Brique par brique builds infrastructure for social change.
By nurturing grassroots leadership, amplifying cultural wealth and cultivating solidarity, we are building a home for freedom to grow, brick by brick, in and beyond Parc-Extension.
The Brique par brique team, April 2026
About us
Brique par brique is a nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by community organizers and professionals of colour in order to respond innovatively and from a social justice perspective to the need for affordable housing in the gentrifying and multicultural Parc-Extension neighborhood.
In addition to the development of affordable housing, our cultural centre is a place where we cultivate solidarity and leverage community assets with the goal of improving the living conditions of diverse low-income residents, notably newcomers, asylum seekers and other immigrants facing discrimination. Through our community activities and cultural programs, we facilitate a welcoming and accessible space for expression, with the aim of building bridges between people and organizations, and nurturing the talents and aspirations of people in and beyond Parc-Extension.
Community Economic Development
Working in close collaboration with strategic partners and community members to nurture solidarity and grassroots leadership, activities and initiatives that can drive local developments directly benefiting residents facing systemic barriers.
Community Housing and Spaces
Developing a stock of affordable, quality, and secure community housing and spaces in Parc-Extension that host a range of empowering activities and services by and for the members of our community.
Community Research
Facilitating, participating in and disseminating research that supports our social mission and impact. Recent research projects we led or participated in pertained to social finance, systemic racism, and the digital divide in Parc-Extension.
Learn more
Follow the links below to learn more about the organization and our projects.
Our Timeline
2016
BxB is established as a non-profit organization, with the ambition of building a housing project that puts equity first, empowers tenants, and provides communal creative and residential space.
2017-2018
Launched our first Community Bonds campaign. Established as Quebec's largest and Canada's second-largest provider of community bonds in the residential sector, raising $367,000 from 40 investors.
2019
Received a $100,000 grant from the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) to document our community bond model.
2020
Assigned as leading group to develop a community housing project at 8600-8618 Av. de L'Épée through AccèsLogis provincial program.
2021
Acquired 633 Av. Beaumont for the creation of our cultural center and raised $35k for renovations.
2022
AccèsLogis program is abolished, threatening the continuation of the housing project. BxB co-authored a letter with Comité d’Action de Parc-Extension pushing for affordable housing in Parc-Extension. → Restored funding for the housing project on De l’Épée.
2023
Organized + 250 activities at the center in collaboration with partners since opening. BxB now receives support from many foundations and institutions.
2024
Obtained funding from the Community Housing Transformation Centre to develop a digital platform supporting local resource-sharing for community housing development. Brique par brique obtains charitable status.
New Projects
2024
Fall 2024-Winter 2025: Preliminary project and feasibility studies, Site prospection, Community and investor consultations.
2025
Winter 2025 through Summer 2025: Financing and Community Bond Campaign, Purchase agreement
Summer 2025: Project Definition & Land Acquisition
Fall 2025: Design Development
2026
Winter to Spring 2026: Permitting and Construction
Summer 2026: Building Operation
Meet the team
We are a team of staff and affiliate community organizers with backgrounds in real estate, project management, cultural and community organizing, and public health. Our steering and advisory committee, comprising board members, staff and community members, is our main governing body.
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—Founder & Director
Faiz' mission is to nurture creative energy in diverse communities. Having studied International Development at McGill, followed by 20 years of experience in the community sector and in both private and public real estate, Faiz appreciates the challenges and opportunities that arise from de-commodifying the city and making it about people and their communities.
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—Strategic development for housing & community centre projects
developpement@briqueparbrique.com
Catherine holds a master’s degree in architecture from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. She is motivated by collaborative processes and civic practices aimed at creating a just and resilient city. As part of the rebuiLT student project, she helped federate over 400 local actors around the construction of a community pavilion using reused materials. Previously, she also studied art at Concordia University and worked for several years in cultural programming of public spaces on the South Shore.
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—President, Board member
Suzanne (B.A.S, MSc.Pl.) is an urban planner, and community finance practitioner and researcher, based out of Montreal (Tiohtià:ke), Canada. She currently works as Knowledge Lead at Tapestry Community Capital where she builds knowledge around community finance and community bonds through research, education and policy advocacy. She works to build the strategic partnerships that enable such knowledge-mobilization to take place.
She has previously been the Project Coordinator for Fairbnb Coop Canada and a community organizer with Coming Together Vancouver (a mutual aid organization launched at the beginning of COVID-19. Suzanne’s overall work aims to build a robust alternative to current economic paradigms: a healthy social/solidarity economy.
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—Secretary, Board member
Juhi Sohani is a strategic communications and change management consultant dedicated to helping organizations and individuals communicate messages that align with their values and effectively drive change. Her approach emphasizes the importance of community connection, prioritizing the voices of those at the heart of the work.
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—Treasurer, Board member
Roshni has invested their love in many bands and underground music venues. Today, they contribute to Rose Fest and Monsoon Festival.
They also work as an Appeals Officer for the Canada Revenue Agency.
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—Director of Strategic Development (on maternity leave)
Amanda is a cultural organizer and organizational development consultant invested in uplifting community economies and co-creating emancipatory spaces. She co-founded Navel, a resource centre for cultural workers in Los Angeles, where she created a peer-learning program called Assemblies. She is also an affiliate facilitator with COCo (the Centre for Community Organizations). She holds a graduate diploma in community economic development, an MFA in Visual and Media Arts and a BBA in Strategic Design and Management.
