City shelves Old Montreal pedestrian plan on 14 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:35 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
A decision affecting Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) was confirmed on 14 October 2026, when Montreal’s executive committee withdrew funding for the district’s planned pedestrian street reconfiguration. The move puts the pedestrianisation project on hold while a new approach is prepared for the historic quarter in Canada.
Montreal puts the Old Montreal pedestrian plan on hold
The decision removed C$485,000 from the budget assigned to reconfiguring streets in Old Montreal. The money is being redirected to studies for extending rue Jean-Louis-Lévesque in the Namur-Hippodrome area, according to a report by Journal Métro’s report of the decision.
The executive committee approved the change on 14 October 2026. The existing pedestrian project, announced in 2023, had envisaged a broader redesign of streets around Place d’Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier, Saint-Paul Street and rue de la Commune. The planned reconfiguration did not take place as originally proposed, and a later project will be developed for the district.
The new study concerns a short street near the former Namur-Hippodrome site and would examine a possible extension to rue Paré. The stated purpose is to improve vehicle access to the redevelopment area, rather than to change access to Old Montreal’s principal visitor streets. Independent coverage by 24 heures also records the withdrawal of the funding for the historic district.
Old Montreal’s existing pedestrian streets remain in place
The funding decision concerns the proposed permanent street redesign, not every pedestrian measure already operating in the quarter. The City of Montreal lists Place Jacques-Cartier and the section of Saint-Paul Street between Marché-Bonsecours and Saint-Laurent Boulevard as seasonal pedestrian areas from 15 April to 29 October 2026.
Saint-Paul Street West, between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Saint-François-Xavier Street, is arranged for shared use by pedestrians and vehicles. Beside Notre-Dame Basilica, the permanent pedestrian forecourt provides a link to Place d’Armes. These separate arrangements mean that the 14 October decision changes the future plan without removing the pedestrian spaces already identified by the City of Montreal’s street guide.
This distinction matters for visitors in October and November 2026. Seasonal pedestrian treatment remains listed until 29 October, while the wider project that was intended to reorganise streets across the district no longer has its previous funding. The next design will therefore determine how the quarter balances walking routes, deliveries, local businesses and vehicle access.
Visiting Old Montreal: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The relevant decision was approved on 14 October 2026, and it concerns the future street-reconfiguration plan rather than a temporary closure of the district.
- Place Jacques-Cartier and part of Saint-Paul Street are listed as seasonal pedestrian areas until 29 October 2026; Saint-Paul Street West remains a shared-use section.
- Old Montreal is in central Montreal, beside the Old Port and the St Lawrence River. Place d’Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier, Notre-Dame Basilica and Saint-Paul Street are named reference points within the quarter.
- The historic streets include pedestrian-priority areas, shared streets and pavements around public squares. Visitors should expect different arrangements from one street to the next rather than a single car-free zone.
- Canada’s official languages are English and French, and the national currency is the Canadian dollar.
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Frequently asked questions about Old Montreal
What changed at Old Montreal on 14 October 2026?
Montreal’s executive committee withdrew C$485,000 from the planned street reconfiguration and redirected it to traffic studies in the Namur-Hippodrome area.
Which Old Montreal streets are pedestrian areas in 2026?
Place Jacques-Cartier and part of Saint-Paul Street are listed as seasonal pedestrian areas until 29 October 2026, while the Notre-Dame Basilica forecourt is permanent.
Where is Old Montreal and how do you get there?
Old Montreal is in central Montreal beside the Old Port and the St Lawrence River, with Place d’Armes and Place Jacques-Cartier among its main reference points.
