Villes d'avenir volume 7 - issue 1 : : Montréal Economic Edition by JBC Média inc.

COLLECTION

VOLUME 7 | ISSUE 1

MONTREAL

E c o n o m i c MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE THE UNIVERSITY CITY A REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM

UNITED IN DIVERSITY POMERLEAU

BUILDING ON HALF A CENTURY OF

SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

PP 41614528

CF PROMENADES ST-BRUNO

WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER We own, operate and develop best-in-class retail, office and mixed-use properties. Our properties are where families share the day. Where fashion and entertainment live. Where new tastes are discovered. Where companies plant roots. Where careers take off. Where people meet and ideas collide. Visit our popular shopping centres: CF Carrefour Laval, CF Fairview Pointe Claire, CF Galeries d’Anjou and CF Promenades St-Bruno, and discover our prestigious office spaces, such as Windsor Station and the Deloitte Tower.

DELOITTE TOWER AND WINDSOR STATION

CF GALERIES D’ANJOU

CF FAIRVIEW POINTE CLAIRE

CF CARREFOUR LAVAL

A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF MONTRÉAL

Year after year, Montréal shows what it means to be Québec’s economic powerhouse. Our prime location between Europe and the Americas has made our city a crucial base for foreign investors. Montréal’s core industrial clusters have earned an outstanding reputation on the global stage. We nurture the development of multiple industries—including aerospace, life sciences, finance and new information & communication technologies—rather than focusing on just one, like most other North American metropolises. Montréal also offers businesses some of the continent’s lowest operating costs thanks to a stable economic environment and strong property market. No wonder we ranked among the most competitive Canadian and US cities in 2014. Innovation propels our economy. As I’ve often said, brainpower is Montréal’s key resource. We are home to more research centres than any other Canadian community. Plus, some 170,000 university students—26,000 of whom come from abroad—attend our 11 universities and professional institutions. 40,000 of them join the labour force each year. And these students—open to the world, bilingual and enthusiastic—mirror the wonderful spirit of our great town. Thank to this rich economic fabric, Montréal is in the process of finalizing even more core economic development projects to celebrate our 375th anniversary in 2017. And 2017 will in turn become a new launch pad for a surge of renewed economic, cultural and social growth as we approach our 400th birthday.

Denis Coderre Mayor of Montréal

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

CONTENT : : 2016 EDITION

3 A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF MONTRÉAL

By Denis Coderre

5 A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Jacques Boisvert

MONTRÉAL

LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

7 MONTRÉAL Looks forward to a major milestone 20 TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL A magnet for investors 23 MONTRÉAL, THE UNIVERSITY CITY Positioning and performance 29 UNITED IN DIVERSITY SPECIAL SECTION

31 FORUM OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICALS 32 SAINT-EUSTACHE The attractions of innovation 34 SAINTE-JULIE Happy town 37 LAVAL An active, convivial community 39 BEAUHARNOIS Renaissance city 40 A REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM FOR MONTRÉAL An interview with Andrée De Serres, who holds the Ivanhoé Cambridge

Real Estate Chair at the ESG (school of management), UQAM

45 TIME TO INVEST IN MONTRÉAL – NOW MORE THAN EVER 4

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

40 47 SPECIAL REPORT

A REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM FOR MONTRÉAL

POMERLEAU

BUILDING ON HALF A CENTURY OF SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC EDITION

PUBLISHER Jacques Boisvert EDITOR IN CHIEF Nathalie Savaria EDITORIAL Suzanne Gagné, Emmanuelle Gril and Nathalie Savaria TRANSLATION, REVISION AND PROOF-READING Christine Barozzi, Catherine Faucher, Suzanne Gagné, Maureen Nicholson, Kathe Lieber and Anne-Marie Trudel PRODUCTION Graphic design and layout Carole Bordeleau for Carbodesign Advertisements Sandrina Villeneuve for Millennium concept & design ADVERTISING Montréal 450 670-7770 Québec 418 317-0669 Buntha My Advertising Representative Souk Vongphakdy Internal Sales Development Manager ADMINISTRATION Catherine Faucher, Assistant to the President and Operations Manager Edith Lajoie Customer Service and Coordination PHOTOGRAPHS Denis Bernier and Alain Lambert COVER PAGE PHOTOS © Stéphan Poulin PUBLICATIONS POST Agreement no. PP 41614528 RETURN ADDRESS 2120 Victoria Avenue, suite 140 Longueuil (Greenfield Park) QC J4V 1M9 SUBSCRIPTIONS www.jbcmedia.ca Legal deposits — Library and Archives Canada and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 2009 All requests for copies must be made in writing to the publisher. If your request is accepted, it must clearly indicate the source, as follows: From Villes d’avenir, Montréal Economic Magazine Edition. The name of the author or photographer must also appear. Please note that this magazine appears seasonally. Publication dates subject to change.

Villes d’avenir Magazine is published by JBC Média inc.

President : Jacques Boisvert 2120 Victoria Ave., suite 140 Longueuil (Greenfield Park) QC J4V 1M9 Telephone: 450 670-7770 Toll free: 1 866 446-3185 Fax: 450 670-7771 info@jbcmedia.ca

I’m extremely proud of the work the JBC Média team has put in to make this fourth annual issue of Montréal Economic edition, part of the Villes d’avenir collection, such a great read. Warm thanks go as well to all the interviewees who agreed to share their visions, wisdom and expertise. Montréal, a city of knowledge, creativity and innovation, has so much going for it, and there are so many good reasons for settling here and investing in the city. When we compare our metropolis with other cities in North America or elsewhere in the world, it’s not hard to see that this city has enormous potential for economic development. Combining the best of Europe and North America, Montréal is a distinctive place, not only for the quality of life we enjoy and our highly qualified bilingual workforce, but also for our multiculturalism and openness to the world. Another of Montréal’s strengths is the 82 municipalities, large and small, that revolve in its orbit. Greater Montréal, strong and diverse, now has a population of nearly four million – about half the population of Québec – and generates 52% of the province’s gross domestic product. Together, the municipalities on the territory of the Montréal Metropolitan Community present a multitude of truly exceptional possibilities. Up front in this issue, you’ll read about the preparations being made to celebrate Montréal’s 375th anniversary in 2017. Then, Richard Deschamps, City Councillor for the Sault Saint-Louis district and Advisor on Higher Education, joins Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal, for a candid discussion of higher education in Montréal. Our feature on commercial real estate provides food for thought, as Andrée De Serres, who holds the Ivanhoé Cambridge Real Estate Chair at the ESG (school of management), UQAM, and Mario Lefebvre, President and outgoing CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Québec, share their views on Montréal’s unique strengths. Suzanne Roy, President of the Union des municipalités du Québec and Mayor of SainteJulie, discusses the diverse and complementary nature of the municipalities that make up Greater Montréal. Several other mayors who lead some very dynamic municipalities present their views as well. And in conclusion, I urge you to read our special report on the Pomerleau construction company, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year as it goes from strength to strength, expanding in the rest of Canada. Happy reading!

Jacques Boisvert Publisher

www.jbcmedia.ca

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS play an increasingly important socioeconomic role in functions relating to quality of life, sustainable economic development and the environment. They have become essential partners in the successful development of your business.

@UMQuebec umq.qc.ca

No one is in a better position to take responsibility for local economic development than elected municipal oďŹ&#x192;cials.

THE VOICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE BY NATHALIE SAVARIA

CITY OF MONTRÉAL

The countdown has begun. In 2017, Montréal, Canada’s second-largest city and the metropolis of Québec, will celebrate its 375th anniversary, a key date that will see the culmination of many projects. Here’s an overview of what Mayor Denis Coderre’s administration is planning to mark this very special occasion.

Montréal is on the move. Montréal is rebuilding. Montréal is reaching out to the world.” So said Mayor Coderre in a speech to the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal in June 2015 – and with good reason. PRIORITY: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Soon after his swearing-in in November 2013, the mayor demonstrated his eagerness to adopt a strategic vision for the economic development of Montréal. In January 2014, under Mayor Coderre’s leadership (he’s also in charge of economic development), the City of Montréal set up the Service du développement économique (SDÉ). In addition to spelling out a strategic vision for sustainable economic development, the SDÉ has a mission to coordinate the city’s contributions and the measures taken with various committed partners in economic growth to manage sustainable economic development activities and support major public and private projects on city territory.

CITY OF MONTRÉAL

BONAVENTURE AUTOROUTE PROJECT

DENIS CODERRE Mayor of Montréal MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

CITY OF MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PLACE VAUQUELIN, NEAR CITY HALL

Among the municipal administration’s priorities are several sustainable structurizing projects that will serve as a legacy of Montréal’s 375th anniversary in 2017, making the city even more dynamic and attractive to citizens, visitors and private investors alike.

MONTRÉAL, THE METROPOLIS OF QUÉBEC In a bid to position Montréal on the world stage so that it can fully play its role as the economic locomotive of the province, the Coderre administration is seeking special status as a metropolis for Montréal, where two million people live in the central core and four million in the metropolitan era – 49% of the population of Québec. The city provides all sorts of infrastructures and services, not only for its citizens but for all of Greater Montréal and Québec, but its funding comes primarily from property taxes. However, programs and regulations established for the entire province frequently fail to reflect the reality of Montréal life. In 2014, the city of Montréal initiated the process of passing a new law intended to recognize the city’s status as the metropolis of Québec and confer the powers, responsibilities and funding sources needed for its full development. Things have moved forward since then. In September 2015, in the framework of the partnership agreement for 2016-2019 signed with municipal authorities, the Québec government committed to granting special status to Montréal and Québec City in a draft bill that will be submitted to the National Assembly in 2016. 8

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

LEGACY PROJECTS In the meantime, the city of Montréal is orchestrating some major projects on its territory. Among the municipal administration’s priorities are several sustainable structurizing projects that will serve as a legacy of Montréal’s 375th anniversary in 2017, making the city even more dynamic and attractive to citizens, visitors and private investors alike. These projects are also public investments for the future. A large section of the Bonaventure Autoroute, which has not been changed since it was built in 1966, will be revamped. The elevated structure will make way for an urban boulevard, forming an elegant entryway to Montréal. The city will also be covering a section of the Ville-Marie Autoroute between Sanguinet and Hôtel-de-Ville – a change that provides an opportunity to roll out development projects in the area near Champ-de-Mars. The approach to the metro station will be turned into a large public square, and a design competition for developing the 18,000-square metre space has been announced by the city. Nearby Viger Square will be redeveloped to make it more accessible, and Place Vauquelin near City Hall will be completely redone.

WE WALK THE TALK affaires@ville.montreal.qc.ca

NEW AND IMPROVED SAINT-CATHERINE OUEST – ANOTHER LEGACY OF MONTRÉAL’S 375th ANNIVERSARY

CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SHERBROOKE/PIE IX INTERSECTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PARK NEAR THE OLYMPIC STADIUM

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS BY ATILIN

CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

SPACE FOR LIFE PROJECT: BIÔDOME MIGRATES, INSECTARIUM UNDERGOES A METAMORPHOSIS

The Pie-IX / Sherbrooke intersection near the Olympic Stadium will be redeveloped, and a new park will feature a work of art donated by Québec City to mark the anniversary of the foundation of Montréal. Another major project is Phase 1 of work on SainteCatherine ouest, the city’s main commercial artery, which is slated to start in 2017. The legendary shopping street will be fitted with heated sidewalks and charging stations for electric vehicles. Parc Jean-Drapeau, the emblematic site of Expo 67, which marks its 50th anniversary in 2017, will be spruced up. A new concert space and a riverside walkway are among the projects on the drawing board. Cultural and tourism infrastructures will also be refurbished. Phase 2 of the Pointe-à-Callière Museum 10

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

and work on the remains of Fort de Ville-Marie and the Château de Callière will be completed. The Biodôme, which is part of the Space for Life complex, along with the Botanical Garden and the Insectarium, will give visitors a fresh new experience while raising public awareness of biodiversity and environmental issues. An urban promenade 3.8 km long will connect the river and the mountain, with a theme-based trajectory for pedestrians. Mount Royal Park welcomes more than 5 million visitors every year… Last but not least, the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex Park will become one of the city’s biggest green spaces, along the lines of Central Park in New York City.

CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

< GARDEN AT THE MAISON SAINT-GABRIEL HONOURS ABORIGINAL WOMEN

SHORT LIST OF LEGACY PROJECTS FOR THE 375th ANNIVERSARY • Esplanade Clark in the Entertainment District • Cité mémoire de Montréal en Histoires (moments • A refreshed Biodôme experience • St. Joseph’s Oratory (new facilities and services) • Maison Saint-Gabriel (Jardin des origines, a garden that honours aboriginal women)

CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

in history recreated for visitors, with a mobile app)

• Opening of the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex Park (Phase 1)

and work on the remains of Fort Ville-Marie)

SAINT-MICHEL ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLEX PARK

• Pointe-à-Callière Museum (Phase 2 of the expansion

A PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY ON THE “FLEUVE-MONTAGNE” PROMENADE, MCTAVISH STREET

• Redevelopment of four areas in Parc Jean-Drapeau • Covering part of the Ville-Marie Autoroute, along with the Champ-de-Mars project

• The “Fleuve-Montagne” promenade, running from the river to the mountain

• Redevelopment of Viger Square • Updates to the area around City Hall (Place Vauquelin) • Redevelopment of the Pie-IX / Sherbrooke CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

intersection, with a new park

• Work on Sainte-Catherine ouest • Redeveloping the Bonaventure Autoroute • Renovations to the Saint-Sulpice library • Legacy projects in boroughs around the city

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

CTTY OF MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

MAJOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS In addition to the 375th anniversary projects and work on roads and commercial arteries all over town, Montréal continues to revitalize whole areas of the city. The science and engineering complex at the Université de Montréal, for example, will be a great addition to the city’s academic property base. The project will bring new life to the areas around the Outremont site. In its three-year fixed assets plan for 2016-2018, the city earmarked $74.5 million for infrastructure and development work on the campus and environs. The 25-hectare Aménagement

< THE TRIANGLE, IN THE NAMUR/ JEAN-TALON OUEST SECTOR

des quartiers universitaires project, designed to create a university district that meets LEED standards, will also help to boost employment and improve quality of life for local residents. Another part of the city that will be undergoing a major transformation is the 40-hectare Triangle, located in the Namur/Jean-Talon ouest area. Between 2016 and 2018, Montréal will invest $30.4 million here. A development concept for building 3,300 dwellings, including 30% affordable social housing, was chosen through an urban design competition. Of that number, 1,265 units are already completed. A new park will be created, and streets will be reconfigured to promote pedestrian traffic.

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING COMPLEX AT THE UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL The complex, slated to cost $350 million, will be partly subsidized by the Québec government and the Université de Montréal, in addition to a $135.9-million contribution from the city of Montréal for the decontamination and development of the site. It’s the largest university infrastructure project in Canada. Located in a former industrial area between the Acadie and Outremont metro stations, the complex is the size of 38 football fields. In addition to two university buildings, an innovation centre and apartments for university residents, the campus will include 4 hectares of parks and public spaces, plus a 1.5-hectare esplanade. About 2,200 students will stream onto the campus in the fall of 2019. When the campus is fully developed, around 2025, it will create thousands of jobs and contribute to generating about $2.7 billion to the Québec GDP.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

THE BEST MAGAZINES TO REACH YOUR CUSTOMERS!

