Published
Sat, Dec 16, 2023, 09:00
- Key players say a new policy is expected to be announced in January and adopted by spring.
Montreal partygoers can anticipate changes in nightlife next year.
Earlier this month, Radio-Canada teased information that venues in the city's Latin Quarter might be allowed to stay open 24 hours a day starting in 2024. Clubs and bars currently close at 3 AM.
Mathieu Grondin is general director of MTL 24/24, a non-profit aimed at enhancing the city's development through new initiatives. He's been working toward 24-hour licenses in Montreal since at least 2022. Speaking to Resident Advisor, he said the news is part of a bigger plan. "It's a policy of principles," he said. "We want to extend the nights [and make them] safe and inclusive."
The policy is expected to be announced in January and adopted in early spring. While the Latin Quarter was suggested as one of the neighbourhoods in need of "dire revitalisation," its 24-hour license hasn't been officially confirmed, Grondin noted. He also acknowledged that it might not be the best area for the programme as it doesn't host many clubs due to lack of space.
"There are more zones that might be better suited to where the commercial infrastructure is already there," he said. But the city has been hesitant to offer other areas that might be more appropriate, such as the Quartier des Spectacles—AKA the festival zone—because of already ongoing noise complaints from residents.
However, Catherine Cadotte, who serves as the senior press secretary of the mayor and executive committee of the City of Montreal, seemed optimistic.
"Montreal is a festive city," she told RA. "Its nightlife is an invaluable asset for ensuring the city's economic vitality and attractiveness and reducing mischief. For the past two years, our administration has been experimenting with different activities to identify the right conditions to satisfy the needs of both club-goers and businesses, while also providing quality living environments for residents. The success of the 24-hour pilot events confirms the value of this approach and will help us develop the nightlife policy we'll be presenting shortly."
She continued: "Beyond festive events, the creation of the first 24-hour district is an innovative way of offering residents and visitors a full range of services available at all times. Several other measures are planned in the upcoming policy. The goal is to make neighbourhoods more welcoming to night-time cultural and economic activities, while at the same time having measures in place to protect [the] quality of life."
We'll report more on this story as it unfolds.
Photo: Kajetan Sumila