Montreal’s downtown core is at the heart of a major urban renaissance.
The investment in the pedestrian experience is not an isolated effort: it is part of a broader strategy that includes the creation of permanent spaces such as Place McGill and Place Concordia, as well as the complete transformation of McGill College Avenue into an imposing public square
Sainte-Catherine Street West is not just being redeveloped; it is being fundamentally reimagined as a 24/7 living space, not merely a transit artery.
These large-scale projects, dictated in part by the urgent need to replace century-old underground infrastructure, aim to consolidate downtown’s status as a must-visit destination, where commerce thrives by prioritizing pedestrians and active transportation.
I. Downtown: The Numbers Speak for Themselves
The success of pedestrianization is not a matter of opinion; it’s a matter of feet on the ground. Recent data confirms this:
Rising Foot Traffic: The pedestrianized Sainte-Catherine Street West, in the Quartier des spectacles sector, recorded an average of 33,000 passages per day between mid-May and late September 2025. This is a marked increase compared to the 25,000 daily passages observed the previous year (2024), demonstrating a rebound in attractiveness post-pandemic.
High Satisfaction: A survey conducted in the pedestrian zone reveals an 89% satisfaction rate for the new layouts and a significant improvement in the feeling of safety.
Economic Showcase: The revitalization of these arteries is directly linked to commercial dynamism. Studies indicate that the vacancy rate is twice as low in the revitalized sections of Sainte-Catherine Street West, with six times more business openings than closings across the entire Montréal Centre-Ville territory since the spring. Money follows the pedestrian, not the car.
II. The Public Square Strategy:
The Sainte-Catherine West project (notably the phase between Peel and Saint-Marc, which began in the summer of 2025 and continues until 2030) is an operation to build public space from the ground up. The true masterstroke is the creation of two new permanent public squares, intended to become focal points in the district:
Place McGill: Located at the intersection of Robert-Bourassa Boulevard, it aims to create a striking destination at the heart of the metropolis and will complement the future grand square of McGill College Avenue.
Place Concordia: Located near the university (between Bishop and Guy), this square is essential for serving the university hub. It is designed as a fresh oasis and a resting spot, traversed daily by tens of thousands of people.
These squares, with their widened sidewalks, urban furniture, and increased greening (with planted trenches), are not mere adornments. They are the new i nfrastructure for commerce and social life.
III. Twin Projects: McGill College Avenue
The transformation of Sainte-Catherine West cannot be understood without mentioning its major neighbouring project, McGill College Avenue.
This artery will be transformed into an imposing pedestrian public square across its entire surface, linking Place Ville-Marie to Mount Royal (between Cathcart and Sherbrooke West).
Timeline: Work on replacing underground infrastructure and landscape design will begin in 2026.
Vision: This long-promised project aims to create an "international signature for Montreal" – a grand urban gesture that completes the Fleuve-Montagne pedestrian walkway and integrates modern infrastructure, notably the future station of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM).
Winter Development: The design even includes elements to enhance the winter experience, such as large fireplaces for warmth and misters for the summer period.
The redevelopment between Peel and Saint-Marc, initiated in the summer of 2025, includes the creation of these two new permanent public squares: Place McGill and Place Concordia.
These locations, already seeing tens of thousands of people pass through daily, are designed as fresh oases with widened sidewalks and more urban furniture.
In short, downtown Montreal is currently a laboratory for sustainable mobility and commercial vitality.
But What About the Eastern Section?
2. Sainte-Catherine West (Downtown/Quartier des Spectacles):
Status: Also pedestrian on certain sections for the summer season (e.g., between De Bleury and Saint-Laurent). The permanent redevelopment, already underway on other sections, continues to transform the street into a more welcoming pedestrian space. The pedestrianization experience in the Quartier des spectacles (Sainte-Catherine West) proves successful, pushing the City to consolidate and expand this vision.
The pedestrianization of Sainte-Catherine Street West, notably in the Quartier des spectacles, proves its effectiveness with an average summer foot traffic of 33,000 passages per day in 2025 – an increase compared to the previous year.
Beyond the numbers, these projects, supported by major investments (including $12 million for seasonal pedestrian zones until 2027), aim to create genuine, greener, and more human public squares.
3. Sainte-Catherine East (The Village):
Status: Seasonal pedestrian zone (between Saint-Hubert and Papineau) with an ambitious project to make it year-round pedestrian over one kilometre (between Berri and De Lorimier) by the end of 2030.
Foot Traffic: The Village’s SDC reported over 8 million passages registered during the summer of 2025 (start of the season). Furthermore, a 25% increase in foot traffic was noted for the summer of 2025 compared to the previous year.
Budget and Investments: The City unveiled a major redevelopment concept (including the Berri-De Lorimier section) for year-round pedestrianization.
The work, notably targeting the replacement of obsolete underground infrastructure and the addition of over 225 trees, will begin in the fall of 2026. This is a significant investment, a large part of which targets essential infrastructure, and not just cosmetic "surface dressing."
IV. Impacts:
Economic Impact: Success is primarily measured by attendance. The significant increase in foot traffic, like the 25% surge in the Village, is a strong indicator of recovered commercial vitality. Key seasonal pedestrian projects benefit from renewed support from the City of Montreal, which is investing $12 million until 2027 to ensure their sustainability and predictability, with increased funding envelopes for the largest arteries.
Urban Planning and Greening: The transformation of Sainte-Catherine is not just aesthetic. It addresses a need for urban resilience. The Sainte-Catherine East project includes the development of over 1,000 square meters of vegetated trenches, two-thirds of which will act as rain gardens, improving water management and reducing heat islands. This is a major step toward a more ecological downtown.
Social Impact: The success in foot traffic attracts new audiences, such as families and youth, helping to diversify the image of the Village. However, these rethought spaces also expose persistent social challenges. Local stakeholders emphasize that the increase in traffic must coexist with the reality of marginalized individuals. The success of pedestrianization will also depend on its ability to be a place of inclusion, not exclusion, requiring constant efforts in terms of cleanliness and social support.
The street is transitioning from the status of a simple commercial street to that of a series of interconnected public squares. The success is evident, supported by encouraging figures and a clear, growing financial commitment from the City.