Immobilier commercial magazine is aimed at major real estate developers, owners, investors and professionals in this sector in QuĂŠbec. Published six times a year, this is the perfect publication to promote your expertise to potential customers

1 866 446-3185 | 450 670-7770

www.jbcmedia.ca

ISTOCK BY LDPROD

STUDIO MOCAPHOTO

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

HAROUT CHITILIAN

Vice Chair of the Executive Committee in charge of IT and the Smart and Digital City City of Montréal

The city will invest $46.5 million in Griffintown between 2016 and 2018 to continue development and revitalization efforts in the area. The Smith Promenade, the winner of an urban design competition held in 2012, will be created, along with two huge green spaces. Montréal will invest $46.9 million in 2016-2018 for the development of Esplanade Clark in the Entertainment District, the final phase in this project to create a new public space, revitalizing the whole area and positioning Montréal as a world-class cultural destination – yet another concrete legacy of the city’s 375th anniversary.

THE GRASS IS GREENER IN MONTRÉAL The city of Montréal is actively fulfilling other commitments, notably from the sustainable development plan, to position itself as a green city that really cares about its ecological footprint. In addition to continuing to expand the network of bike paths – the city plans to add 50 km every year – Montréal will make major investments in building centres for the biomethanization of municipal solid waste, composting and sorting of recyclables, ozone disinfection treatment of waste water, and retention basins. Montréal will plant new trees and continue its protection program for natural settings. In 2015, the city set the objective of protecting 10% of its natural terrestrial habitats. Montréal will proceed with the conversion of more than 110,000 street lights to light-emitting diodes (LED), with $50 million allocated in the three-year fixed assets plan 14

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

for 2016-2018. This project will not only help improve visibility in city streets, but also reduce light pollution. A system for detecting broken or malfunctioning street lights, part of the plan for the smart and digital city, will also be put in place. MONTRÉAL, SMART AND DIGITAL CITY A prime participant in the digital age, which many now call the fourth industrial revolution, Montréal was recently named a Smart21 Community 2016 by the Intelligent Community Forum. The city has appointed an official in charge of information technologies and the smart city, Harout Chitilian, who serves as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, and in 2014, opened the Bureau de la ville intelligente et numérique (BVIN), headed by Stéphane Goyette. The office is responsible for implementing the Stratégie Montréal, ville intelligente et numérique 2014-2017, which is designed to make Montréal an internationally recognized leader in this area, like New York, Barcelona, Lyon or Amsterdam. Based on an ongoing and fruitful dialogue with local citizens and a number of studies and surveys, the BVIN pinpointed nine key areas: developing the telecom infrastructure; releasing and using open data; creating an open technological architecture; developing solutions in co-creation with the community; optimizing transportation; expanding the provision of digital services; developing areas of urban innovation and diminishing the digital divide; bolstering the culture of transparency and accountability; and promoting the growth of a leading-edge sector. This strategy is already bearing fruit. For example, the city now provides all sorts of useful data to citizens. The open

15-18 March

2016 Palais des Festivals

Cannes, France

mipim.com

ACCESS

A REAL WORLD OF

OPPORTUNITIES Connect with 21,400 international real estate decision-makers during a variety of networking and social events

Networking cocktail with women of influence in the real estate industry Flash mobs 5 highly productive open meetings dedicated to: • Healthcare • Hotel & Tourism • Logistics • Housing • Career Coaching for future talents And more...

Register now online on mipim.com and access the online database of participants or contact our sales team at laurianne.dicecca@reedmidem.com

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

data portal gives access to information in many different areas. A gallery of applications uses open data from the city of Montréal and other public data on the city, primarily developed by Montréal-based designers. For example, Info-Neige lets residents monitor snow clearing on local streets, and Stationnement Montréal lets them pay for parking online. Two other projects have also been kicked off: the Vu sur les contrats site, which provides an overview of contracts approved by the city of Montréal and city council, and the collaborative Faire Montréal platform, a place for citizens to exchange views with the city, discover new projects, contribute to their development and follow their progress. Montréal has allocated a $46.8-million budget for implementing this strategy in the three-year fixed assets plan for 2016-2018. Further investments are planned for transportation systems using new technologies and for the installation of a dynamic parking guidance system.

ENCOURAGING SMES AND INNOVATION The development of SMEs is yet another priority of the municipal administration. Over the last few months, various groups like PME Montréal, a network of six organizations that support entrepreneurs and companies from launch to growth, as well as the PRAM-Commerce et PRAMArtères en chantier programs, have been set up. The city’s action plan emphasizes entrepreneurship and innovation, especially promoting the creation of new industrial poles such as green chemistry and transportation electrification. To support innovation and foster the growth of SMEs on the island of Montréal, the city has taken another concrete step by setting up Parcours Innovation PME Montréal. This program is designed to enhance cooperation among various partners to help entrepreneurs, enable them to benefit from various government programs, and work with the university network.

MONTRÉAL, THE CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE CITY To make the ambitious Smart and Digital City project a reality, the city can rely on the many strengths of this creative and innovative place. New technologies are one of the key sectors in the Montréal economy, with impressive assets. Montréal has more than 5,000 IT companies, which account for 92,000 jobs and generate annual sales of $21 billion. Internationally, Montréal ranks as: • the North American capital of the digital arts; • number-three city in the world for videogame production; • fourth-largest visual effects industry. To fuel this expanding digital economy, Montréal can count on 10 Living Labs, one Fab Lab and 10 business accelerators, which promote a culture of start-ups and co-working, plus 150 research centres. The city is also home to the Innovation District (ID), which in turn benefits from the presence of three universities and their vast combined expertise.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

The ID offers the highest concentration of digital companies in Canada, with 20,000 jobs in some 350 companies. When it comes to the knowledge-based economy, as a university city Montréal can also count on 11 institutions of higher education, with a student body of 190,000, producing 45,000 new graduates every year Proof positive of Montréal’s important position in the digital sector is an annual event of international calibre. In 2014, the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) launched Montréal Digital Spring. In May and June, more than 100,000 people, including many tourists and international delegations, attended 82 events: interactive spaces, openings, visual and sound performances, studio visits, projects and public installations. In 2015, 280,000 people attended 150 events and activities presented by 123 organizations, with more than 20% of participants estimated to have come from outside Montréal. When the CRÉ closed, Digital Spring was turned into a non-profit organization (NPO). This year’s program will be released in March 2016, pending a financial contribution from the city.

MOMENT FACTORY / 375MTL

MONTRÉAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A MAJOR MILESTONE

PRELIMINARY CONCEPT FOR THE ILLUMINATION OF THE JACQUES CARTIER BRIDGE TO CELEBRATE THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONFEDERATION AND THE 375TH ANNIVERSITY OF MONTRÉAL

In addition to $570,000 in financial support from the city of Montréal for 2015-2017, Parcours Innovation PME will also receive $50,000 from Employment Québec for 2015-2016 and $45,000 from the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade for the next three years. A total of 90 SMEs chosen by a jury will participate in the project, with the winners chosen by how they handle an initial problem. In 2015, a second cohort of 30 Montréal-based SMEs took home the honours, so their managers will participate in three conferences in 2016, C2 Montréal, Employment Québec and the Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l’innovation du Québec (ADRIQ). The winners will also get six days of personalized training from ADRIQRCTI, Mosaic-HEC Montréal and the Mouvement québécois de la qualité, de l’accompagnement de conseillers en innovation de l’ADRIQ-RCTI or Inno Club Montréal, as well as professional coaching.

THE MAISON DES RÉGIONS In 2017, the year of its 375th anniversary, Montréal will work toward building connections between the city and the regions by opening a Maison des régions, dedicated to promoting the economic aspects of various regions of Québec. The “house” will showcase regional companies and forge links between entrepreneurs in the regions and their counterparts in the metropolis.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

FESTIVITIES TO MARK THE 375TH ANNIVERSARY In 2017, in the midst of all these dynamic plans, Montréal is inviting the world to a grand celebration: the 375th anniversary of the city’s foundation. It’s a big year, also marking the 50th anniversary of Expo 67 (Man and His World) and the 150th anniversary of Confederation. The Society for the Celebrations of Montréal’s 375th Anniversary, set up in 2013 to take charge of the event, launched its “Montréal comes alive” campaign in December 2015. Programming will revolve around four themes – Montréal lights up, Montréal gets moving, Montréal ignites and Montréal reinvents – and an editorial line designed to bring people together: building bridges. The kick-off for the festivities is slated for December 2016, with celebrations all year long in 2017. The buildings, public squares and neighbourhoods of Montréal will light up, and the Jacques Cartier Bridge will glow with an interactive light display. The 19 boroughs in the city will also join the party, with gourmet rallies and urban exhibitions among the activities to be organized for this exciting year. The festivities for the city’s 375th birthday represent all sorts of development opportunities for cultural organizations. As we mark this event of international scope, Tourisme Montréal expects to welcome 10 million visitors to the city in 2017 – even more than in 2014, when the city greeted a record 9.2 million visitors, creating spinoff effects of $2.8 billion. Recognized for its great quality of life, social mix, cultural life, affordable rents, highly qualified workforce and business-friendly operating expenses, not to mention its superb geographic location, Montréal will benefit from this grand event to further consolidate its position as a first-choice international destination. It’s a date!

Choose

Saint-Eustache

susTainable business disTricT

Prime location An exceptional business environment lots now availables

(450) 974-5001, ext. 5243

innoparcalbatros.com

INTERVIEW

TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

A MAGNET FOR INVESTORS BY NATHALIE SAVARIA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

In 2015, Technoparc Montréal (especially the Saint-Laurent Campus) enjoyed a remarkable year in terms of attracting Canadian and international companies and investors. President and CEO Mario Monette sums up a banner year, pointing to a long list of stellar statistics and achievements.

FUTURE CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS OF GREEN CROSS BIOTHERAPEUTICS

TWO HEAD OFFICES Monette says that the arrival of Green Cross Biotherapeutics definitely tops the list of major achievements for Technoparc Montréal, which mainly includes companies associated with the life sciences, telecommunications and aerospace. Affordable operating costs compared to Toronto and the availability of highly qualified workers were the key factors that convinced management of the South Korean multinational to choose Montréal, he says. Green Cross’ $275-million Canadian head office is now being built on the Saint-Laurent Campus. In October 2015, ABB, a Swiss-Swedish multinational that specializes in energy and automation technologies, announced that its Canadian HQ, already located in Montréal but spread over six buildings, would be transferred to the Technoparc. The ABB Campus will feature streamlined design and meet standards for LEED Silver certification. 20

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

“We saw $420 million worth of direct investments in 2015 – and counting indirect investments takes us over the billiondollar mark! About 1,200 jobs were created or preserved. It’s the Technoparc’s best year ever for economic spinoffs from construction projects,” says Monette enthusiastically.

MARIO MONETTE President and CEO Technoparc Montréal

Built by Québec-based Broccolini, it will cover 300,000 square feet, with work slated to wind up in the summer of 2017. Although ABB has not released the total cost, Monette says this major project would be in the same ballpark as Green Cross.

NEW STRATEGIC ORIENTATION With an eye to future growth, Technoparc Montréal plans to attract not only multinationals and their subsidiaries, but also local and regional SMEs, including start-ups. “The departure of major pharmaceutical labs and research centres brought about this change in our business model,” notes Monette. Two business centres are specifically targeting that clientele: 7140 rue Albert-Einstein, another LEED Silver-certified building, and 2300 boulevard Alfred-Nobel, where Technoparc Montréal moved its own administrative offices in December 2015. The two centres offer a broad range of services, along with various types of rentals – open and closed offices, collaborative spaces, meeting and conference rooms – at affordable rates. For example, the monthly fee for a mobile office is just $150, says Monette. But that’s not all. Technoparc Montréal is working with Développement économique Saint-Laurent to develop a support, networking and partnership plan for companies in the start-up phase. With the arrival of a new property manager, Nancy De Blois, Technoparc Montréal will continue to work on its diversified real estate project portfolio. LOWEST VACANCY RATE EVER All this good news has of course had an impact on available office space. In December 2014, the vacancy rate for the Saint-Laurent Campus stood at 6.9%, a historic low for Technoparc Montréal, Monette points out with pride. He expects the rate to rise slightly in 2015, notably due to major job losses at Bombardier.

BROCCOLINI

TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

1 TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

LEED SILVER-CERTIFIED BUSINESS CENTRE Broccolini opened its new Saint-Laurent 2 business centre in 2015. The 130,000 square foot commercial building, which is LEED Silver certified, already has a major tenant, Hospira, recently acquired by Pfizer, that occupies 50,000 square feet. Hospira, which originally planned to set up its Canadian head office here, has opted to keep its administrative offices on the premises. “If Hospira hadn’t been bought by Pfizer, we would have had a record three new head offices at the Technoparc,” says Monette.

All the same, with such a sterling track record, Technoparc Montréal is definitely attracting a lot of attention from companies and investors at home and abroad. Stay tuned for more good news in 2016!

1. THE FUTURE HEADQUARTERS OF ABB CANADA 2. 7140 ALBERT-EINSTEIN 3. 2300 ALFRED-NOBEL

DATA CENTRE In September 2015, Vidéotron, a division of Québecor Média and Canada’s leading telecommunications company, announced that its new $40-million data centre would be set up on the Saint-Laurent Campus. Construction is now underway, with the building slated to open in June 2016. “This project, which is attached to the 4Degrees Data Centre in Québec City, will provide perfect redundancy over a 250-km network,” says the president and CEO of the Technoparc.

TECHNOPARC MONTRÉAL

THE SAINT-LAURENT CAMPUS IN A NUTSHELL

> > > > > > > > > >

More than 90 technology companies, from start-ups to multinationals More than 6,256 highly specialized employees Nearly 4,000 active researchers Vacancy rates over time 2007 : 23.3% 2013 : 12.7% 2014 : 6.9% 25 to 40% green space on every lot Five times more green space than the average for industrial parks in Québec Located just 10 minutes from Montréal’s Pierre-ElliottTrudeau International Airport, surrounded by aerospace, life sciences and ICT companies, the Technoparc is easily accessible via autoroutes 13 and 40

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

MONTRÉAL, THE UNIVERSITY CITY

POSITIONING AND PERFORMANCE BY NATHALIE SAVARIA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE PRESIDENT KENNEDY PAVILION AT THE UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL

Our educational institutions enjoy an enviable position in the world rankings. The QS World University Ranking 2015-2016, which rates the world’s top universities, puts McGill University and the Université de Montréal in 24th and 115th place respectively in a field of 800. And according to QS Best Student Cities 2016, a ranking of major urban destinations for students, Montréal comes 18th, far ahead of Toronto (33rd) and Vancouver (36th). Beyond the statistics, though, academic Montréal seems to have been losing ground for several years, both in Canada and at the international level. ADVISOR ON HIGHER EDUCATION The city administration took an unusual step in September 2015, at the request of the rectors, when Mayor Denis Coderre named Richard Deschamps to the position of advisor on higher education. Deschamps, a city councillor, also serves as VP for Concertation Montréal, which was previously known as the Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ) de Montréal. Apart from ongoing relationships with the university and college communities, the new advisor’s mandate involves promoting institutions of

FRÉDÉRIQUE MÉNARD AUBIN

UQAM

With no fewer than 11 institutions of higher education, including four universities – two English-speaking and two French-speaking – and 190,000 students, Montréal is one of the world’s great university cities. In a time of heightened competition, however, this city could do even better.

