ɔːlðˈoʊ bɹˈʌðɚ vˈɪktoːɹˌɪn ɪz ˌɔn ɹˈɛkɚd æz hˌævɪŋ sədʒˈɛstᵻd ðæt mˌɑːntɹɪˈɔːl bˈɪld ɪts ˈoʊn bətˈænɪkəl ɡˈɑːɹdənz æz ˈɜːli æz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪntiːn, ðə ɡˈɑːɹdən wʌz nˌɑːt ˈɔːθɚɹˌaɪzd ʌntˈɪl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti nˈaɪn wɛn mˌɑːntɹɪˈɔːl mˈeɪɚ kæmˈɪliən hˈaʊd ɐpɹˈuːvd ɪt, wɪð kənstɹˈʌkʃən bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi wˈʌn.
Although Brother Victorin is on record as having suggested that Montreal build its own botanical gardens as early as 1919, the Garden was not authorized until 1929 when Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde approved it, with construction beginning in 1931.