The Société du Havre de Montréal

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Profile of the société Status, structure and organization Mission, objectives and operations General aims Board of directors Montréal Harbourfront VISION 2025 EXPLORATORY STUDIES Preliminary analyses Areas concerned Socio-economic profile Reclassified areas Rips in the urban fabric Isolated areas Land access Access to the riverbanks and St. Lawrence Original riverbanks Built and archaeological heritage Main economic poles Development issues Development constraints Development potential Possible solutions Urban habitat Recreational, cultural and tourism role Public transit Highway systems Access to the St. Lawrence and its banks Industrial operations Consultation Presentations Publications Newsletter THE HARBOURFRONT Quartier Bonaventure – The New Montreal Transformation of the Bonaventure Expressway at the Downtown Gateway The Montreal Harbourfront – Final Report and Recommendations L'autoroute Bonaventure – VISION 2025 Montréal Harbourfront – VISION 2025 Montréal Harbourfront – Assessment of the Situation Press releases Image bank The Montreal Harbourfront – Final Report and Recommendations Bonaventure Expressway Montréal Harbourfront – VISION 2025 Videos Preparatory Works 2007

Profile of the société

Background

The Société du Havre de Montréal was founded with the goal of pursuing the efforts undertaken to promote the economic, social, cultural and environmental development of the harbourfront, and transforming them into a concerted development and investment plan.

The harbourfront and its urban surroundings are at the very heart of Montréal's identity. Reappropriating these spaces as living space and developing new business and tourism functions will confirm the sector’s position as a hub of many different economic and urban activities.

Over the past two decades, many interventions have played a part in developing the areas around the harbourfront: the Quartier international de Montréal and the expansion of the Palais des congrès, the Cité Multimédia, the renewal of Old Montréal and the Lachine Canal and the development of the Old Port and Jean Drapeau Park are all achievements that have helped to improve the sector.

But there is still much to be done here, in an area whose development and role have been the subject of considerable debate for many years now. The City of Montréal looked at various options when the main stakeholders interested in the future of the harbourfront gathered for the Montréal Summit, in spring 2002.

The challenge was to balance public and private interests around a plan designed to mobilize all stakeholders and bring them together. A plan that would be guided by an overall vision of the sector, allowing the different stakeholders to propose coherent development for the whole area. A plan indicating desirable types of development and including a number of different ideas for land use and corrections to the transportation system. The strategy proposed to allow the different parties involved in developing the harbourfront to join forces was to create a non-profit corporation.

The Corporation was founded in October 2002. It began by consulting with the main players, setting up sector work groups and meeting with the communities concerned, with the goal of submitting its master plan by the end of the first quarter of 2004.

The Corporation has a start-up budget of $1 million to cover operating expenses, studies and preliminary development.

Before this mandate was assigned to the Corporation, the City of Montréal had identified 14 issues related to harbourfront development (in french). This is where the Société du Havre began its work.