RICHARD DESCHAMPS Advisor on Higher Education City of Montréal City Councillor Sault Saint-Louis District

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

MONTRÉAL, THE UNIVERSITY CITY

BOARD OF TRADE OF METROPOLITAN MONTRÉAL

the unemployed university graduate, overqualified for the job he does have and not making much money. People also criticize the concept of trying to match university education with corporate requirements, when the point is to make sure that people who go to university will be able to move quickly into the labour market.” ATTRACTING AND RETAINING FOREIGN STUDENTS Recognizing the value of a university education is all the more crucial as universities around the world fight hard to attract international students, who are increasingly mobile. MICHEL LEBLANC President and CEO Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal

higher education and overseeing their international outreach efforts. “The goal is not to interfere with this provincial responsibility,” says Deschamps. “The City wants to act as a facilitator, a catalyst, a unifying force in order to stimulate the development of educational institutions.” RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Deschamps believes it’s important to recognize the value of higher education. “Institutions of higher learning are where we train our workers. Looking at the current state of the economy, we should be concerned about that. Montrealers should be more aware of the contributions our institutions make to the vitality of this city.” A recent study by the Institut du Québec1 revealed that fewer than one-third of Montrealers between the ages of 25 and 64 hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. The larger the proportion of university graduates among a city’s working-age population, the higher the productivity level.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the number of international students rose from 2 million to 4.1 million between 2000 and 2010, topping the 4.3 million mark in 2011. That number is projected to climb to 6.4 million by 2025. Every year, Montréal universities welcome about 26,000 foreign students – 75% of all the international students in Québec. Their presence generates major economic spinoffs. In 2010 alone, international students enrolled at Montréal institutions spent some $750 million. Those figures come from a report published in 2014, L’urgence d’agir pour attirer et retenir les meilleurs étudiants internationaux à Montréal. Jointly produced by CRÉ de Montréal, Montréal International, the institutions of higher education and their partners, the report revealed that Montréal is falling behind in this area. It included 26 recommendations to governments that would help Montréal and its colleges and universities reach out as an international destination in a highly competitive market.

Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal (BTMM), says the province is still in recovery mode. “Anyone who knows anything about the sociology and history of Québec knows that 60 years ago, we had an extremely low rate of school attendance and graduation. You can’t go from a generally poor overall level of graduation to a high level overnight. That being said, we’re not catching up as fast as other places.” The head of the BTMM explains further: “For many years, it seems, the Québec psyche really didn’t grasp the value of going to university. There’s still the stereotype of

Montréal Compared: Dashboard for the Greater Montréal Area, Institut du Québec, 2015..

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Every year, Montréal universities welcome about 26,000 foreign students – 75% of all the international students in Québec. Their presence generates major economic spinoffs. In 2010 alone, international students enrolled at Montréal institutions spent some $750 million.

Deschamps, who signed the report on behalf of CRÉ de Montréal, says that “we need to continue to welcome students so we don’t lose the advantage we used to have. Even though Montréal’s in a good position, other cities are advancing more quickly than we are.” To raise our proportion of university degrees, our pool of qualified workers and our immigrant population, it’s crucial for Montréal to welcome, retain and integrate foreign students. “These talented people will enjoy a warm welcome and a good education from our institutions, they’ll spend two, three or even four years here, depending on whether they go on to graduate studies. They’ll have time to get to know our institutions and absorb our culture and language. The government has a great deal to gain by integrating them more fully, advocating for fair tuition fees and reviewing structures and permits to make them feel welcome and make them want to stay,” says Deschamps. Leblanc of the BTMM, who was also a signatory to the report, believes that the solution is to offer job placement opportunities for foreign students. “With the coming demographic crunch, companies will have more trouble finding the resources they need. We need to advance students’ potential during and after their studies to fill those needs. And that can happen if we boost the number of job placements.” However, Leblanc notes, “for foreign students, even the best students, it’s still difficult to find a placement because companies feel they‘re investing in the development of employees they’re unlikely to be able to keep. We need to reverse that trend and improve retention by giving foreign students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a job right away.”

“I believe we ought to offer more international conferences,” Deschamps suggests. “We need to promote distance education, such as MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses), which hold great potential for our universities, notably early on at the undergraduate level. Financial incentives, like scholarships, could also be offered to foreign students, as they do at American universities.”

UNIVERSITÉ CONCORDIA

IMPROVING OUR INTERNATIONAL POSITION The question is: how can Montréal universities improve what they have to offer and boost their position at the international level?

THE JOHN MOLSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Leblanc feels that a three-pronged strategy should be put in place. First of all, as with commercial missions, universities should hold more recruitment and promotion activities abroad and proceed in a concerted manner. “By leading an offensive in some areas, we can highlight the strengths of Montréal as a university city.” Second, the BTMM feels there’s a problem with MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

UQAM BY NATHALIE ST-PIERRE

MONTRÉAL, THE UNIVERSITY CITY

THE PRESIDENT KENNEDY PAVILION OF THE PIERRE-DANSEREAU SCIENCE COMPLEX, SEEN FROM PLACE DES FESTIVALS

the funding structure. “When a university recruits foreign students, they can’t keep the additional fees they collect,” Leblanc points out. The money goes into the government’s consolidated fund or is distributed by an equalization plan among all the universities. The universities will boost their performance level if they can keep the fees paid by these students. In this system, the government could build in reimbursement of the extra fees by offering a tax credit to students who stay in Québec to work for five or six years. That could be an additional financial incentive to retain foreign students.” Third, Leblanc agrees with Deschamps that “our universities should develop their online education programs and their Web presence to get people talking about them in other countries.” THE FUNDING ISSUE To meet these challenges, institutions of higher education need to have sufficient funding. Leblanc is concerned about budget cuts and compressions in the funding of Québec universities. ”What we should be afraid of and avoid is budget tightening. We can’t run the risk of our universities becoming places that provide just a middling education, which would not be interesting for talented professors, researchers and students from here and abroad, because the equipment and facilities would not be up to scratch. A mid-range university would mean fewer scientific breakthroughs, fewer innovations. Great awards, collaborative efforts and large research grants are closely related to excellence. 26

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

“The second risk we run with insufficient funding is that Québec universities would no longer be in sync with the corporate and working world,” Leblanc goes on. “In that case, graduates would be unable to find added-value work quickly. That would only fuel the perception that a university education isn’t really very interesting because it doesn’t lead to a good job. And we’d be back into that vicious circle of devaluing education.” LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Deschamps still has a positive view of the future for our institutions of higher education. He has a dream: “I’d love to see people coming to Montréal, and on top of finding a safe place to live, a warm welcome, cultural diversity and openness to the world, they’d talk about our universities and colleges as extremely important aspects of community life here that make a tremendous contribution on the national and international level.” Leblanc says the BTMM plans to launch offensives over the next few years “to make the public really love Québec universities. We’re not a huge market, so our strength will lie in our ability to get good training and be recognized as a society of eight or nine million people with good heads on our shoulders, who’ve learned a trade or a profession and are innovative. And that takes a good education, notably at the university level. If we succeed, our future is assured,” he says.

UQAM

A PARTNER IN MONTRÉAL’S KNOWLEDGE BASE With 43,000 students, including 10,000 graduates a year, and nearly 1,200 professors, the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is a broad-based institution of learning, says Rector Robert Proulx.

Apart from teaching, research and creativity, as well as the advancement of knowledge, UQAM has a mandate to work closely with various communities. “It’s no longer just a matter of knowledge transfer – now it’s a real interaction. We maintain links with partners who inspire us and at the same time we enlighten them as well,” Proulx explains. UQAM is a transformative agent for the city, a force for change and a vector for progress. Asked for examples, Proulx mentions historian Joanne Burgess, Director of the Montréal History and Heritage Laboratory, who coordinates research on the history of the city while examining how our past can provide insight into major projects for the future. He points to other UQAM initiatives, such as work

on reducing hot islands, fighting homophobia and prejudice, developing urban agriculture and a partnership with the Quartier des spectacles focusing on flagship venues. Professor Bernard Duhaime of the faculty of political science and law has been named Vice-Chair of the United Nations’ Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances – a sterling example of international outreach. “Our professors and researchers are working on international projects and broad worldwide issues, which I call ‘questions without passports,’ and they’re also contributing to bringing these issues and projects alive here in Montréal. So the university becomes a satellite that makes international knowledge accessible for the benefit of the local community,” says the rector, who believes that UQAM is strengthening and articulating its deep roots in the community by making concrete contributions that dovetail with societal concerns.

DENIS BERNIER, UQAM

Founded in 1969, in the dizzying days of Québec’s academic reform, UQAM serves as the embodiment of the government’s desire to democratize universities and make them accessible to the entire population. “That’s why UQAM is located in the Latin Quarter, right downtown, in the heart of the action,” the rector notes.

ROBERT PROULX Rector Université du Québec à Montréal

“We’re not just thinking about Montréal, our city of knowledge – we’re also helping to transform it,” Proulx concludes.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Sainte-Julie All the benefits of a major urban centre minus the traffic! Strategic, competitive location - Where autoroutes A-20 and A-30 meet - Quick, easy access to the major markets of MontrĂŠal, QuĂŠbec, Ontario, the Atlantic provinces and the north-eastern U.S. - Window on the A-20 - Major regional economic hub

All sorts of resources - Large pool of qualified workers and professionals - Several research centres close by - Many office spaces available - Major office development sector near the A-20 - Four industrial zones

An exceptional setting -

Beautification projects Green space and parks galore Quality services Innovative projects Free local public transit A dynamic community

UNITED IN

DIVERSITY Long gone are the days when Québec municipalities, notably those in the Montréal Metropolitan Community, viewed other municipalities as rivals for new markets. In this era of globalization, the cities stand united, proud of their diversity, says the president of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) and mayor of Sainte-Julie, Suzanne Roy.

“With globalization, we’ve come to realize that our competition is not necessarily the municipality next door, but rather the other major metropolitan areas of the world, which has led us to see our territory in quite a different way,” says Suzanne Roy candidly. DEVELOPING NICHES By way of illustration, Roy points to the territory of the Marguerite-D’Youville regional county municipality (RCM). “Observing our economy, we found niches in which municipalities are much more present. In Varennes, it’s the petrochemical industry; in Contrecœur, it’s steel mills; and in Verchères and Calixa-Lavallée, the economy is more based on agriculture. In Sainte-Julie, we’re more focused on services, such as research and development companies. By making the most of our niches, we create a regional interaction that helps us rise to meet the challenges of globalization rather than competing among ourselves.” The impact of globalization is something the president of the UMQ observes regularly on MMC territory. “We’ve seen companies from the north shore and Laval leave to set up shop in other countries. So it’s all the more important for elected officials, both within the MMC and in the territories of the RCM, to get together to derive full benefit from the advantages we enjoy that make us more attractive to business.”

CITY OF SAINTE-JULIE

ISTOCK BY MATTHEWBROSSEAU

BY NATHALIE SAVARIA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

"By making the most of our niches, we create a regional interaction that helps us rise to meet the challenges of globalization rather than competing among ourselves." SUZANNE ROY President of the Union des municipalités du Québec Mayor of Sainte-Julie

AN INTERCONNECTED APPROACH In fact, that’s the very reason why the MMC passed the metropolitan regional development plan, Roy points out. “There again, we’ve made use of our major niches, drawing up an action plan that reflects the strengths of each municipality. Before, it was downtown against the wicked suburbs, and vice versa. Now the plan is more based on the complementarity of what each has to offer. This interconnected approach is really win-win. It’s more interesting for companies, and being more efficient makes us more attractive.” MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

UNITED IN DIVERSITY

"Previously, diversity was a competitive thing. Now we use it in a complementary way and when we’re out in the world talking about our companies, we talk about everything the region has to offer, which is definitely an attractive feature." ADDITIONAL LEVERAGE Of course, our municipalities also need to perform well on the economic front to exert that power of attraction. The partnership agreement with the municipalities for 2016-2019, which includes certain measures that give the municipalities additional leverage for local and regional economic development, will be of special benefit for SMEs, says Roy. “The tools we use in local and regional development have been kind of a nursery for SMEs. It’s often just the helping hand, the pat on the back it takes to support or relaunch a company that’s been through a rough patch, for example. The extra money, applied to economic development for the territory, gives us an opportunity to support our businesses, especially SMEs. Bringing everything related to economic development back under structures that are more connected to developing the territory also helps us to find better ways of working together in particular niches so we don’t fragment our resources. When the energy and funding we put into a region is more targeted, we can create jobs throughout the region.” Roy believes that this type of development also benefits citizens. “When we create jobs locally and regionally, it’s great for citizens because they can work nearby and that improves their quality of life – especially in the metropolitan area, because it cuts travel time and really reduces people’s stress. In addition, economic development has an impact on a municipality’s overall budget, since 85% of our financial resources come from property taxes. When we welcome new businesses to a sector, we’re adding services for citizens on top of creating jobs. As new businesses arrive and others stay put, there will be more jobs, and taxes won’t go up,” she says. MISSIONS ABROAD As Québec municipalities strive to be recognized as levels of government in their own right, a growing number of municipalities are organizing economic missions overseas. Roy points out that having an in-depth understanding of the territory is a major advantage when municipal officials go abroad. “As elected officials and local governments, we have a global vision. We know what types of companies we have on our territory. When we go on economic missions abroad, we can see potential linkages with the diverse range of companies we have on our territory or in our region. So it’s also quite easy to find certain niches we have in our region.” 30

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

– Suzanne Roy

These diverse missions are leading to the formation of multiple partnerships with other municipalities at the international level. “Before, we used to speak of twinning municipalities,” says Roy. “Now we see many more partnerships on the economic, commercial, cultural and institutional levels.” Asked to give an example, she points to an international cooperation project with Mali, where Québec-based companies in three different sectors have formed economic linkages that are proving to be profitable on both sides. A PREMIERE FOR THE UMQ Proof positive that municipalities are paying more attention on the international front: the UMQ is currently putting together its first economic mission to the north-eastern United States. Over the past few years, the UMQ has cultivated close links with the region, notably in the domain of railway traffic and safety. “We’ve discovered that some cities even have the same sort of niches, the same economic base as some cities in Québec and we can create linkages to help our businesses,” says Roy. Half a dozen Québec municipalities will be going on the economic mission, which will focus on highly targeted niches. “This is not an exploratory mission, it’s an economic mission. We already have basic affinities in terms of economic interests and we know what companies and institutions can be linked. This way of working really brings more results,” she says. DIVERSITY AND COMPLEMENTARITY The president of the UMQ believes a concerted approach is greatly to the advantage of Québec municipalities, especially those in the MMC. “We’ve left the silo mentality far behind and now we’re working in a spirit of solidarity,” Roy says with visible enthusiasm. “Previously, diversity was a competitive thing. Now we use it in a complementary way and when we’re out in the world talking about our companies, we talk about everything the region has to offer, which is definitely an attractive feature. We’ve finally understood that by working together, we all stand a better chance of winning.”

