréalCulteurs: Program providing accompaniment, training, and networking services to facilitate establishment of urban farms in vacant or underutilized spaces in Montreal.
• QuébeCulteurs
• Tremplin AgriUrbain
• S'Enraciner
• ValorisonsMtl
• Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine
• Cultive ta ville
• Jardin Voyageur
• École d'été sur l'agriculture urbaine
• Récoltes de ville

Products and services

• MontréalCulteurs A support program for urban agricultural enterprises in Montreal offering incubation, matching services between property owners and farmers, training, and advisory services to facilitate establishment of commercial and social economy urban farms.
• QuébeCulteurs An accompaniment and training program for urban agriculture entrepreneurs in the Quebec City area, offering advisory services, matchmaking between property owners and farmers, and specialized training to enhance local food supply.
• Tremplin AgriUrbain An incubation, matchmaking, and accompaniment program supporting Quebec's urban agricultural enterprises with up to 3 years of agronomic and entrepreneurial support, including access to rooftop test spaces.
• S'Enraciner An accompaniment program for collective and community agricultural initiatives in urban settings in Quebec, supporting community organizations and citizens in developing urban agriculture projects with personalized mentoring and monthly virtual meetings.
• Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine A multifunctional third-place space in Montreal's Centre-Sud district, developed with Prével, designed to stimulate meetings, training, and innovation in urban agriculture with reservable spaces for non-profits and community groups.
• ValorisonsMtl A platform revealing potential synergies between circular economy and urban agriculture in Montreal, promoting reuse of underutilized urban resources for food production and raising awareness about resource circularity.
• Cultive ta ville An information hub on urban agriculture in Quebec offering news, an encyclopedia, and an interactive map for amateurs from novices to experienced practitioners.
• Jardin Voyageur A project showcasing the diversity of Montreal's cultural heritage through agricultural practices, featuring interviews with italo-Montrealers about food practices in Little Italy.
• École d'été sur l'agriculture urbaine An annual summer school program held in Montreal and Quebec City, bringing together citizens, researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to share knowledge, debate, and network in urban agriculture.
• RDV AgriUrbains Webinars, conferences, and training sessions organized throughout the year as part of AU/LAB's knowledge transfer mandate, covering topics in urban agriculture and food systems.
• Récoltes de ville A certification label identifying products where 80% or more are produced in Montreal, celebrating locally grown and transformed products from urban agriculture.
• Service-conseil en agriculture urbaine Advisory services for urban farms including business diagnostics, action plans, agricultural techniques, agro-environmental practices, and marketing strategies, with Réseau Agriconseils accreditation for MAPAQ-registered farms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 participants from around the world have attended the École d'été since 2009
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• PrévelsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine's shared workspace is made possible through collaboration with Prével. Two organizations per year are selected for project development residency in this space.
• Ville de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strategic partnership for MontréalCulteurs program, supporting the development of commercial and social economy urban agriculture in Montreal. Ville de Montréal provides funding within the Biofood Agreement with MAPAQ. AU/LAB delivers accompaniment, incubation, and matchmaking services to urban farmers and property owners.
• Ville de QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with the Ville de Québec and its Vision entrepreneuriale 2026 program to deliver the QuébeCulteurs program. Aims to create a favourable environment for commercial urban agriculture enterprises and enhance local, responsible, quality food supply in Quebec City.
• Prével (real estate developer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with real estate developer Prével to establish and host the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine at the Maison de projet d'Esplanade Cartier in Centre-Sud, Montreal. Prével provides the physical space while AU/LAB operates the programming.
• MAPAQ (Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAPAQ is a key supporter of the RDV AgriUrbains webinar series and co-organizes events such as the Prime-Vert 2023-2026 webinar with AU/LAB, bringing agricultural programs to the urban farming context.
• CRETAU (Carrefour de recherche, d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture urbaine du Québec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAU/LAB and CRETAU share personnel (Eric Duchemin serves as scientific director for both) and coordinate multiple research projects within the organization. CRETAU is a key research partner for the Défi RAUPI and the Forum on indoor farms.
• UPA (Union des producteurs agricoles)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPA co-sponsors the Forum on Indoor Farms and is a partner in QuébeCulteurs, supporting the development of urban agriculture in Quebec.
• Quartier des spectacles PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Quartier des spectacles Partnership enables AU/LAB's rooftop incubator space at Esplanade Tranquille, a key site for the Tremplin AgriUrbain incubation program.
• Centrale Agricole (Montreal cooperative)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Centrale Agricole cooperative provides rooftop incubator space at the Centrale Agricole building in District Central (Ahuntsic-Cartierville) as part of the Tremplin AgriUrbain incubator program.
• Centre d'innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA) - CEGEP de VictoriavillesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing the Forum on Indoor Farms, bringing together researchers and practitioners to advance indoor urban farming research in Quebec.
• Chaire de recherche en horticulture biologique sous serres et en environnement contrôlé - Université LavalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the Forum on Indoor Farms, contributing expertise on greenhouse horticulture and controlled-environment agriculture.
• Laboratoire thermique et science du bâtiment - École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the Forum on Indoor Farms, contributing building science and thermal engineering expertise relevant to indoor farming infrastructure.
• CRAAQ (Centre de référence en agriculture et agroalimentaire du Québec)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRAAQ partnered with AU/LAB to create the Agro-Démarrage urban tools (outils de démarrage d'entreprise en agriculture urbaine), a comprehensive resource for launching urban farm businesses.
• Pôle sur la ville résiliente - UQAMsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming collaborator at the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine, contributing to the development of resilient city initiatives through urban agriculture.
• Carrefour solidaire - CCAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming collaborator at the Tiers-lieu de l'agriculture urbaine, contributing to social economy and community development dimensions of urban agriculture programming.
• URBAgr'inn Days (international)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational collaboration for the Rendez-vous AgriUrbains webinar series, showcasing urban agriculture initiatives from around the world (Athens, Brussels, Paris, Vietnam) to the Quebec audience.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Agritecture: Global urban agriculture advisory firm providing consulting, market research, and feasibility studies for cities and enterprises developing urban farms. Operates in the same niche of advising municipalities and enterprises on urban agriculture feasibility and planning, though on a global commercial basis.
• Lufa Farms: Montreal-based commercial rooftop greenhouse operator running one of the world's largest commercial urban rooftop farms and food subscription service. Comparable on Montreal rooftop agriculture activity but commercial rather than research/advisory focused.
• Santropol Roulant: Montreal-based non-profit operating urban agriculture projects (rooftop farm, community gardens) combined with food security and intergenerational programs. Operates in the same Montreal ecosystem with a similar combination of urban farming, social innovation, and volunteer engagement.
• CRETAU: Carrefour de recherche, d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture urbaine du Québec. Quebec research hub focused on urban agriculture that shares personnel with AU/LAB (Eric Duchemin serves as scientific director for both) and coordinates multiple joint research projects, making it the closest peer in mandate and activity.

