Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Montreal

Boarded-up windows for G7 become works of art in Quebec City

Some of the shop windows that have been boarded up in downtown Quebec City are now colourful murals and places of expression, as merchants try to liven up the streets.

Shopkeepers try creative ways to keep the peace during G7 protests

Julia Page · CBC News ·
Caroline Marois, who runs the Ninkasi Bar on Saint-Jean Street in Quebec City, says she wanted to put a positive spin on the protests expected to occur over the weekend. (Julia Page/CBC)
Murals and message boards are blooming on boarded-up windows in downtown Quebec City, as merchants try to bring a positive spin on the preventative measures they've had to take in the lead-up to this weekend's protests in the streets of Old Quebec.

Shop owners have covered their storefront windows with plywood to limit any damage that could come of the planned protests against this week's G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Que.

Colourful canvases cover the plywood at Galerie Zen, an art gallery on Saint-Jean Street.

Owner Esther Garneau hopes the murals, with their messages of peace and love, will sway protesters and help keep the mood cheerful and festive.

"I think art is good energy and good protection," said Garneau.

"People will be less prone to be violent, to break, when there's art,'' she said, as she put the finishing touches on a pink and blue artwork.

Flashbacks to 2001

The Ninkasi Bar, also located on Saint-Jean Street, followed the city's recommendations and dismantled its sidewalk patio.

In its place, a staff member painted bright orange letters over a white backdrop, indicating the bar was a "festive, neutral zone."

General manager Caroline Marois said her staff wanted to distance themselves from the massive security operation underway just a few streets away, at Quebec City's Convention Centre.

"In all the chaos going on, we wanted to show a protest is first and foremost a human gathering," said Marois, who worked in a Quebec City bar in 2001 during the tumultuous Summit of the Americas.

She said beyond the images of violent clashes between police and protesters that are still vivid in the public's mind 17 years later, she also recalls people just wanting a place to rest and have a snack.

The Ninkasi Bar's boarded-up exterior reads 'Neutral Zone.' Bar staff hope to provide protesters with an impartial gathering place during the G7 Summit. (Julia Page/CBC)

"I remember the peaceful gatherings — protesters just sitting together in the street. There was something inspiring to see these young people involved in a cause," Marois said.

Local shops quickly ran out of basics like water bottles in 2001, she said, which is why she stocked up on supplies for this weekend.

Several shops on Saint-Jean Street have hung markers to the plywood covering their windows, inviting people to leave messages. (Julia Page/CBC)

City promises rapid compensation

Quebec Mayor Régis Labeaume provided business owners with last-minute information at a Thursday afternoon meeting.

He promised 75 per cent of the costs for any damages caused to windows and storefronts would be reimbursed by the city within 10 days.

The city is instructing merchants to call the Ministry of Public Security, at 3-1-1-, as soon as possible so any damage can be evaluated.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Related Stories