FORUM OF

ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

BENOIT DESJARDINS

SAINTE-JULIE

SAINT-EUSTACHE

CITY OF SAINTE-JULIE

MÉLISSA GARIÉPY

SPECIAL SECTION

With nearly 3.9 million inhabitants, Greater Montréal is home to half the population of Québec and accounts for nearly 52% of GDP. For municipalities located on the territory of the Montréal Metropolitan Community, this is a huge benefit. Together, they form a strong, powerful, competitive agglomeration with an international reputation. United yet diverse, each of the municipalities has its own special features and flavours, presenting multiple possibilities for companies from here and abroad who are considering setting up shop here. Read on to learn about a few of our dynamic municipalities.

LAVAL

VUE AÉRIENNE DE LA VILLE DE LAVAL

MONTONI

Laval s’engage résolument à améliorer la qualité de vie de ses citoyens, notamment en encourageant la mobilité active. Le développement du réseau cyclable et piétonnier et celui de

Des projets assez spectaculaires sont en cours au centre-ville, tels que le projet Espace Montmorency (plus d’un million de pieds carrés) et le projet résidentiel Urbania 2, qui aura la forme d’un « village urbain ». On assiste donc à une véritable mutation du centre-ville. « C’est un quartier dont nous voulons faire un vrai lieu de vie où les gens pourront habiter, étudier, se divertir et aussi travailler, car nous souhaitons y BEAUHARNOIS attirer des entreprises de services et de recherche et développement en haute technologie », affirme Marc Demers.

CITY OF BEAUHARNOIS

Ces investissements devraient servir de levier à plus d’un milliard de dollars d’investissements privés.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION ESPACE MONTMORENCY

FORUM OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

Saint-Eustache Saint-Eustache

THE THE ATTRACTIONS ATTRACTIONS OF OF INNOVATION INNOVATION Ideally Ideallylocated located3030km kmfrom fromMontréal-Trudeau Montréal-TrudeauInternational InternationalAirport Airportand andright rightbybythe themajor majorautoroutes, autoroutes, Saint-Eustache, Saint-Eustache, with with itsits 45,000 45,000 residents, residents, is is the the economic economic centre centre ofof the the regional regional county county municipality municipality (RCM) (RCM) ofof Deux-Montagnes. Deux-Montagnes.

mong mong the the city’s city’s multiple multiple attractions attractions are are a lively a lively historic historic downtown downtowncore corewith withadmirably admirablypreserved preservedheritage heritage features, features, a natural a natural environment environment with with many many beautiful beautiful waterways, waterways, including including the the Milles-Îles Milles-Îles River, River, and and green green space space galore. galore. Saint-Eustache Saint-Eustache also also boasts boasts high-level high-level cultural cultural and and sports sports infrastructures infrastructures and and allall the the institutions institutions ofof a dynamic a dynamic urban urban centre: centre: a CLSC a CLSC and and a hospital, a hospital, elementary elementary schools schools and and a high a high school, school, a CEGEP a CEGEP branch branch campus campus and and a university a university pole, pole, plus plus professional professional training training centres. centres. The The public public transit transit network network is is well well structured structured and and broadly broadly deployed deployed throughout throughout the the region, region, serving serving allall the the needs needs ofof anan active active community. community.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

NANCY MICHAUD

TWELVE TWELVE MILLION MILLION SQUARE SQUARE FEET FEET FOR FOR ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT OnOn the the economic economic front, front, 1212 million million square square feet feet ofof develdevelopment-oriented opment-orientedspace spaceis isdivided dividedamong amongfive fivestrategic strategic sectors sectorsthat thatcover coverthe theentire entireurban urbanarea, area,four fourofofwhich which focus focusononrevitalization revitalizationand anddensification. densification.The Theindustrial industrial sector sector has has been been in in expansion expansion mode mode since since the the city city acquired acquired the theDeux-Montagnes Deux-MontagnesGolf GolfClub Clubtwo twoyears yearsago agowith withthe the goal goal ofof building building “Albatros,” “Albatros,” a vast a vast strategic strategic development development project project that that includes includes a residential a residential sector sector with with more more than than 500 500 units units based based onon innovative innovative urban urban concepts, concepts, and and a busia business ness district district that that covers covers nearly nearly 5 million 5 million square square feet feet and and is is poised poised toto welcome welcome some some 5050 businesses businesses toto a truly a truly excepexceptional tional setting. setting.

NANCY MICHAUD

Ranked Ranked twelfth twelfth ofof the the 8282 cities cities in in the the Montréal Montréal MetropolMetropolitan itanCommunity, Community,Saint-Eustache Saint-Eustachepresents presentsananextremely extremely varied varied commercial commercial and and industrial industrial profile, profile, with with more more than than 2,000 2,000active activebusinesses businessesononthe theterritory. territory.The Theindustrial industrial sector sector includes includes more more than than 300 300 companies, companies, among among them them several several leaders leaders in in domains domains connected connected with with the the construcconstruction, tion,transportation, transportation,life lifesciences, sciences,electronics electronicsand andIT IT industries industries – to – to name name just just a few, a few, Novabus, Novabus, B3CG B3CG and and Bain Bain Magique. Magique.There Thereis isalso alsoa ahuge hugeagrotourism agrotourismsector, sector,with with constant constant advances advances in in agricultural agricultural and and agro-food agro-food producproduction. tion. AllAll these these companies companies rely rely onon a qualified a qualified workforce workforce ofof nearly nearly 5,000 5,000 workers workers and and professionals. professionals.

PIERRE PIERRE CHARRON CHARRON Mayor Mayor of of Saint-Eustache Saint-Eustache

PROVENCHER ROY URBANISME PROVENCHER ROY URBANISME

“Saint-Eustache “Saint-Eustacheisisrecognized recognizedfor forour ourterrific terrificquality qualityof ofliving, living, which which makes makes itit easy easy to to retain retain workers. workers. The The city city has has aa great great deal dealto tooffer offerinnovative innovativecompanies companiesthat thatare areseeking seekingoptimum optimum conditions conditions for for pursuing pursuing their their expansion expansion in in the the metropolitan metropolitan area: area:qualified qualifiedworkers, workers,competitive competitivetaxation, taxation,top-notch top-notchgeogeographic graphic location, location, public public transit transit serving serving all all sectors, sectors, including including the theindustrial industrialzone, zone,dynamic dynamiccompanies companieson onthe theterritory, territory,plus plus aabroad broadrange rangeof ofhigh-level high-levelservices,” services,”says saysPierre PierreCharron, Charron,the the Mayor Mayorof ofSaint-Eustache. Saint-Eustache. “As “As they they move move in, in, these these companies companies can can also also rely rely on on aa munimunicipal cipal structure structure that’s that’s specifically specifically devoted devoted to to economic economic life life and and active active in in all all sectors: sectors: residential, residential, commercial, commercial, industrial, industrial, institutional, institutional, tourism, tourism, agriculture agriculture and and agro-food. agro-food. CompaCompanies niesthat thatset setup upshop shopin inSaint-Eustache Saint-Eustachecan canbe besure surethey theyhave have everything everything itit takes takes to to set set them them on on the the road road to to prosperity,” prosperity,” says saysCharron. Charron.

> >

VIEUX-SAINT-EUSTACHE VIEUX-SAINT-EUSTACHE(COMMERCIAL (COMMERCIALAND ANDHERITAGE HERITAGESECTOR) SECTOR)

VILLE DE SAINT-EUSTACHE VILLE DE SAINT-EUSTACHE

Priorities Priorities for for the the innovation innovation park park are are clear: clear: active active transportransportation, tation, developing developing existing existing lakes lakes and and woodlands woodlands by by creating creating aa network network of of green green spaces, spaces, aa smart smart public public lighting lighting system system fuelled fuelled by by an an alternative alternative energy energy source, source, environmental environmental management managementof ofrainwater, rainwater,and andhigh higharchitectural architecturalstandards. standards. Albatros Albatrosisisrapidly rapidlybecoming becomingaareference referencein insustainable sustainable industrial industrial development development and and potentially potentially one one of of the the most most innovative innovativeindustrial industrialparks parksin inCanada. Canada.

INNOPARC INNOPARCSTREETS, STREETS,LIT LITBY BYSOLAR SOLARAND ANDWIND WINDPOWER POWER

> >

INNOPARC INNOPARCALBATROS: ALBATROS: AN ANEXCEPTIONAL EXCEPTIONALECONOMIC ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTHUB HUB Aspiring Aspiring to to be be the the true true leading-edge leading-edge technology technology hub hub on on the the North North Shore Shore of of Montréal, Montréal, the the Innoparc Innoparc Albatros Albatros isis tartargeting geting five five niches niches designed designed to to create create synergies synergies among among businesses, businesses,primarily primarilyin inthe thefields fieldsof ofadvanced advancedtransportation, transportation, environmental environmental technologies, technologies, information information and and communicacommunications, tions,aeronautics aeronauticsand andlife lifesciences. sciences.The Themixed-use mixed-useapproach, approach, along along with with many many other other aspects aspects of of sustainable sustainable development development featured featuredin inthe theAlbatros Albatrosproject, project,makes makesititan anextremely extremelyattracattractive tivesetting settingfor forworkers workersand andusers, users,as aswell wellas asbeing beingright rightin inline line with withthe thelatest latestinternational internationaltrends trendsin inactivity activityzone zoneplanning. planning.

MÉLISSA GARIÉPY MÉLISSA GARIÉPY

> >

VISUALIZATION VISUALIZATIONOF OFINNOPARC INNOPARCALBATROS ALBATROSONCE ONCEDEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTISISCOMPLETED COMPLETED(MODEL (MODELCOURTESY COURTESYPROVENCHER PROVENCHERROY ROYURBANISME) URBANISME)

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

FORUM OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie

HAPPY HAPPY TOWN TOWN Combine Combine the the benefits benefits ofof urban urban life life with with a glorious a glorious country country setting, setting, and and it’sit’s easy easy toto see see what what makes makes Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie the the jewel jewel in in the the crown crown ofof the the South South Shore, Shore, attracting attracting families families and and businesses businesses alike. alike.

f happiness f happiness has has a home, a home, it just it just may may bebe Sainte-Julie. Sainte-Julie. The The development development strategy strategy of of thethe municipality municipality in in thethe MontéMontérégie régie is squarely is squarely based based onon sustainable sustainable living, living, with with economic, economic, social social and and environmental environmental impacts impacts that that provide provide itsits citizens citizens with with sky-high sky-high quality quality of of life. life. Named Named “Ville “Ville dudu bonheur” bonheur” (happy (happy town) town) in in 2008, 2008, 2009, 2009, 2011 2011 and and 2014, 2014, firmly firmly en-ensconced sconced in in thethe ranks ranks of of happy happy places, places, Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie hashas also also been been named named a child-friendly a child-friendly and and senior-friendly senior-friendly municipality. municipality.

The The mayor mayor reports reports with with pleasure pleasure that that Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie citizens citizens seem seem to to bebe extremely extremely receptive receptive to to the the city’s city’s Green Green Plan. Plan. “Because “Because people people here here follow follow the the watering watering rules, rules, use use the the rain rain barrels barrels wewe distributed distributed and and waste waste less less water, water, thethe volume volume ofof drinking drinking water water consumed consumed annually annually has has remained remained at at the the same same level level forfor the the past past 1010 years, years, even even though though the the population population has has grown grown byby 15% 15% over over the the same same period.” period.”

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

VILLE DE SAINTE-JULIE

With With lush lush parks, parks, great great green green spaces, spaces, and and nono effort effort spared spared to to beautify beautify the the city city streets, streets, it’sit’s nono wonder wonder Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie earned earned the the coveted coveted “cinq “cinq fleurons,” fleurons,” top top prize prize in in the the comcompetition petition forfor beautiful beautiful towns towns in in Québec. Québec.

VILLE DE SAINTE-JULIE

GREEN GREEN SPACES SPACES GALORE GALORE Spoiled Spoiled in in terms terms of of itsits geographic geographic location, location, Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie is is deeply deeply attached attached to to itsits natural natural heritage. heritage. A humid A humid area area onon thethe northern northern edge edge of of itsits territory, territory, a former a former sandpit, sandpit, is is now now a a protected protected development development zone. zone. “This “This is the is the Charlebois Charlebois marsh, marsh, anan area area of of great great ecological ecological value, value, which which wewe plan plan to to protect protect while while making making it accessible it accessible to to walkers walkers who who respect respect biodiversibiodiversity,”ty,” says says Roy, Roy, thethe Mayor Mayor of of Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie and and President President of of thethe Union Union des des municipalités municipalités dudu Québec. Québec. “We’re “We’re setting setting upup a permanent a permanent conservation conservation area area spanning spanning more more than than 1111 hechectares. tares. The The objective objective is to is to create create a conservation a conservation park.” park.”

SUZANNE SUZANNE ROY ROY Mayor Mayor of of Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie

Naturally, Naturally, that that pool pool of of educated educated workers workers is is attractive attractive to to businesses, businesses, along along with with the the enviable enviable geographic geographic location location the the municipality municipality enjoys enjoys at at the the intersection intersection of of autoroutes autoroutes 20 20 and and 30, 30, near near the the major major economic economic centres centres of of Montréal Montréal and and Longueuil. Longueuil. It’s It’s no no accident accident that that Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie is is home home to to more more than than 35% 35% of of all all the the businesses businesses in in the the RCM. RCM. All All told, told, that that makes makes nearly nearly 500 500 local local industries industries and and retail retail establishments establishments offering offering local local employment employment in in aa diverse diverse range range of of sectors, sectors, from from food food to to printing, printing, furniture furniture and and metal metal products, products, plus plus leading-edge leading-edge industries industries like like IT, IT, telecommunications, telecommunications, instrumentation, instrumentation, electrical electrical equipment, equipment, industrial industrial machinery, machinery, transportation transportation equipment, equipment, health health care, care, etc. etc.

VAN-QUE VAN-QUE DO, DO, CITOYENNE CITOYENNE JULIEVILLOISE JULIEVILLOISE

VILLE VILLE DE DE SAINTE-JULIE SAINTE-JULIE

A A DYNAMIC DYNAMIC INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL AND AND COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL SECTOR SECTOR With With nearly nearly 32,000 32,000 citizens, citizens, Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie is is the the most most popupopulous lous town town in in the the regional regional county county municipality municipality (RCM) (RCM) of of Marguerite-D’Youville, Marguerite-D’Youville, accounting accounting for for 40.3% 40.3% of of the the RCM’s RCM’s demographic demographic weight. weight. The The town town also also has has aa high high rate rate of of acaacademic demic achievement, achievement, with with nearly nearly 85% 85% of of the the population population having having graduated graduated from from CEGEP CEGEP or or university. university.

ONE ONE LEG LEG OF OF THE THE MONTRÉAL MONTRÉAL METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY’S COMMUNITY’S OKA-MONT-SAINT-HILAIRE OKA-MONT-SAINT-HILAIRE TRAIL TRAIL CROSSES CROSSES SAINTE-JULIE, SAINTE-JULIE, PRESENTING PRESENTING SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR VIEWS. VIEWS.

LOCATED LOCATED AT AT THE THE FOOT FOOT OF OF MONT MONT SAINT-BRUNO, SAINT-BRUNO, SAINTE-JULIE SAINTE-JULIE OFFERS OFFERS AN AN ENCHANTING ENCHANTING SETTING. SETTING.