Emerging players

• Community Food Centres Canada: Canadian non-profit network supporting community food organizations across the country. Intersects with AU/LAB's S'Enraciner and community organization work through shared focus on food security and community-driven food projects, but operates as a network rather than direct service provider.

Broad incumbents

• Équiterre: Quebec non-profit promoting sustainable agriculture, local food systems, and environmental action. Operates a broader mission than AU/LAB but overlaps on policy advocacy for food systems and community-supported agriculture, with a larger member base and longer Quebec history.
• Vivre en ville: Quebec non-profit specializing in sustainable urban development and planning, including food systems integration in urban form. Comparable in providing municipal advisory on urban planning with food/greening dimensions, though broader than urban agriculture alone.
• RUAF Foundation: International foundation focused on urban agriculture and resilient city food systems, producing research, policy tools, and global city networks. Comparable on global urban agriculture research and policy mandate but at a much larger international scope.

Regional players

• FoodShare Toronto: Toronto-based non-profit advancing food justice through urban agriculture, food literacy, and community food programs. Similar model of combining urban farming, training, and social innovation, though serving a different Canadian city.

Others

• Alternatives: Montreal-based non-profit network for social and environmental engagement. Operates in the same Montreal community/ecosystem space as AU/LAB but with broader social economy and citizen engagement focus rather than agriculture specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aulab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laboratoire Sur L'agriculture Urbaine