In Parc-Extension, Brique par brique has emerged as a key community anchor, offering programs that combine economic participation, social integration and neighbourhood engagement.
Operating out of its Beaumont Avenue community centre, Brique par brique serves immigrants, refugees and long-time residents through initiatives designed to respond to everyday realities, access to work, isolation, affordability and the challenge of navigating a new social and economic environment. The organization’s approach emphasizes participation and skill recognition rather than one-time assistance.
Building integration from the neighbourhood level
Parc-Extension is one of Montreal’s most densely populated and culturally diverse areas, and community organizations play a central role in bridging gaps left by broader systems. Brique par brique’s programming reflects that local focus, offering activities that are accessible, low-cost and rooted directly in the neighbourhood.
Rather than concentrating on a single service, the organization operates multiple programs that encourage residents to engage with one another, share skills and gradually take on more active roles within the community. Volunteering, peer support and community-run activities are core elements of its model.
Alter-Mode as a concrete example
One of Brique par brique’s best-known initiatives is Alter-Mode, a monthly sewing and clothing-alteration program held at the Brique par brique community centre on the last Saturday of every month.
Alter-Mode brings together experienced seamstresses and tailors, many of them newcomers, with community members seeking affordable clothing repairs, alterations or upcycling. Participants bringing garments are asked to make a cash donation based on the time and materials required. Those donations are distributed directly to the seamstresses carrying out the work.
The program serves several functions at once. It offers low-cost services to residents, creates a modest revenue stream for participants and provides a public space where skills that often go unrecognized in the formal labour market are visibly valued.
From participation to opportunity
Brique par brique places strong emphasis on creating pathways within its own organization. Participants often begin by attending activities or volunteering, then gradually assume greater responsibility. In some cases, sustained involvement has led to paid roles within the organization.
This internal progression reflects a broader philosophy that integration is strengthened when newcomers are not only service recipients but active contributors and decision-makers. Programs such as Alter-Mode function not only as service points, but also as platforms for confidence-building and community visibility.
Social and environmental dimensions
Alongside its social mission, Brique par brique incorporates environmental considerations into its programming. Initiatives like Alter-Mode include clothing swaps and upcycling, encouraging reuse and reduced textile waste at a time when fast fashion and rising living costs place pressure on households.
Organizers frame sustainability as a community issue rather than an abstract goal, linking environmental responsibility with affordability and shared resources.
A stabilizing presence in Parc-Extension
As demand for community-level services grows across Montreal, Brique par brique continues to adapt its programming to neighbourhood needs. Its presence in Parc-Extension highlights the role local organizations play in supporting newcomers while strengthening the broader social fabric.
Through initiatives like Alter-Mode and other community-led activities, Brique par brique demonstrates how practical, skill-based programs can contribute to economic inclusion, social connection and long-term integration, built steadily, one brick at a time.