GETTING GETTING AROUND AROUND IS IS A A SNAP SNAP Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie does does everything everything in in its its power power to to make make itit easy easy for for residents residents to to get get around, around, focusing focusing on on public public transit transit and and cycling cycling as as important important aspects aspects of of sustainable sustainable urban urban living. living. This This is is known known as as T.O.D. T.O.D. (transit-oriented (transit-oriented development). development). A A new new bus bus terminal terminal with with six six bays, bays, currently currently under under construction construction at at the the north-east north-east corner corner of of autoroute autoroute 20 20 and and chemin chemin du du Fer-àFer-àCheval, Cheval, is is slated slated to to open open in in the the fall. fall. The The $26.5-million $26.5-million project project is is designed designed to to provide provide better better service service for for Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie bus bus traveltravellers. lers. Between Between 2008 2008 and and 2013, 2013, bus bus traffic traffic rose rose by by 23%. 23%. “There “There will will be be incentive incentive parking parking at at the the terminal, terminal, with with 1,000 1,000 parking parking spaces,” spaces,” says says Roy, Roy, adding adding that that her her municipality municipality is is also also planning planning aa major major commercial commercial development development covering covering 11 million million square square feet feet in in the the same same area. area. The The site site will will also also offer offer reserved reserved access accessfor forpedestrians pedestriansand andcyclists, cyclists,bike bike stands, stands,parking parkingspaces spaces for for carpoolers, carpoolers, and and two two charging charging terminals terminals for for electric electric cars. cars.

Industrial Industrial activities activities are are essentially essentially concentrated concentrated around around autoroute autoroute 20, 20, in in four four industrial industrial parks parks (Lavoisier, (Lavoisier, Coulombe, Coulombe, Pascal Pascal and and Casavant) Casavant) with with low low environmental environmental impact impact levels. levels. Autoroute Autoroute 20 20 gives gives companies companies in in the the industrial industrial parks parks aa real real competitive competitive edge, edge, with with high high visibility visibility and and rapid rapid access access to to the the major major cities cities of of Québec Québec and and other other provinces, provinces, Roy Roy points points out. out.

Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie citizens citizens also also enjoy enjoy free free public public transit transit within within the the municipality. municipality. Students Students at at the the CEGEP CEGEP de de Saint-Hyacinthe Saint-Hyacinthe have have aa reserved reserved bus bus line, line, free free of of charge, charge, that’s that’s even even coordinated coordinated with with class class schedules. schedules. That That measure measure has has boosted boosted admissions admissions to to the the CEGEP. CEGEP. Another Another initiative initiative brought brought forward forward by by the the municipality municipality is is aa flexible flexible group group taxi taxi service service with with low low fares fares for for teens teens between between the the ages ages of of 12 12 and and 17 17 travelling travelling within within the the city city and and to to neighbouring neighbouring municipalities. municipalities.

Thanks Thanks to to all all this this economic economic activity, activity, Sainte-Julie Sainte-Julie has has an an ememployment ployment rate rate of of 72.6% 72.6% (the (the Québec Québec average average is is 60%) 60%) and and annual annual per-capita per-capita revenue revenue of of $48,021 $48,021 (Statistics (Statistics Canada Canada figures figures for for 2013 2013 and and 2011 2011 respectively). respectively).

Sainte-Julie’s Sainte-Julie’s remarkable remarkable network network of of bike bike paths paths covers covers more more than than 40 40 km. km. Under Under the the master master plan, plan, new new paths paths will will open open over over the the next next few few years. years. “We “We want want to to make make cycling cycling the the favourite favourite mode mode of of active active transportation transportation for for our our families,” families,” says says Roy. Roy.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

YOU ARE A BUILDER

Build Laval With Us + Develop in high-potential, residential or commercial sectors + Be a key player in job creation + Contribute to building a big, dynamic city, with a prosperous, sustainable, competitive and cutting-edge economy + Join the visionaries working together to enhance the rich natural environment of Laval

Invest promoteurs.laval.ca

Laval

AN ACTIVE, CONVIVIAL COMMUNITY Proudly urban by nature, Laval rolls up its sleeves to implement an innovative development strategy.

LAVAL ECONOMY IN FINE HEALTH The Laval economy is certainly healthy enough to justify the optimism of the municipal team. The employment rate rose by 30% between 2001 and 2013, and economic activities generated more than $1.225 million in 2014. With more than 10,700 companies (including 500 exporters) generating 153,500 jobs at last count, Laval is one of this country’s major economic powerhouses. Among the city’s recent economic triumphs is the arrival of Lumen, Québec’s leading distributor of electrical products, which is building its new headquarters and distribution centre in Laval. “That’s an investment of $100 million – the largest in our history!” says Demers with pride. In 2013, the city decided to assemble a cluster of service companies and head offices to foster their development, expansion, attraction and retention. An agreement was also signed with the Laval Chamber of Commerce to set up specific services. LAVAL THE BEAUTIFUL Laval is definitely taking its urban development in hand. The city will be investing $850 million over the next four years in the protection and refurbishment of existing assets and the development of infrastructures and equipment. A special budget of $22 million has been set aside for redeveloping the downtown area. These investments should have a leverage effect with more than $1 billion in private investments.

SOPHIE POLIQUIN

ou could say Laval’s “to do” list is on the ambitious side. Keeping the citizens happy, active and healthy and developing the city’s industrial core, while weaving nature into the urban fabric... “Our strategic vision is based on a major participative strategy, working with Laval citizens, companies and social and community groups. Strengthened by social acceptance and the synergy created with various partners, we have everything we need to remodel Laval,” says Mayor Marc Demers.

MARC DEMERS Mayor of Laval

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

BENOIT DESJARDINS

FORUM OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

AERIAL VIEW OF THE CITY OF LAVAL

Some spectacular projects are underway in downtown Laval, such as the Espace Montmorency project (more than 1 million square feet) and the Urbania 2 residential project, which will be an “urban village.” The downtown core is undergoing major changes. “We want to make it a real community where people can live, study, have fun and also work, and we’re hoping to attract service companies and high-tech R&D companies to set up shop downtown,” says Demers.

Speaking of culture... “We want Laval citizens to be able to enjoy even more cultural activities right here. Place Bell will be able to accommodate really big shows. We’re planning 120 days of arts programming a year, run by Evenko. And then there’s the Salle André-Mathieu, plus four libraries slated for renovation, and a new library being built in Saint-François,” notes the mayor. On the nature front, a number of bold initiatives are totally transforming the city. Some $51.2 million has been earmarked in the three-year assets plan for the development of new parks, embankments and forested areas and the rehabilitation of other locations. “And that’s not even counting what we’ve accomplished over the past two years,” says Demers, giving the example of the 10,000 trees planted at the Centre de la nature, the biggest park in Laval. PROMOTING SOUND GOVERNANCE The city of Laval is strongly committed to sound municipal governance. In 2014, the city mandated the Institute for 38

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Four arenas are currently under renovation, and Place Bell, the 10,000-seat multipurpose sports and culture complex, will be opening next year.

MONTONI

Laval is resolutely committed to improving its citizens’ quality of life, notably by promoting a mobile, active lifestyle. Priorities include developing the network of bike and walking paths and neighbourhood services so that people will use their cars less. The city’s annual support for the Société de transport de Laval has risen by 18% over the past three years, and has now topped the $65 million mark.

ESPACE MONTMORENCY

Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP) to conduct an analysis and audit of its procedures. Laval also asked the École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP, the university of public administration) to help with the city’s administrative reorganization. Armed with reliable tools and mechanisms for governance and accountability, Laval can now assure its citizens of the transparency and integrity they expect from their city in the management of municipal affairs. Among the measures put in place are free access to information, such as discussions at city council meetings, and setting up an integrated department for processing applications for construction permits. “Our city is changing its culture at the same time as the territory is changing its appearance. We’re so very proud of all this,” says the mayor.

Beauharnois Beauharnois

VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS

RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE CITY CITY Turningits itsback backon onaaquarter-century quarter-centuryof ofdemographic demographicand andeconomic economicdecline, decline, Turning Beauharnoisisisalready alreadyreaping reapingthe thebenefits benefitsof ofits its20/20 20/20Strategic StrategicDevelopment DevelopmentPlan. Plan. Beauharnois

Locatedatatthe thejunction junctionofofautoroutes autoroutes Located 30 and 236, t he indust r ial parkkisis 30 and 236, t he indust r ial par accessible to the railway network and accessible to the railway network and theSt. St.Lawrence Lawrenceseaway. seaway.InIn2012, 2012,the the the Frenchweb webhosting hostingcompany companyOVH OVH French

“Becausewe weown ownthe theland, land,we wecan can “Because control the conditions for resale to control the conditions for resale to companies,”the themayor mayorpoints pointsout. out.“The “The companies,” surplusesfrom fromresale resaleare areinvested investedinin surpluses projects in our plan. So Beauharnois projects in our plan. So Beauharnois candevelop developwhile whilereducing reducingresidents’ residents’ can taxburden.” burden.” tax BEAUHARNOISBY BYTHE THEWATER WATER BEAUHARNOIS Withthe theriver, river,Lac LacSaint-Louis Saint-Louisand andthe the With Beauharnois canal, the water is never Beauharnois canal, the water is never veryfar faraway awayininBeauharnois. Beauharnois.This Thisasasvery pectwas wasneglected neglectedininthe thepast, past,but butitit pect frontand andcentre centreininthe thedevelopment development isisfront plan, which includes work onthe theriver river plan, which includes work on banks and building a marina. “Equipping banks and building a marina. “Equipping ourcity cityto tomake makeititone oneofofthe thebusiest busiest our riverside communities in the region will riverside communities in the region will stimulate our recreation and tourism stimulate our recreation and tourism economy––plus, plus,this thisinitiative initiativemakes makeslife life economy even more beautiful for Beauharnois even more beautiful for Beauharnois residents,”says saysHaineault. Haineault. residents,”

VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS

SHOWCASINGTHE THE SHOWCASING INDUSTRIALPARK PARK INDUSTRIAL The city city has has taken taken this this opportunity opportunity The to turn the corner and turn things things to turn the corner and turn around by attracting new businesses. around by attracting new businesses. Thatcouldn’t couldn’thappen happenuntil untilthere therewas was That an industrial park ready and waiting to an industrial park ready and waiting to accommodate modern facilities. In 2011, accommodate modern facilities. In 2011, Beauharnoisacquired acquiredthe theassets assetsofofRio Rio Beauharnois Tinto Alcan for a symbolic $1 and had Tinto Alcan for a symbolic $1 and had the site site decontaminated, decontaminated, along along with with the settingup upaa$667,000 $667,000recovery recoveryfund fundto to setting supportjob jobcreation. creation.At Atthe thesame sametime, time, support thecity cityacquired acquired13 13million millionsquare squarefeet feet the of land from Hydro-Québec, boosting of land from Hydro-Québec, boosting thearea areaofofthe theindustrial industrialpark parkto to25 25milmilthe lion square feet. lion square feet.

“Beauharnoisschools schoolsare arefilling fillingup up “Beauharnois again––aagreat greatomen omenfor forthe thefuture!” future!” again saysHaineault Haineaultwith withaagrin. grin. says

WORK PROCEEDS IN THE BEAUHARNOIS WORK PROCEEDS IN THE BEAUHARNOIS INDUSTRIAL PARK INDUSTRIAL PARK

> >

“Aclear, clear,structurizing, structurizing,stimulating stimulatingvision vision “A guides our decisions every single day,” guides our decisions every single day,” saysthe thefirst firstmagistrate magistrateofofthe thecity. city. says

Andthe thestandardized standardizedproperty propertyvalue value And has risen by 42.3% since 2008, and will has risen by 42.3% since 2008, and will continueto torise riseininstep stepwith withthe thepopulapopulacontinue tionininthe thecoming comingyears. years. tion

Thebeautification beautificationproject projectdovetails dovetails The with development in the residential with development in the residential sector:there thereare arecurrently currentlyeight eightrealrealsector: estateprojects projectsunderway. underway. estate The attraction attraction factor factor can can already already be be The measuredininBeauharnois’ Beauharnois’rising risingpopupopumeasured lation––now nowover overthe the13,000 13,000mark. mark.The The lation city’s strategic plan sees that growth city’s strategic plan sees that growth pickingup upover overthe thenext nextfew fewyears, years,to to picking morethan than20,000 20,000inhabitants inhabitantsby by2020. 2020. more

VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS VILLE DE BEAUHARNOIS

Nowresolutely resolutelyturned turnedtowards towardsthe the Now future, Beauharnois is one of the few future, Beauharnois is one of the few townsininQuébec Québecto tohave haveseen seenits itstax tax towns rate actually actually go go down. down. Major Major budget budget rate surpluseswere wereracked rackedup upinin2014, 2014,and and surpluses the situation looks equally promising the situation looks equally promising forthe thenext nextfew fewyears. years. for

setup upaagiant giantdata datacentre, centre,installing installing set more than 360,000 servers in thepark. park. more than 360,000 servers in the “OVH.comhas hascreated createdabout aboutaahundred hundred “OVH.com qualityjobs jobsininBeauharnois. Beauharnois.Other Othercomcomquality panies have also been attracted to our panies have also been attracted to our industrial park, such as BioM, CSX Transindustrial park, such as BioM, CSX Transportation,Chloretec, Chloretec,Axiall, Axiall,Canexus Canexusand and portation, several others,” says Haineault. The park several others,” says Haineault. The park currentlyhome hometotoabout about10 10companies. companies. isiscurrently

GREAT VIEWS OF LAC SAINT-LOUIS GREAT VIEWS OF LAC SAINT-LOUIS

> >

“Foraalong longtime, time,our ourcity citywas wasthe thevictim victim “For of two factors: our location far from of two factors: our location far from majorhighways, highways,making makingBeauharnois Beauharnois major the‘dead ‘deadend’ end’ofofQuébec, Québec,and andthe theaging aging the of our industries,” says Mayor Claude of our industries,” says Mayor Claude Haineault.With Withthe thearrival arrivalofofautoroute autoroute Haineault. 30,however, however,the themunicipality municipalityfaces facesaa 30, bright new future. bright new future.

CLAUDEHAINEAULT HAINEAULT CLAUDE MayorofofBeauharnois Beauharnois Mayor

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

An interview with Andrée De Serres, who holds the Ivanhoé Cambridge Real Estate Chair at the ESG (school of management), UQAM

REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM FOR MONTRÉAL

BY NATHALIE SAVARIA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Much more than simply a conglomeration of residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and office buildings, real estate forms a huge ecosystem made up of professionals, companies, institutions and regulations. Andrée De Serres believes it’s high time to see the “big picture,” with reliable data, so that we can fully understand this real-estate ecosystem and assess the contribution it makes to the economic, cultural and social development of major cities like Montréal.

In fact, it’s just that systemic vision that the holder of the Chair would like to see applied to the real-estate sector. “Even for a straightforward real-estate transaction, you’ll often have a real-estate broker, a mortgage broker, a lending institution, an insurance company, a land surveyor, a building quality technician, a notary, movers, architects, landscape architects, public services, and so on. This is an enormous sector, and it’s in our best interests to structure and support it with an economic development policy,” says De Serres.

