In Montreal, organized agriculture takes mainly two forms: community gardens and collective gardens. It is mostly community-based organizations that manage collective gardens. It is possible to consider the collective garden as a locus for collective action because it is a place where innovative social initiatives are developed. In the context of an institutional collective garden, the self-management model of governance seems to be relevant because this type of initiative is itself a political process and a way of changing one’s own living environment. This paper analyzes the emergence of a self-managed initiative, the Collectif de recherche en aménagement paysager et en agriculture urbaine durable (CRAPAUD). In so doing, we highlight the governance process at work within the CRAPAUD. Our results show that the mode of governance established within the organization promotes the achievement of the socio-environmental objectives of the CRAPAUD and this, beyond the various constraints inherent in the self-management model of governance. Finally, our results also show that the specific mode of governance at work within the CRAPAUD is a liberating process for the empowerment of its members.