Montreal injects $400K to draw shoppers downtown, stimulate economy

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says the city will invest $400,000 into "developing and animating" its downtown sector, as part of a $22-million plan to relaunch Montreal's economy, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Downtown Montreal has been hit especially hard, since many offices have shifted to remote work, and there are few international tourists and no big festivals this summer. 

"Because of confinement measures, the downtown is deserted by workers and students and tourists," Plante said. "It's a reality we have to deal with." 

The plan is to temporarily reorganize public space in the downtown area this summer, making it more appealing to Montreal shoppers and stimulating the local economy. There will also be pop-up art installations and "surprise" music and dance performances throughout the summer. 

Plante said the city is in discussions with the federal and provincial governments to get more funding to help downtown businesses survive. 

Montreal is hoping to draw people to its downtown sector while encouraging physical distancing and discouraging group gatherings. 

Starting Tuesday, reorganized public spaces will be set up in the area bounded by Atwater Street and Papineau Avenue, Sherbrooke Street and the St. Lawrence River. 

Seven large outdoor terrasses and public squares will be available to the public starting July 31. More than 150 artists will set up various types of art installations, music, dance and other spontaneous performances at the locations. 

These terrasses will be set up at the Jardins du Centre St-Jax, at Place d'Youville, at the corner of Saint-Laurent and René-Lévesque boulevards, at Place des Festivals in the Quartier des spectacles, as well as at Les Jardins Gamelin.

The plan was developed in collaboration with Montreal's chamber of commerce, Tourisme Montréal and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership. 

'Downtown is suffering'

Unlike more residential neighbourhoods where people are shopping locally, downtown relies on people working in the vicinity or students, many of whom have left the city for the summer. 

Michel Leblanc, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, said that fewer than five per cent of office workers have returned to the downtown area. 

"Montreal is suffering. Downtown is suffering," Leblanc said. 

On top of that, many of the millions of tourists who visit Montreal every year are staying away. 

In 2018, 11 million tourists visited Montreal, generating $4.5 billion in economic spinoffs. 

"We have one million tourists this year," said Yves Lalumière, president of Tourisme Montréal. "Ninety per cent of revenues have disappeared." 

He urged Montrealers to take advantage of the downtown area now that there are "practically no tourists." 

That also means there is now plenty of space to park downtown. Plante announced 1,000 discount parking spaces at the Complexe Desjardins and Palais des congrès, and encouraged Montrealers to take the metro or cycle downtown as well.