JBC MÉDIA BY DENIS BERNIER

For many people, the term “ecosystem” is related to ecology, but it’s actually a concept that provides an overview of the complex dynamics of a specific sector of economic activity by revealing the interdependent relationships and links among its various components – jobs and professions, organizations, companies, partners, levels of government – and the contributions they make to creating economic, social, cultural and heritage capital.

ANDRÉE DE SERRES Ivanhoé Cambridge Real Estate Chair at the ESG (school of management), UQAM 40

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

"The ecosystem is based on the idea of supporting or energizing the process of collaboration and ‘coopetition’ (a recently coined word that combines cooperation and competition) between the different stakeholders in a sector where wealth, education, ideas and freedom of expression and freedom to develop knowledge and innovation will benefit all the players and the community, not just a particular player." – Andrée De Serres

C A L L F O R E X P R E S S I O N S O F I N T E R E S T – R E N TA L S PA C E PRIORITY GIVEN TO CULTURAL, DIGITAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

ISTOCK BY DENIS ROGER

Marketing of professional spaces for rent on the place des Festivals

FROM INDUSTRY CLUSTER TO ECOSYSTEM Montréal has articulated its economic development policy around nine clusters of excellence. De Serres is not surprised that there’s no cluster for real estate - yet. “The concept of cluster often refers to a group of players from a sector that produces specific goods, materials or services. However, the real-estate ecosystem, as I see it, obviously includes building construction, plus all the related transactions and services, but also the added value that comes from improving people’s quality of life, creating social, cultural and heritage capital, developing new knowledge and previously unexplored business models, creating value that makes a direct contribution to the dynamic of a city’s social and economic value.” According to De Serres, the industrial cluster or competitive hub relies on a platform where suppliers and clients from the same

True to our mission of advancing the economic, social and cultural development of Montréal, the SHDM primarily targets cultural, digital and institutional organizations as potential tenants.

Your new address in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles

Occupation BEGINNING OF 2018 Documentation and form available at: www.shdm.org Driven by the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), the Îlot Balmoral is under construction at the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard and De Bleury Street, adjacent to the place des Festivals in the Quartier des spectacles, Montréal’s entertainment district. The13-storey building will house the new headquarters and studios of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) on 6 floors. The SHDM plans to qualify the building for a LEED® Gold NC 2009 certification. UNE PROPRIÉTÉ DE LA

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

A REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM FOR MONTRÉAL

"In Greater Montréal, at least 15% of jobs are linked to the real-estate sector"

SHUTTERSTOCK RAWPIXEL.COM

– Andrée De Serres

sector of industrial activities in a region work together. “The ecosystem is based on the idea of supporting or energizing the process of collaboration and ‘coopetition’ (a recently coined word that combines cooperation and competition) between the different stakeholders in a sector where wealth, education, ideas and freedom of expression and freedom to develop knowledge and innovation will benefit all the players and the community, not just a particular player,” she explains. Things look rather different in the real-estate sector. “There are many partners with different objectives: individuals, investors, the city, and so on,” she says. “They lead the whole sector, with its professions, skills and knowledge, in a dynamic of development and evolution.” A recent event that ruled the headlines in Québec revealed the existence of this ecosystem: yes, the Charbonneau Commission. “We saw how the Charbonneau Commission affected us,” De Serres recalls. “Everyone felt involved, directly and indirectly. We realized how all this had paralyzed the economy and depressed the level of real-estate activity. That wasn’t the only factor, but it had a major impact. There had been a lot of mistrust. The capital of confidence had to be rebooted.” De Serres feels that the ecosystem is to some extent an improved cluster that provides an opportunity to observe all sorts of relationships, for example showing a company’s contribution, but also the more sensitive aspects: “We 42

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

increasingly feel the need to know who does what, how they do it and who they are.” MAPPING THE ECOSYSTEM De Serres is currently heading a major research project designed to present a fuller picture of the real-estate ecosystem and assess its contribution to the economic and social development of big cities like Montréal. “First of all, we are aiming to gauge the interrelationships and interdependencies among various types of players,” she says. “At each phase in a project’s life cycle, there is always a mix of public and private. When you want to do renovations, you go to the city to apply for a permit. Then you hire a contractor. Once the building is constructed, you decide whether to manage it yourself or hire a manager… and you continue to do business with the city. There’s an endless chain of relationships among private partners or with public partners.” It’s crucial to understand how the gears mesh and how interdependencies work among contractors, managers and suppliers of services and products. “We’re at a major turning point when it comes to green buildings that will provide an opportunity to develop products that meet sustainable building standards and make them part of the process, produce them here and sell them around the world. Certification isn’t local. So we can support innovation with the goal of applying it here, and also opening up international markets for our companies,” notes De Serres.

SHUTTERSTOCK BY QQ7

> A CRANE ON THE SKYLINE OF DOWNTOWN MONTRÉAL

TOWARDS A POLICY OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The other goal of the project is to identify or develop means of measuring impacts in order to establish an economic and social development policy. “In Greater Montréal, at least 15% of jobs are linked to the realestate sector,” she points out. First of all, the project involves enumerating the professions, organizations and companies that are directly or indirectly associated with real estate in the private and public sectors to gain a better understanding of the interactive chains and business models that connect them. The next step is to analyze the impact of technological, organizational and institutional innovations that can contribute to improving the productivity, creativity and business models we have now. “Once we agree that economic activities related to real estate go way beyond buildings to include the production of services, goods and equipment in both the private and public sectors, we change things. We’ve recently realized that a big piece of the puzzle was missing – we had a fragmented vision of all this activity, so viewing it that way would probably mean we’d have to take care of things.” De Serres says this translates into municipal, provincial and federal development policies that include this synergy and support the dynamic among the different links in the chain. Establishing this type of policy could only have beneficial effects for Greater Montréal. “A large proportion of highvalue-added jobs and services are concentrated in world-class

STM

TOITURES HOGUE

CANARY WHARF, LONDON

HE LIONEL-GROULX METRO STATION, TRANSFER T POINT BETWEEN THE GREEN AND ORANGE LINES

cities like Montréal,” says De Serres. “Just look at the number of infrastructures and buildings under construction all around us, with more projects on the drawing board – we know there’s a lot of activity. Big cities are the natural unit for over seeing this economic development policy, because they have a connection and direct interest in real estate, whether in terms of creativity, risk management, demographics or the environment. It’s at the very heart of things – the reality and justification of the city.” To demonstrate the importance of this type of policy, De Serres cites the example of Canary Wharf in London, which was not well planned, notably when it came to infrastructures. “The district was awaiting the arrival of tens of thousands of workers, but the Jubilee Line (subway) only arrived years later.” De Serres believes that infrastructures and buildings go hand in hand. Along with traditional infrastructures such as public transit, she includes ‘‘quality of life” infrastructures like schools, universities and daycares. “In some neighbourhoods, they seem to have forgotten to arrange for these collective services. That’s a real problem,” she says with a sigh. For foreign investors, having an economic and social development policy that includes a systemic vision of real estate would be a major advantage for Greater Montréal. “It’s reassuring for investors to know that the city understands real-estate activity. That helps to attract companies in the new economy and the knowledge economy, who need to have a place to live that’s rich in every way to attract competent and creative employees who like living in a dynamic city,” says De Serres. MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

A REAL-ESTATE ECOSYSTEM FOR MONTRÉAL Annonce laval Economique FR:Layout 3

12/11/15

2:48 PM

Page 2

700,000 ft2 of office space available

"We need to get all these different parties sitting down together so they realize that they have different expectations and foster coopetition and cooperation among themselves, as in an ecosystem, trying to fulfill everyone’s aspirations." – Andrée De Serres

Laval: a dynamic real estate mix A number of major businesses already call Laval home. Multiple real estate options exist, adapted to the needs of businesses and business people.

Almost 30 million ft2 of floor space available in Laval’s industrial parks

We can help you move your business project forward. Contact our team at 450-978-5959 or lavaleconomique@laval.ca lavaleconomique.com

Financial assistance for businesses

Real estate investments

Entrepreneurship support

Business consulting

Mobility and international business

TOGETHER FOR A GLOBAL VISION OF THE CITY Since Montréal is currently reviewing its real-estate development policy, “This would be a good time to have an overall vision, not just of what the city wants, but also of what the developers and the citizens want,” says De Serres. “Getting these three groups, which have different performance expectations, together is important for the long-term economic and social development of Greater Montréal. For the developers, this will be profitability; for the citizens, quality of life; for the city, economic development. The new challenges of the smart city also mean setting up collaborative spaces that give all stakeholders a voice.” And it’s imperative, she says, to fill the gap between the public and private sectors in the wake of the Charbonneau Commission. “We need to create an open and transparent space for exchanges and cooperation.” De Serres reckons the first step is organizing an event with participation from everyone involved in real estate in the cities that make up Greater Montréal, starting with the private sector. “We need to get all these different parties sitting down together so they realize that they have different expectations and foster coopetition and cooperation among themselves, as in an ecosystem, trying to fulfill everyone’s aspirations.” The idea’s out there now. Who will take it and run with it?

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

BY EMMANUELLE GRIL, JOURNALIST

Despite some recent negativity about the Montréal economy, this city has soldiered on, becoming an excellent place to invest in real estate. Mario Lefebvre, outgoing CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Québec (UDI), tells us why.

Lefebvre is no pessimist – he believes the Québec economy is on an upward swing. “The recovery south of the border can only have a positive effect on us in the near future. Along with Ontario, Québec is the province that has the strongest economic ties with the U.S.,” he says. Lefebvre points out that the manufacturing sector is also starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. “Of course, we can’t expect to see really strong growth, but we are seeing gradual progress.” That improvement has had a positive impact on Montréal, says Lefebvre, who believes that the city absorbed the shock of the 2008-2009 recession relatively well. “Even during the worst years, the city succeeded in registering slight growth while many other places saw setbacks of several percentage points,” he says. Is this a good time to invest in Montréal? Now more than ever, he says firmly. BIG PLUSES This city has many advantages. First of all, there’s the growing population, fuelled by immigration. “Economics, population and real estate are closely linked. When one is strong, it strengthens the others. Montréal is one of the destinations immigrants arriving in Canada really value, which gives us a demographic advantage over other cities,” says Lefebvre.

JBC MÉDIA BY DENIS BERNIER

SHUTTERSTOCK BY RAWPIXEL.COM

TIME TO INVEST IN MONTRÉAL – NOW MORE THAN EVER

MARIO LEFEBVRE Outgoing CEO Urban Development Institute of Québec MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

TIME TO INVEST IN MONTRÉAL – NOW MORE THAN EVER XX

"If we really work on this, you won’t recognize Montréal ten years from now," Ménard said in a March 2014 press release, confirming that Montréal’s economic recovery had begun.

L. JACQUES MÉNARD

Directors at BMO Nesbitt Burns and heads BMO Financial Group

He also believes that this city benefits from the positive spinoffs generated by Canada’s good reputation – we have a solid, reliable banking system and a relatively low indebtedness rate (the debt-to-grossdomestic-product [GDP] ratio is 30% nationally). “Investors have a good opinion of Canada. A few years ago, Calgary was the top place to be. But that’s not the case these days, especially with falling oil prices affecting the economy of that region. I believe Montréal is well placed to be the next city that really attracts investments,” Lefebvre adds. Does he think the climate of austerity generated by the Couillard government’s “deficit hunt” will slow things down? Absolutely not. “We needed to clean up our finances that way. Remember, the debt-toGDP ratio for Québec was 60%! Now that’s done, the government can become a real player in the investment field and start to contribute again,” says Lefebvre. That being said, he’s also happy to see the private sector’s increasing commitment to promoting the city of Montréal. For example, there’s L. Jacques Ménard, who chairs the Board of Directors at BMO Nesbitt Burns and heads BMO Financial Group. “It takes a whole community to relaunch a big city, but the business community needs to fire the starter pistol. This is our city. We’re the ones who create jobs and wealth. If we really work on this, you won’t recognize Montréal ten years from now,” Ménard said in a March 2014 press release, confirming that Montréal’s economic recovery had begun. Ménard and the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal were the driving forces behind the “Je suis Montréal” movement, an unprecedented mobi46

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

lization that brought together 1,000 people from different milieux in November 2014, presenting more than 100 projects designed to get the city moving again. Lefebvre believes that mayor Denis Coderre is the “best salesman” Montréal has ever had – yet another big plus for the city. SIGNS OF PROGRESS The outgoing CEO of the UDI acknowledges that things aren’t perfect in Montréal and some aspects will need to be improved to make sure the city remains attractive in the eyes of investors. “It’s essential for the transportation system to work properly. If we want to be a major economic player, we need to be able to bring goods into and out of the city quickly and efficiently. That makes a big difference in keeping the manufacturing sector competitive. So Montréal needs to work on its infrastructures. We probably also need to rethink existing spaces and make investments to improve them,” says Lefebvre. Is the Montréal real-estate market saturated? Some may think so, looking at the many construction cranes looming on the city skyline, but Lefebvre believes we haven’t reached the limit and there’s still room for development. We do need to be careful not to go beyond what the territory can absorb, obviously, because over-supply always has a detrimental effect on the real-estate industry. “That being said, I believe we’re experiencing a time of great momentum right now. Now more than ever, it makes a lot of sense to invest in the Montréal real-estate market,” Lefebvre says with great enthusiasm.

POMERLEAU

SPECIAL REPORT

BUILDING ON HALF A CENTURY OF SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

PROPOS RECUEILLIS PAR SUZANNE GAGNÉ

POMERLEAU (SAUF INDICATION CONTRAIRE)

Looking back over general contractor Pomerleau’s half-century in the business is a bit like recounting the history of the construction industry in Québec. Year after year, with thousands of projects to its credit, this family business has stayed true to its founder’s values, always with an eye to the sectors and construction techniques of the future. The company’s goal for the years to come: to further strengthen its position as a major player from coast to coast. INTERVIEW BY SUZANNE GAGNÉ POMERLEAU (UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED)

POMERLEAU INC. OWNERS: FRANCIS POMERLEAU, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT AND PIERRE POMERLEAU, PRESIDENT AND CEO

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrate together!

Congratulations to Pomerleau Inc. on its 50th anniversary.

National Bank would like to recognize the contribution of Pomerleau Inc., an outstanding Canadian business. nbc.ca/business

THE POMERLEAU FAMILY IN ANOTHER ERA, LEFT TO RIGHT: PIERRE, HERVÉ, LAURETTE, GABY, ÉLAINE AND FRANCIS

The 1960s saw many important changes around the world and here at home. The Quiet Revolution was emerging in Québec. In 1964, the government enacted the Labour Code and set up the Conseil provincial du Québec des métiers de la construction (Québec Provincial Building Trades Council). In St-Georges-de-Beauce, a young man named Hervé Pomerleau was dreaming big. From a very early age, young Pomerleau spent his working hours on construction sites, but he always wanted more — and better. In 1964, he seized the opportunity to go into business, second nature for this dedicated worker. His first team included five men. “When I went into business, I worked hard and I wanted to be the best,” he says. And he succeeded: in 1966, Pomerleau incorporated his thriving company. Always on the lookout for emerging opportunities in the market, he took advantage of the high school and CEGEP building boom that started in 1967. He would go on to build no fewer than 78 educational institutions over the next few years. In fact, he made a name for himself and built across the province, carefully avoiding major centres, as he knew very well that slow and steady was the way to go, having seen other contractors stumble and fall.

