An important page in the Quebec trade show industry is turning…
At the heart of Quebec’s trade show and exhibition industry for over 50 years, the Place Bonaventure Exhibition Halls are closing their doors.
With more than 315,000 square feet (29,364 square meters) of space, Place Bonaventure’s Exhibition Halls have offered event organizers of all kinds an unparalleled environment for the presentation of consumer shows and trade shows. An exhibition centre par excellence, in the heart of downtown Montreal, the Halls have hosted more than 3,000 events since their opening in 1967, with millions of visitors from all over North America, Europe and Asia for certain trade shows.
Over the years, the Halls have hosted shows of great importance and notoriety in Quebec and Canada such as the Grands Salons Marions-nous, the Montreal Boat Show, the Montreal Camping, Hunting and Fishing Show, the Montreal Gift Shows, Expocam, the Montreal National Home Show, the Parents & Kids Fair, the Montreal Book Show, the Salon des métiers d’art du Québec, the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show, the Montreal Bike Show, the Monteral Manufacturing Technology Show (MMTS), the SIDIM Design Show to name a few.
To our countless clients (promoters and exhibitors) as well as to the visitors who contributed to the success of these events, Place Bonaventure says THANK YOU!
Passionate exhibition staff…
Since the creation of the halls, the team at the Halls has been made up of experienced professionals who have been able to offer our various clienteles services of incomparable quality, where human relations were at the forefront.
The Halls team could also count on about fifty employees from the following companies:
- GardaWorld – Security Services
- GDI – Housekeeping Services
- GES Canada – Technical Services Exhibition Halls
- Les Sœurs Gourmandes and Agnus Dei- Exclusive caterers
- Les Réseaux Cyr – Telecommunications and Networking
- Les Vestiaires Bonaventure
To all of you, the management of Place Bonaventure also says THANK YOU!
A bit of history…
In February 1963, the Canadian National Railway Company solicited proposals for the development of “air concessions” located above the railway tracks in downtown Montreal. The Société immobilière de développement won the bid with its project for the construction of a two million square foot “Canadian Trade Centre”. This space will be available for leasing for exhibitions, as well as for office space and a wholesale trade centre. With the construction of the metro and preparations for the 1967 World’s Fair, the real estate sector exploded in downtown Montreal. All the conditions were in place to ensure the success of the Place Bonaventure project!
The Place Bonaventure concept takes on gigantic proportions as its plans evolve, the final version of which is obtained in October 1965. Construction was spread out over two years and was completed in 1967. In its final form, the complex reached the staggering size of 3.1 million square feet, surpassing the Empire State Building and becoming the largest building in the world at that time.
Place Bonaventure became the “place of the hour” in the early 1970s. In addition to the countless exhibits presented in its halls, the Wholesale Trade Centre welcomed the big names in fashion from across Canada, as well as companies from the furniture and toy industries. A few years later, the Hilton Hotel became a great success with its hanging gardens and four-season swimming pool. The integrated concept of the complex meets expectations and fully plays the role it was intended to play ten years earlier.
Place Bonaventure is transformed…
In 1998, Place Bonaventure underwent a major transformation aimed at restoring an image worthy of its exceptional status in the heart of the International District.
In 2018, a new phase of transformation began. In order to meet the growing demand for rental space in the downtown area, Place Bonaventure is redesigning its public areas to accommodate new office space and retail space with high pedestrian footpaths. The Exhibition Halls have closed in May 2020 to give them a new vocation.