The City of Montreal is teaming up with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to try to buy up to $8 million of green space for the community.

The island has what is commonly called a green space deficit. A few months ago, the city admitted it would cost at least $100 million to buy as much green space as it would like.

Executive committee member Alan DeSousa said the city might spend as much as $4 million, an amount that would be matched by the Nature Conservancy, for a total of $8 million.

DeSousa, who is responsible for the environment on the executive committee, said the city expects its boroughs to chip in some of the money. He added, however, that the city won't necessarily buy any land as part of the deal.

Environmentalist Sylvia Oljemark of the the Green Coalition said that's better than nothing.