IN DECEMBER 1985, THE PRESIDENT APPEARED ON THE COVER OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE

HERVÉ POMERLEAU (1965)

POMERLEAU

In 1978, Pomerleau took a calculated risk and made a first foray into real estate with the new design-build and lease mode, enabling Hydro-Québec to finance its administrative facilities in Montmagny. “This type of tendering process was new at the time,” says François Fecteau, the first engineer hired by Pomerleau. “Hydro-Québec was using performance specifications and asked that we finance their project over 20 years. At the end of that period, they became the owners of the building. Pomerleau completed several projects of this type in design-build mode for HydroQuébec. For us, it was a solid niche because they were a first-class tenant.”

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

WE KNOW

CONTRACT SURETY

The Guarantee is a market leading, North American company, with the expertise, resources and capacity to support customers and projects of all sizes and complexity. You can depend on our 143 years of experience, ďŹ nancial strength, specialized underwriting and claims expertise as we partner with brokers to deliver innovative solutions to target customers Know more at theguarantee.com

PROUD PARTNER OF POMERLEAU

Excellence, Expertise, Experience ... Every time

FRANCE QUIRION PHOTOGRAPHE

POMERLEAU

< FRANÇOIS FECTEAU, RETIRED ENGINEER

FIRST OFFICE (1966)

IN 1970, POMERLEAU WON ITS FIRST MAJOR CONTRACT OUTSIDE THE BEAUCE REGION: THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VALCARTIER HOSPITAL.

ROCKLAND CENTRE

Pomerleau surrounded himself with people who had complementary talents. In 1972, he was one of the first general contractors to hire an engineer, François Fecteau. He was also committed to taking good care of his employees, a value he would pass on to his children. For instance, in 1974, he implemented a deferred profit-sharing plan. That year, the company’s annual sales had reached $13.8 million. Pomerleau was always curious, visiting as many construction sites as possible here and abroad, often taking his sons along. He also kept abreast of all the latest trends. By 1974, he was already working according to the new design-build mode, which involved constructing a building as the plans were drawn, rather than for a lump sum after the plans and specifications had been completed.

In 1980, refusing to be discouraged by an initial experience in Montréal a few years before, Pomerleau and his team set up a regional office in the city. Within two years, the company was awarded its first major private contract in Montréal, to build the Rockland Centre, a shopping complex, again in design-build mode. Soon after, the company won the contract to refurbish the high-profile Windsor Hotel in Montréal, a $12-million project. And then the recession hit. Pomerleau, who likes to say he’s “not an engineer, but ingenious,” felt the pinch, but made every effort to keep his men working. Then, due to non-payment, the company became the owner of four regional shopping centres. That meant it went into real estate and in the space of 10 years, amassed a real estate portfolio totalling four million square feet, made up of shopping centres, hotels and office buildings, among others. MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Specializing in major demolition work

SINCE 1968 150 TYPES OF EQUIPMENT 150 EMPLOYEES 2000 COMPLETED PROJECTS

St-Pierre has earned a solid reputation for its qualified, professional staff, innovative working techniques, and wide range of highly specialized equipment.

A KEY PART OF YOUR PROJECTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SUCCESS!

RENTAL DEMOLITION REHABILITATION DECONTAMINATION Congratulations to POMERLEAU on 50 years of successful projects

[renestpierre.ca] Sherbrooke | Montreal | Quebec

POMERLEAU

Fortunately, the recession didn’t last and business rebounded, with multiple projects in the works. “We put the experience we’d gained in construction and in the market in general to good use to help our clients reach their goals and to serve them well. We were continuously adapting to them,” Fecteau recalls. And that strategy certainly bore fruit: by 1986, Pomerleau had become the number one general contractor in Québec.

IN 1983, THE COMPANY WAS AWARDED ITS FIRST MAJOR CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT, THE REYNOLDS PLANT IN BAIE-COMEAU.

In 1981, Pomerleau applied its expertise in the construction of concrete structures to building the structure of the new Québec City court house as a subcontractor. Beaubois, a Pomerleau subsidiary specializing in architectural woodwork, handled the interior finishing work. Founded in 1977, Beaubois has been awarded several major contracts for non-traditional woodwork in Québec and outside the province – for instance, in court houses, casinos and large hotels in the United States.

IN 1984, POMERLEAU WON THE CONTRACT TO BUILD THE 27-STOREY LA LAURENTIENNE BUILDING IN MONTRÉAL. MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

PLAYING IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES

Since the late 1980s, Pomerleau has undergone a major transformation. After inaugurating a regional office in Montréal, it opened a second regional office in Québec City in the late 1980s, and a third in Ottawa in the early 1990s. It also diversified its business to include concrete, steel doors, glass doors, curtain walls, fenestration, and more.

At the time, Pomerleau also made a breakthrough that would definitely put it in the big leagues, with two projects that marked its history.

Olympia & York filed for bankruptcy in 1992, dragging the whole real estate market into the abyss and leading to a recession in construction. The company, like so many others, went into survival mode.

The first was the construction of the tallest building in Montréal, 1000 De La Gauchetière, from 1989 to 1991. Around the same time, Pomerleau, in a joint venture with European giant Bouygues, built the first run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant as part of the LG-1 project at James Bay. “During the previous few years, we’d been looking for ways to make the company progress further,” says Fecteau. “With LG-1, we learned a tremendous amount about technical approaches, and also about how to carry out a project in partnership with another company. In retrospect, I believe that the challenges of building LG-1 and 1000 De La Gauchetière helped Pomerleau gain maturity and make the leap from adolescence to adulthood at the corporate level.”

Unfortunately, because of the funding required, these projects also put the company in a rather vulnerable position when 54

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (1995)

In 1997, the company was transferred to Hervé Pomerleau’s sons, Pierre and Francis, both engineers and experienced businessmen with MBAs.

“We saw a rapid climb in the 1980s, followed by a similarly rapid decline in the early 1990s,” says current president and CEO Pierre Pomerleau. “There wasn’t a crane in sight in Montréal. Real estate took a plunge around the world. The period between 1992 and 1997 was very dry. We had to become much more competitive.”

Before that, there was only one way to undertake projects. The market has evolved towards construction management services and value-added services. Today, there are many contractual variations to satisfy different clients and project requirements.” And so Pomerleau was reborn.

In fact, the entire construction market altered dramatically at the end of the 1990s recession. First, people were more careful about their ways of doing business. Also, consortia and partnerships were on the rise, and construction modes were changing. More and more projects were carried out in construction management mode. The rules of the game were also changing, and the Pomerleau team decided it was time to restructure. The business model needed to be reinvented. In 1995, Pomerleau set up its first Board of Directors made up of external members. Among other things, this promoted a better strategic perspective on decision-making and an improved approach to risk assessment. Moreover, the new structure facilitated the succession. In 1997, the company was transferred to Hervé Pomerleau’s sons, Pierre and Francis, both engineers and experienced businessmen with MBAs. “Then we divested ourselves of several subsidiaries and focused on our construction business,” says senior vice president Francis Pomerleau. “We also developed new services with different contractual approaches. We wanted to be at the leading edge in our core businesses.

EXPERTISE FLEXIBILITY SPEED Our experienced team of real estate experts is known throughout the market and works with real estate developers daily to build tomorrow’s urban landscape. We can offer you construction and take-out financing solutions tailored to your commercial, industrial and residential real estate projects. CONTACT US: TONY MIGLIARA, Senior Vice-President Real Estate 514-284-4500, ext. 8500 tony.migliara@laurentianbank.ca PROUD TO PARTICIPATE IN POMERLEAU’S GROUP ACHIEVEMENTS. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY!

www.laurentianbank.ca/realestate

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

globatech is pleased to congratulate Pomerleau as it celebrates 50 years in the construction business. This grand adventure in the demanding sphere of construction is the result of inspired leadership, team spirit, efficiency and attention to performance – never losing sight of customer satisfaction. We’re celebrating too! Through our six divisions, globatech is celebrating

Baie-Saint-Paul project involves two of our divisions: sara-tech, which

globatech is the largest team of building health and safety experts in the province of Quebec.

specializes in managing building comfort and energy, and logic-contrôle,

www.globatech.ca

our 45th anniversary of serving property managers, so we can fully appreciate the hard work that has gone into achieving such high levels of performance. Our partnership with Pomerleau on the

which sells and installs parking and building security equipment. Our av-tech division has a reputation for expertise in all aspects of maintenance and repairs in the security and HVAC industry, as well as the parking industry. Our .ct tech division designs and builds Parknet, our own line of products for the automated parking solutions market. Another major division, gesti-clean, operates in the industrial cleanup market for mid-sized to large institutions and plants. Our most recent addition, select-tech, offers technical staff recruiting and leasing to meet our clients’ ever-changing manpower needs. globatech is a proud partner recognized for reliability in our business environment. Our workforce now numbers 600, all trained in workplace health and safety. We guarantee complete satisfaction – managers can call on us for service 24/7.

POMERLEAU

IN 1996, POMERLEAU WAS AWARDED ITS 1,000TH CONTRACT: THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WATER TREATMENT FACILITY IN SAINT-NICOLAS.

To erect the tallest building in Montréal, 1000 De La Gauchetière, the Pomerleau team achieved a first in the province of Québec with the “climbing form” technique. Workers create a concrete cage in the centre of the building (where the stairs and elevators are located) and build the steel structure around the core. Using the new technique at 1000 De La Gauchetière cut the time required for the formwork, reinforcement and concrete operations per storey by 50%. “We proceeded with a rigorous analysis of the project,” says Fecteau, “and decided upon a contractual mode where some elements were lump sum, others in construction management mode, and others turnkey, based on client objectives.” In the end, Pomerleau was able to reduce costs by $45 million, respecting the client’s original budget without changing the concept for the 55-storey office tower which included commercial spaces and a five-level underground parking structure and a total area of 153,300 m2.

IN 1994, POMERLEAU CARRIED OUT ONE OF ITS FIRST CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS, THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN ALGIERS, ALGERIA. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE COMPANY WON A HIGH-PROFILE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CONTRACT FOR THE HULL CASINO.

During the construction of LG-1, the first run-of-the-river hydroelectric project at James Bay, Pomerleau entered a joint venture with European giant Bouygues. This was the largest fixed-price contract to be awarded by the James Bay Energy Corporation. The $300-million project required 1,500 workers and 400,000 m2 of concrete. “That was the equivalent of a stretch of concrete mixer trucks, bumper to bumper, covering the distance between Montréal and Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, passing through Québec City!” says Fecteau. Pomerleau completed the work five months ahead of the original schedule – a feat that was all the more remarkable considering that no fewer than 5,000 change orders were made to the originally-planned work.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

DIVERSE EXPERTISE Over the past 15 years, Pomerleau has completed construction projects of all types in the fields of buildings and civil engineering, and expanded further by opening offices outside Québec and making several strategic acquisitions.

“Our rule for the past 15 years has been simple, but not necessarily easy to implement,” says Francis Pomerleau. “At all times, approximately one-third of our sales stem from markets or expertise that did not exist for us three years ago. For instance, we barely knew what public-private partnerships were five years ago, but today, we pursue them regularly. We’re always looking for new opportunities.” Another example: the Pomerleau team had been interested for some time in the mining and energy markets. In 2007, it acquired Génivar Construction and, in partnership with the American company Blattner, created Borea Construction ULC, specializing in the promising market of wind farm construction, a market that looked very promising at the time. Borea now holds 50% of the market in Canada. “Wind farms are becoming more and more prominent in Ontario and across Canada,” says chief operating officer Rocky Roy. A similar unfolding was happening on the civil engineering front, a field in which the company had been active for some time, but consolidated in 2012 with the acquisition of Neilson Inc. “Neilson’s capability in heavy civil works was the missing link in our civil engineering division, which require heavy machinery and large equipment,” says Roy. “This allowed us to expand the range of work our civil division performs.” 58

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

ROCKY ROY Chief operating officer

In 2012, Pomerleau acquired the assets of Santerre, a Baie Comeau-based company that specializes in high-voltage work. The acquisition of this expertise complemented Pomerleau’s civil and building projects. In 2015, Pomerleau acquired most of the assets of Aecon’s Atlantic Building Division and of Québec-based Verreault Construction. The Aecon acquisition strengthened Pomerleau’s regional operations because of that company’s in-depth knowledge of construction management. Verreault Construction,

TODAY, THE BOREA CONSTRUCTION DIVISION RACKS UP SALES OF ABOUT $400 M BUILDING WIND PARKS ACROSS CANADA.

"Pomerleau is a family. It’s a large company that’s managed rather like a small company—with its heart. We know each other well, we know where we’re going and where we’re coming from." – Nancy Pomerleau, executive assistant

one of Pomerleau’s main competitors in Québec, enhanced Pomerleau’s knowledge of construction management and boosted its expertise in the pharmaceutical and health sectors. In the future, one of the company’s main objectives is to have a strong presence in every Canadian province by 2020. “We’re already a market leader in Ottawa and the Atlantic region,” says Pierre Pomerleau. “We’re now working hard on our operations in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. We may consider other acquisitions in new markets to accelerate the process. The strategy would then be to mix the Pomerleau and local cultures to gain a solid foothold in each market.” After 50 years, what does he consider the company’s greatest achievement? “The 3,000 employees who come to work every day.” he says. “There is no greater achievement than that: our employees have made it possible for us to manage more than 125 construction sites simultaneously in 10 provinces while enjoying a solid reputation as a reliable company that makes the health and safety of our employees a priority.” MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

PLACE BELL The Pomerleau team is currently designing and building Place Bell in Laval, a multipurpose sports and cultural complex. It includes a 10,000-seat arena that can be transformed into a concert hall, an Olympic-sized ice rink with space for 2,500 spectators, a community skating rink that can accommodate 500 spectators, a gym, a physiotherapy and sports medicine centre, meeting rooms, commercial and office spaces, as well as 700 parking spaces. The $155-million project is slated for completion in 2017. The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows Pomerleau to ensure close coordination between all participants, and create a master plan used by all consultants.

CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Pomerleau built the prestigious Centre for Sustainable Development in Montréal in 2011. The building obtained LEED Platinum certification – the highest level of certification awarded by the Canada Green Building Council. The six-storey building has a total surface area of 7,250 m2 and houses various organizations with social and environmental orientations. A true “living laboratory,” it has been the subject of several research projects and is equipped with a sophisticated monitoring system, enabling its energy and other performances to be tracked in real time.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

RITZ-CARLTON

BETWEEN 2009 AND 2013, POMERLEAU REFURBISHED AND EXPANDED THE RITZ-CARLTON, A LUXURY HERITAGE HOTEL IN MONTRÉAL. MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

EVERY YEAR, POMERLEAU ORGANIZES “SUMMITS,” WHICH ARE MEETINGS FOR EMPLOYEES WHOSE TASKS ARE SIMILAR IN NATURE, PROVIDING TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS AND SHARE BEST PRACTICES.

FOSTERING FUN AND RELATIONSHIPS, THE THIRD ATHLETIC CHALLENGE ORGANIZED BY POMERLEAU IN MAY 2014 RALLIED NEARLY 200 EMPLOYEES WHO RAN FROM MONTRÉAL TO NEW YORK (A DISTANCE OF 609 KM) IN 10-KILOMETRE RELAYS OVER THREE DAYS.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

New branch in

GATINEAU to serve you

Our team makes us strong!

