The City of Montreal today unveiled the concept for the next stage in the redevelopment of Sainte-Catherine Street West, between Peel and Saint-Marc streets, scheduled to begin in the summer of 2025.
Given the urgent need to replace outdated underground infrastructure dating back to the late 19th century, this major project is an opportunity for the City to rethink the layout of this emblematic commercial artery of the metropolis, in order to reinforce its status as an essential shopping destination, while improving the safety, comfort and experience of the people who frequent it.
The city will create two public squares on the street:
- Place McGill (between boulevard Robert-Bourassa and rue Mansfield), which will complement the future McGill College Avenue plaza and create a must-see destination in the heart of the metropolis;
- Place Concordia (between Bishop and Guy streets), at the heart of a university district, will become a place to pause and a cool oasis in the western part of downtown.
As gateways to Sainte-Catherine Street West, these permanently pedestrianized public squares will transform the pedestrian experience and ease vehicular traffic, while maintaining accessibility to the street. In addition to highlighting exceptional sites such as the Centre St-Jax, the future development of McGill College Avenue with Place Oscar-Peterson, and the Oval, with its breathtaking view of the Mountain, these public squares will offer large planted pits, new spaces for socializing and a wide variety of street furniture to encourage appropriation.
To complete the pedestrian route along rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, the concept calls for the addition of bollards on the other sections of the street to facilitate pedestrianization during special events or seasons, an improvement in the signature street furniture and a substantial increase in greenery.
Investingin downtown's economic vitality
Faced with the challenges of changing consumer habits and the rise of online commerce, the City of Montreal is presenting a concept inspired by international best practices, aimed at maximizing the appeal and retention potential of this commercial artery, by offering interesting, flexible and lively spaces that will set it apart from any other retail destination. Public squares and enlarged sidewalks provide an environment conducive not only to active travel, but also to shopping, dining, strolling, relaxing and entertaining.
The project was inspired by studies showing that the majority of revenues generated by a commercial artery in a downtown area come from customers using active modes of transport. Testifying to the success of the Phase 1 redevelopment, count data from 2023 show a renewed vitality of downtown commercial arteries, notably on Sainte-Catherine Street West, where an increase in pedestrian traffic has been noted, as well as higher evening and weekend traffic, despite the absence of workers, and an increase in non-work-related downtown clientele. Downtown Montreal also saw a greater increase in pedestrian traffic than downtown Toronto or Vancouver.
Ensuring exemplary work and supporting merchants
To support downtown businesses and minimize the impact of the work, the Ville de Montréal will implement several mitigation measures, with a budget of $700,000 for 2025 alone. Access to businesses will be maintained at all times, thanks to the creation of pedestrian corridors, safe walkways and universally accessible passageways.
It should be noted that specific expectations expressed by the commercial community, notably concerning cleanliness, worksite mitigation and social cohabitation, have been incorporated into the project. The 2025 budget includes a $10 million envelope for the downtown strategy, with specific sums earmarked for cleanliness, urban safety, worksite mitigation and to address social cohabitation issues linked to the vulnerability crisis.
Frequent cleaning is planned, including the cleaning of banners and site wraps. Pedestrian signage will be installed and updated daily to ensure the right direction to the shops, and increased communication will be ensured by a dedicated full-time liaison person.
Appropriate financial assistance will also be available. Currently, two existing programs offer maximum subsidies of up to $45,000.
Ensuring safe access for all
Ville de Montréal analyses have shown that the new development will significantly improve the experience of downtown commuters, 75% of whom use a means of transport other than the car. The project will also guarantee access to 15,000 parking spaces located within 10 minutes of the artery. In addition, this pedestrian-priority shopping destination will continue to be served by five metro stations, several bus routes, a new REM station, as well as a bicycle link located on a parallel street.
“To prevent pipe breaks downtown, we need to take responsibility and quickly change the underground infrastructure on this section of Sainte-Catherine Ouest, which dates back to the 19th century. Every time we're forced to carry out work, particularly to change pipes, we must seize the opportunity to improve the street, for businesses, residents and visitors alike. Sainte-Catherine Street is our most important commercial artery, and if we want to ensure its vitality for the next 50 years, we need to look to examples of successful development. It's by making our commercial arteries truly welcoming destinations, well landscaped and greened, that we'll succeed in making our commercial arteries more attractive than e-commerce and shopping malls. Phase 1 was a commercial and traffic success, and we're aiming for the same success in Phase 2,” says Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
“We're proposing a project that's buoyant for the downtown area and resolutely imbued with a vision for the future of Sainte-Catherine Street West. When we make developments that are welcoming and pleasant, it helps bring people back to downtown, which is good news for everyone, including merchants. Today, we are reiterating our desire to make Sainte-Catherine Street West a destination of choice for Montrealers, as well as a must-see artery for the thousands of tourists who visit the metropolis every year,” added Robert Beaudry, the executive committee member responsible for urban planning, the OCPM and homelessness.
“Global trends are moving towards the pedestrianization of tourist thoroughfares, a measure much appreciated by visitors; these developments offer a natural setting for animation and help improve the overall ambience of a neighborhood. The project planned for the emblematic rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest represents an opportunity to enhance the experience for visitors. This project will benefit from being harmoniously integrated into our urban fabric to preserve the vitality and distinctive character of this thoroughfare,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
“The Concordia community has expressed its desire for more pedestrian space around our downtown campus in the past. We can already imagine that the proposed esplanade will quickly become a lively and popular space for our community and visitors to the area,” commented Concordia University President Graham Carr.
“These esplanades will encourage the thousands of young people, families and seniors who live downtown to get out of the high-rises and get moving, which will contribute to their physical and mental health. The 45,000 residents of Peter-McGill deserve a quality of life like anywhere else on the island of Montreal, and this project will contribute directly to that,” added Stéphane Febbrari Vermette, director of the Table de quartier Peter-McGill.
To ensure continuity with the first phase, a single eastbound lane will be maintained. There will also be a drop-off lane for deliveries, identified by a register detailing the delivery needs of merchants on Sainte-Catherine Street West, to be set up in 2022. Like the section that has already been redeveloped, the sidewalks will be enlarged, concrete pavers will be laid across the entire width of the roadway, and the street will be greened by the addition of trees.
Begun in 2018, the Sainte-Catherine Street West project has already led to the redevelopment of the artery between De Bleury and Mansfield streets, as well as Phillips Square. The project continues between Mansfield and Peel streets, with work on this section, on pause until April 2025, scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
For more details on the Sainte-Catherine Street West redevelopment project, visit this page.
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SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
