25 July 2025

6 minutes

Customer retention, increased attractiveness and ripple effects at the heart of a collective project.

 

For over ten years, the SDC Vieux-Montréal has been increasingly breathing new energy into its district through an ambitious Beautification project, and the vision that launched this initiative is now embodied in an altogether strategic urban development project. Driven by exemplary collaborations between merchants, residents, specialized suppliers and the Ville-Marie Borough, the SDC Vieux-Montréal is actively measuring the impact this project is having and the enthusiasm it generates.

A Long-Term Vision for the Neighbourhood and the Business Community

With over 200 Versailles planters, 4,500 plants and more than 50 varieties of vegetation, the historic district is no longer simply aesthetically pleasing, but is establishing itself as an environment that is both attractive and profitable for the entirety of its community. “Old Montreal was in need of love. We had to render the neighbourhood more enticing for workers, tourists and merchants. Infrastructure quality is essential in a local economic development strategy,” says Mario Lafrance, Executive Director of the SDC Vieux-Montréal, who was quickly able to count on support from the Ville-Marie Borough, as confirmed by Juan Carlos Restrepo, Division Chief of the Public Works Department, Parks and Horticulture Division. “For our part, we consider Old Montreal to be the picture postcard of the city center. So it’s clear that for us, we need to have a quality of maintenance and beautification that is considerably high.”

A Project that Fosters Engagement and a Sense of Belonging

One of the great strengths of this project lies in its ripple effect. In addition to growing investment and the increase in number of planters and flower boxes – 65% more today than at the outset, to better serve the district – each summer, merchants take the initiative themselves to decorate their shopfronts and terrasses with plants and flowers, thus reinforcing a communal sense of belonging. The project brings people together and creates a shared space where economic and civic interests converge. “This isn’t just a flower-planting operation, it’s a mission: one of making the neighbourhood welcoming, alive, dynamic,” says Émilie Guay-Tardif, Field Projects Manager for the SDC Vieux-Montréal, who coordinates all partners on the ground and enthusiastically welcomes members’ responses to this ambitious project.

“As an organization, we base ourselves on the Business Community Building model,” adds Mr. Lafrance. “But when you launch a movement, you don’t always know how it will evolve. What’s certain is that it has properly taken root in Old Montreal, and seeing our members embrace it gives us the feedback we need to continue.” Customer retention, foot traffic and the increased welcoming aspect of the neighbourhood thanks to the summer Beautification project have together proven its worth. “I see passers-by stopping, smelling the flowers, and the terrasse is pleasant and inviting, so of course they come in,” confirms the owner of La Cave à Manger, a baker and wine merchant who perhaps may have found a new passion…

Logistical Challenges, A Coordinated Response

Old Montreal is a complex area, with narrow streets, exceptional built heritage and heavy foot traffic. Against this backdrop, the SDC opted for a Beautification project that takes these cartographic constraints and human activity into account in order to encourage neighbourhood dynamism without hindering its vibrancy. “In Old Montreal, the street layout is fairly tight, (...) most of the public domain is used either for sidewalks or roadways, so there’s little remaining place for vegetation. Planters and planting will thus contribute to and complement the greenery already provided by trees, which are permanent. But indeed, in a neighbourhood that is very dense, you have to complement with other features because there isn’t the space on the ground to do it,” observes Josée Labelle, a landscape architect familiar with Old Montreal since her firm, NIPPAYSAGE, has carried out several major projects on the periphery of the historic district.

To ensure the quick and safe setup of installations, as well as proper watering and maintenance of planters and flower boxes, coordination is meticulous. Horticultural suppliers, watering teams, borough services – all mobilize each year within their window of action, beginning as early as January for greenhouses, to ensure that the floral installations produce maximum impact. “Every day, coexisting with pedestrians, delivery people, transport… This requires flexibility and vigilance at every moment; but we notice that people are very happy, they ask us questions, give us a thumbs up,” confirms Marc Blanchard, who works for Opus Design, watering flowers throughout the warmer months. It is this level of coordination that ensures not only a successful installation, but an immediate return in terms of commercial appeal. The speed of deployment and the scale of the operation, which ensures beautification until fall, effectively maximizes the impact on neighbourhood foot traffic during the summer season.

An Impact Both Human and Sensory

For residents, beautification provides a welcome touch of green in what could be considered an otherwise rather “mineral” neighbourhood. Every flower, every scent, every urban oasis plays a part in the pleasure of living and strolling around. “The neighbourhood becomes a postcard, and I enjoy the summer not on my balcony but all over Old Montreal,” exclaims Miriel Robidoux, a resident of the area for the past four years who has gotten into the habit of taking breaks between errands to observe the plant growth throughout the summer. With science to back it up, the project’s success is also explained by the need of people who frequent the district – whether workers, residents or visitors – for contact with living things. “A number of studies show that we require a fairly complex natural environment, varieties of textures, sounds produced by the wind in the leaves, colours. (...) The more there is this complexity of foliage, sound, bird song, the more our brain is stimulated and the more there is a calming effect,” notes Josée Labelle, who herself enjoys getting around by bike and taking in the green attractions during the warmer months.

A Series of Original Videos to Discover

A series of seven video segments launched this summer gives voice to those who live in, design and transform Old Montreal through this Beautification project. From its conception to its implementation, experts, civil servants, entrepreneurs and users offer their perspectives to illustrate the project’s concrete impacts and give us a behind-the-scenes look at their involvement in the process. This provides valuable insight at a time when business communities and citizens are redefining their relationship with public space, balancing attractiveness, sustainability and value creation.

 

Discover them here: sdcvieuxmontreal.com/en/page/beautification-2025

The Ville-Marie Borough and the SDC Vieux-Montréal are proud partners of the Old Montreal Beautification 2025 project.

Photo credits: Sara Megan

Similar Publications