The city of Montreal is taking steps to acquire a convent that occupies a large are at the foot of Mount Royal,

The convent of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph has been at the block at the corner of Park and Pine Avenues since 1861, but the nuns living there can no longer afford its upkeep.

From a peak of 225 sisters and other members of the religious order, only 60 remain in residence, ranging in age from 65 to 101 years old.

Mayor Denis Coderre and Mother Superior Sister Marie-Therese Laliberté said the nuns would move to the adjacent Masson Pavilion of Hotel Dieu de Montreal.

That way the nuns will still have access to the 36,000 square metres of gardens and park that make up the property.

Coderre said the nuns deserve respect and dignity.

"We want to make sure it's more accessible to Montrealers," said Coderre.

"Montrealers own it, we will be able to at the same time protect our heritage and send a strong message of respect and dignity and thanks to the congregation for what they've been doing to take care of it for a century."

The nuns will continue to operate a museum on the land, but Coderre said he would like to see a new building erected on the parking lot that would be used for 100 social housing units.

All the existing buildings, however, would maintain their current heritage designation.

The convent is also home to the final resting place of Jeanne Mance, who established Hotel Dieu de Montreal in 1645, and is considered a co-founder of Montreal.

The religious hospital was able to expand and be a home to Montrealers seeking medical help for centuries after Mance sought the help of the St. Joseph nuns.

In 1859 construction began on Hotel at its current location, in accordance with hospital care at the time: a place for rest and recovery with lots of fresh air, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Similar medical considerations were taken into account several decades later when the Royal Victoria was built half a kilometre away.

And just like the Royal Victoria moved to a new location, at the Glen Yards, so is the Hotel Dieu set to move.

Hotel Dieu is scheduled to close this year and its services be transferred to the new French Superhospital, the CHUM on Viger Ave.

A price for the transfer has not been set, but as negotiations will continue for the next six months.