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—Parc-Exchange coordinator
Originally from Pakistan, Arman is carving his path in Montreal's world of creative technology. His studies in Computation Arts at Concordia University fueled his drive to blend various technical and software-based skills to envision new solutions to problems and experiences. Collaboration is at his core, believing that diverse collective efforts lead to unparalleled innovations.
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—Projects & Community engagement coordinator
Amber Goveas is a community organizer and wandering artist. She is at her best when connecting people and spaces to build resilient communities rooted in mutual care.
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—Assistant Coordinator, Parc-Exchange & Community Engagement
exchange@briqueparbrique.comHarjinder supports both the coordination of Parc-Exchange and community engagement across Parc-Extension. She plays a key role in facilitating service exchanges, maintaining relationships with participants, and building connections with other local organizations to support Brique par Brique’s broader mission. With a background in teaching and volunteer work, Harjinder brings care, structure, and strong communication skills to her role. She speaks English, Punjabi, and Hindi, and has been an active member of the Parc-Ex community since 2020.
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—Coordinator of cultural & placemaking initiatives
Asad is a architect and multidisciplinary artist. He founded Cinema 73, a community cinema project in a garage in Parkistan exploring ideas of resistance and appropriation of the city. He holds two MAs, one in Architecture and one in Urban design.
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—Place-caring & Administration assistant
admin@briqueparbrique.comMary is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree at Concordia University in Sociology. As an administrative and human resources assistant of brique par brique, Mary is dedicated to improving the organization's efficiency while supporting her team members in advancing and promoting Brique par brique’s mission to help those in the community. She finds great fulfillment in contributing to initiatives that create a meaningful, positive impact and takes pride in helping bring that vision to life.
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—Operations Coordinator
operations@briqueparbrique.com
Leyla is a cultural worker living on the territory of the Lkwungen People, also known as Victoria, British Columbia. She spent her formative years in Montreal participating in the student movement and completing her degree in Theatre and Development at Concordia University. She has worked in arts service organizations and venues in Montreal and Victoria, and is passionate about nurturing and sustaining community spaces that cultivate ease and connection. Her skills lie in non-profit leadership, system design, digital infrastructure and grant writing. She is also an avid potter and roller derby player.
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—Activities and Outreach coordinator
beaumont@briqueparbrique.comMaya has a diverse set of experiences that intersect arts and culture and community building. As Activities and Outreach coordinator, Maya’s focus is on fostering genuine relationships and creating welcoming and collaborative environments. Outside of work, she teaches toddlers to skateboard and loves to dance.
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—Communications Intern
Santiago is a photographer and videographer from Mexico City. He currently lives in Montreal, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia at Concordia University.
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— Monsoon Festival Coordinator
festival@briqueparbrique.comValeria Ortiz is a community arts educator, performer, and organizer with over six years of experience facilitating creative spaces for cultural exchange. A recent graduate of Concordia University’s Art Education program, she specializes in collaborative art-making that empowers diverse communities, including families, children, and immigrant adults. As Outreach and Activities Coordinator at Brique par Brique, she supports the care, creativity, and collaboration of the many communities who share the space.
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—Operations Intern at Monsoon
Anushka is currently studying Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies, Religious Studies, and South Asian Studies at McGill University, with research interests in Hindu nationalism, religious conflict, queerness, and contemporary South Asian culture. Beyond academia, she is also a DJ and an event curator, focusing on queer and diasporic nightlife, community-building, and South Asian underground music cultures.
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—Board member
Iftekhar has been a dedicated advocate and advisor to Brique par Brique for over seven years, drawn by a deep commitment to building inclusive, community-rooted spaces in Montreal. A board member of Teesri Dunya Theatre, he brings a passion for the arts as a vehicle for social change, particularly within South Asian and diasporic communities. Iftekhar has organized projects at both Brique par Brique and Teesri, supporting transgender youth of South Asian origins — work that reflects his belief that community infrastructure must actively make space for those most often left out. He joins the Brique par Brique board with a long view of what it means to build, brick by brick, a city where everyone belongs.
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—Board member
Markus is a Sociology and anthropology student at Concordia who has previously worked as a communication intern at Brique Par Brique. He is a musician and a community member.
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Alter-Mode Community Coordinator
altermode@briqueparbrique.com
With a background in Fine Arts and Fashion Design, Eugenia brings years of experience as a seamstress and small business owner to her role as Alter-Mode Community Coordinator. Eugenia uses her creative and organizational skills to help build community initiatives and empower members. Deeply committed to textile sustainability, she has firsthand expertise in clothing repair and is in the midst of creating the Montreal Clothing Repair Map to promote circular fashion. Outside of work, she is an avid gardener and loves spending time in nature.
We continued to be moved and inspired by our late colleagues, Leonora King and Masoon Balouch, who led Parc-Ex Curry Collective and Connections, respectively. Their work and memory are a gift we treasure.
Other Steering Members
Kwabena amoateng, sorraya guembhyt, iyan hayadi, Sophie Le-Phat Ho (Founding Member, Former Board Member), simone chen (Former Board Member), sydney bhalla (Former board member).
Join the team!
We are always looking to grow and strengthen our team. We seek people who are ambitious, creative, resourceful, spiritually connected, and apt at turning challenges into opportunities.
Our collaborators
FINANCIAL Partners
Get in touch
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