CHUM

IAN KIROUAC Vice President – Construction

The CHUM Research Centre was the first phase of the redevelopment of the Université de Montréal hospital centre. Pomerleau was part of Accès Recherche CHUM, a consortium mandated to construct the new centre under a public-private partnership (PPP) procurement model. The project essentially consisted of the design, construction, financing and maintenance of a new 68,000-m2 research centre. “This was a major project, with many participants,” s ay s I a n K i r o u a c , V i c e P r e s i d e n t – Construction,“ and we had to ensure efficient communication and a high-quality exchange of information to minimize the risk of errors on the construction site. We also had to integrate the client’s changing needs. For instance, physicians specified that certain pieces of equipment were a necessity, but technology changes so quickly that these requirements had evolved before we even delivered the project.”

324D Industriel Road Gatineau, Québec J8R 3N9 819 669-1335

5000 Bernard-Lefebvre Street Laval, Québec H7C 0A5 450 665-1335

bernardmnj.com MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

Just a few of the projects we’ve completed as a sub-contractor for Pomerleau Considered as being the leading contractor in Québec, Pomerleau has played a pivotal role in a wide range of major projects, from rural schools in the Beauce to huge hydroelectric projects at James Bay, not to mention youth centres, hospitals, sports complexes, office buildings and international projects. Since the Pomerleau team made their first successful foray into the Montreal market in 1984, the company has achieved a dazzling growth rate, notably becoming Quebec’s largest construction company. Lambert Somec is proud to have been business partners with Pomerleau for more than 45 years. On your 50th anniversary, we salute you and your impressive achievements. 2014 - McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) - Montreal

www.lambertsomec.com

2013 - CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) - Montreal

1996 - École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) - Montreal

YOUR CHALLENGES, OUR VERSATILITY!

1996 - Hull Casino

Since its earliest days in an ever-changing industry, Pomerleau has evolved and reinvented itself by seizing every opportunity for change. At Unibéton we’re proud to have teamed up with an innovative company like Pomerleau for many far-reaching projects. We warmly congratulate you on your 50th anniversary. As business partners, we’re ready to meet new challenges together, and we thank you for the trust you’ve shown in us.

cimentquebec.com • bcr.cc 300 Saulnier St. Laval (Quebec) H7M 3T3 Canada 450 629-0100 • 1 800 361-2388

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

At every executive meeting, health and safety are the first items on the agenda. In 2013, Pomerleau invested even more in workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health and safety by implementing an intense awareness and training campaign, demonstrating its commitment to employee safety.

MONTRĂ&#x2030;AL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

SOPREMA WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE POMERLEAU ON THEIR 50 th ANNIVERSARY.

STM Stinson - Montreal

WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

SOPREMA.CA

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

1.877.MAMMOUTH

INNOVATION

KEY TO THE POMERLEAU CULTURE Despite the highs and lows of the construction market, Pomerleau has achieved consistent growth over the past few years. “I believe that’s because we’re committed to innovation,” says President and CEO Pierre Pomerleau. “When ISO came on the scene, we were the first to be certified. After that, we were the first construction company in Québec to become a member of the Canada Green Building Council. And when it was time to implement global computerized systems,” he explains, “we were the first to do that. We want to be on the forefront, and we don’t believe in half measures.” For instance, the Pomerleau team embraced Building Information Modeling (BIM), which includes Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) early on. This involves digitizing as much information as possible to model buildings. It can help predict the reality of site construction much more precisely and facilitates the integration of different building disciplines (structure, mechanics, etc.) in order to limit conflicts, as well as errors and extra costs. In the beginning, building modeling was used mostly by designers, but today, builders also use it. As early as 2004, Pomerleau was using it for cost estimation and scheduling simulations. In 2012, the company set up a dedicated BIM team, which has grown to approximately 30 employees. According to Ivanka Iordanova, director of BIM-VDC, preconstruction and the robotization of certain procedures will be more and more prevalent in the future. “This will help save money because the process will be less and less fragmented,” she explains. “The quality of the built environment will improve,

"The quality of the built environment will improve, and the work atmosphere on construction sites will be more cooperative, organized and safe." IVANKA IORDANOVA Director BIM-VDC

and the work atmosphere on construction sites will be more cooperative, organized and safe.” Pierre Pomerleau says digitization is the way of the future: “Before, it took several years to erect a building, from concept to completion,” he says. “Today, we can construct a building much faster, but with significantly more complexity and so many more pieces of information. We make this information ‘live.’ Now changes can be made on line. We can propose solutions to the client in very little time. I believe this technology is used at a fraction of its capacity right now. It’s a revolution: we’re heading towards total virtual construction.”

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

VIDÉOTRON CENTRE Thanks to BIM, among other things, the total cost of the Vidéotron Centre in Québec City was reduced by $30 million. The $370-million project, carried out between 2012 and 2015, was the largest public investment in the history of Québec City. The 67,000-m2 centre will be used for ice sports and various major events, cultural and otherwise. This project is seeking LEED Silver certification. “The greatest challenge in this project was coordinating the building trades and consultants on a tight schedule,” says Ian Kirouac. “This is where BIM proved its worth. It made thorough coordination between all participants possible, helping us to minimize contingencies and their impact on the construction site. The contractor and all subcontractors used BIM, and that’s how we were able to use this technology to its full potential.”

ALUMINUM & ENGINEERING

www.epsylon.ca

STEEL BUILDINGS Design I Fabrication I Installation I Construction

Epsylon congratulates Pomerleau on achieving the milestone of 50 years in business. We’re proud to have worked on high-profile projects with Pomerleau for many years.

3 PUBS 1/4

Honco congratulates Pomerleau for its achievements and wishes its continual success in the future.

Quebec 418 831-2245 Montreal 514 354-5123

www.honco.ca The Maison Manuvie project

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

LEFT TO RIGHT: CLAUDE BÉDARD, DEAN OF RESEARCH (ÉTS), YVES BEAUCHAMP, DIRECTOR GENERAL (ÉTS), DANIEL FORGUES, PROFESSOR AND POMERLEAU CHAIR HOLDER, SHERYL STAUB-FRENCH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, RÉAL LAPORTE, PRESIDENT OF HYDRO-QUÉBEC ÉQUIPEMENT ET SERVICES PARTAGÉS, AND PIERRE POMERLEAU, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF POMERLEAU INC.

CONGRATULATIONS to Pomerleau

The ACQ is pleased to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the founding of Quebec construction giant Pomerleau.

POMERLEAU is a PROUD MEMBER of the ACQ network!

In 2013, transforming the company’s commitment to new technologies into action, the École de technologie supérieure inaugurated the Pomerleau Industrial Research Chair, co-founded by Pomerleau, Hydro-Québec, and the National Research Council Canada, to study the integration of construction practices and technologies. The Chair focuses on three main subjects: BIM, integrated design and Lean construction, which is designed to maximize value and minimize waste.

The ACQ can help you with the day-to-day management of your company.

acq.org

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

Congratulations to the POMERLEAU team on your great achievement and thanks for your trust!

Proud to team up with Pomerleau.

MATERIALS ENGINEERING BUILDING SCIENCE METALLURGY GEOTECHNICS ENVIRONMENT

1777 Bégin Street Saint-Laurent, Québec H4R 2B5 514 747-1196 www.menuiseriesmontroyal.qc.ca

GROUPEABS.COM

CONTAINER RENTALS

COMPLETE OPTIMIZED SERVICES Specializing in major plumbing and heating work for the institutional, industrial, commercial and heavy residential sectors, Groupe Paquette is one of the leading mechanical building contractors in Québec 275 Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Blvd. Laval, Québec H7L 2A2 Telephone: 450 625-2297 Fax: 450 963-2584

www.groupe-paquette.com

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

PLUMBING HEATING GAS

GREEN CONSTRUCTION STARTS WITH US! Tel. Chateauguay 450 699-6862 Tel. Montreal 514 875-6862

CONQUERING THE REST OF CANADA

LANSDOWNE PARK After having taken the lead in the Québec market, Pomerleau is pursuing growth in the rest of Canada. Between 1990 and 2013, the company opened offices in Ottawa, Halifax, Toronto, and St. John’s (Newfoundland). It is gradually becoming a key player in every Canadian province. The company took its first steps outside Québec in the early 1990s, when Francis Pomerleau began leading the Ottawa operation. “Our office was small and it wasn’t easy because we weren’t known outside our home province,” he says. He believes it takes several years to develop a foothold in a new market. The team persevered. “We started by carrying out projects outside the province here and

there, but these were one-time opportunities rather than a real presence. Our first major project was the construction of a building at the University of Ottawa. It was followed by others in the hospital and transportation fields. Today, we are very present in the region, and also in Eastern Ontario, in the Atlantic, and we are now gaining a foothold in Western Canada.” Francis Pomerleau believes that construction remains a mostly local industry. “It’s good to have local experience and demonstrate that we use local subcontractors,” he says. “We need to have a network and teams in each province. Everything is built one project at a time...”

Lansdowne Park in Ottawa is a genuine urban village. The $180-million project was completed over 18 months with 1,500 workers on site. “There’s an amphitheatre and a whole commercial village around it,” says Francis Pomerleau. “It was like building an amphitheatre and a major shopping centre at the same time!” Pomerleau was responsible for refurbishing the existing stadium and building new bleachers, an underground parking level and the services required for these structures. The company installed more than three kilometres of underground services and built two underground reservoirs to store rainwater. The project is seeking LEED certification for Neighbourhood Development.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

HALIFAX HARBOUR SOLUTIONS A first major contract in the Atlantic: in 2009, Pomerleau designed and built Halifax Harbour Solutions, three rainwater and wastewater treatment plants for the Halifax Regional Municipality. The mandate included architectural, civil engineering and structural engineering work, as well as sludge and grit tanks, clarifier tanks and process flow channels. Since then, the company has carried out seven other water treatment projects in the Atlantic and QuĂŠbec regions.

MONTRĂ&#x2030;AL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

EFFICIENCY EXCELLENCE EXPERIENCE YOUR REFERENCE IN

PLUMBING HEATING NATURAL GAS 1955 Cabot Street, Montréal, Québec H4E 1E2 Telephone: 514 766-3531

w w w.Plo mbe rie .c o m www.GazNaturel.c om

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

RETHINKING THE CLIENTSUPPLIER RELATIONSHIP In the construction industry, general contractors go from project to project, and clients and subcontractors often change, which does not foster close relationships. One of the goals of the Pomerleau team is to forge long-term relationships with its clients and subcontractors. “Whatever the project, there are always obstacles and challenges,” says Ian Kirouac. “With the values, attitude and competency of our people, we work with our clients to solve problems and reinforce relationships based on trust.”

Pomerleau is currently building a series of high-end seniors’ residences for All Seniors Care Living Centres. Pomerleau becomes involved very early in the development process for these projects. The first of these residences was built in 2009 in Aylmer, Québec. Today, Pomerleau has nine other construction projects ongoing for the company in Québec, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan, the latter its first in this province. The residences are between four and seven storeys high, with an average of 180 apartments per building. Major challenges on these projects include working simultaneously on several projects for the same client across Canada and finding quality subcontractors for each project. To date, the company has already built 40 seniors’ residences for various clients.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Pomerleau: a 3,000-strong team in eight cities across the country.

Congratulations

to Pomerleau on celebrating 50 successful years!

We have 40 years of experience in engineering design, estimates, manufacturing and installing commercial, industrial and institutional steel frames. 675 Trotter Street, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QuĂŠbec J3B 8J8

Tel.: 450 545-1767 | Fax: 450 545-1769

w w w.ac ier se le c t .co m RBQ permit #8104-7748-03

MONTRĂ&#x2030;AL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

POMERLEAU IN A NUTSHELL INCORPORATED IN 1966 QUÉBEC’S LEADING GENERAL CONTRACTOR CONSTRUCTION OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS CIVIL ENGINEERING WORK APPROXIMATELY 3,000 EMPLOYEES OFFICES IN 8 CITIES ACROSS CANADA

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Your satisfaction is our priority!

Keep up the excellent work we’re delighted to be one of your partners.

660 Notre-Dame Street Charette, Québec G0X 1E0 Telephone: 819 221-3400 Fax: 819 519-5789 RBQ: 2633-1462-93

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

For PourInformation: informations:

1 800 361-9134

www.buildingbettercities.ca

Suivez-nous sur:

We are proud to work alongside Pomerleau BUILDING ELECTROMECHANICAL

By working as a team and combining our expertise together we achieve great things.

OUR EXPERTISE AT YOUR SERVICE QC 418 681-0671 | MTL 514 871-0671 | @ INFO@TBC.QC.CA | TBC.QC.CA

Gyptech Acoustique inc. is performing on commercial, industrial,

• Insulation

• Plaster/EIFS

institutional and multi-residential buildings. It’s dynamic and

• Drywall

• Acoustical ceiling

well experienced team is set to build every challenging project.

• Metal framing

• Carpentry

INTO is a proud collaborator of Pomerleau for more than 15 years. We will always be ready to meet new challenges with them. 514.385.4686 • www.intoinc.com 78

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

• Tel. Montréal: 514 348-3883

INTO DOES IT ALL!

www.gyptechacoustique.com • Tel. Québec: 418 836-5038

Certified welding Aluminum Steel Stainless Manufacturing Assembly Mechanical Welding Manufacturing Installation Platforms Monorails Safety anchors Fall prevention systems Self-supporting safety guards

PROFESSIONALS STICK TOGETHER

POMERLEAU

In construction, as in any other field, "birds of a feather flock together." Pros hang out with pros – their way of staying on top. The more complex the challenges, the more they need to be able to count on sub-contractors and other professionals to come through, every time. Here, some experts who’ve been involved in projects spearheaded by Pomerleau have a few words to say about the value of expertise.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

Béton Provincial Ltée

MEASURING UP TO THE MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECTS An active player in the construction sector since 1960, Béton Provincial is firmly entrenched throughout eastern Canada. With 75 ready-mixed concrete plants and many quarries, gravel pits and sand pits, the company possesses high-level expertise and offers unparalleled service.

Béton Provincial would like to take this opportunity to thank Pomerleau for showing such confidence over the many years we’ve worked together. Of course, we do know our field pretty well... Whether you need ready-mixed, precast or asphalt concrete, crushed or aggregate products, we can rise to meet the most ambitious engineering challenges in terms of concrete or paving. We congratulate Pomerleau and its distinguished 50-year history, with so many achievements in the Québec construction industry and elsewhere to its credit. Quality concrete made from hydraulic binders containing 10% to 30% mineral additives provides enhanced performance and durability. Béton Provincial uses high-performance Tercim cement, which goes above and beyond all North American standards. It is particularly well adapted to northern conditions and designed for all types of projects – residential, commercial, industrial, mining and energy. ICÔNE AND POMERLEAU: A HIGH-PROFILE PROJECT BPL’s track record includes many major projects. Most recently, the company delivered 28,300 m3 of concrete to Pomerleau for the Icône project, a 39-storey residential tower in downtown Montréal.

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

The project presented many technical challenges. First of all, site management was a logistical puzzle, as the arrival and removal of transmixers had to be orchestrated and concrete supplied with minimal impact on traffic in the downtown core. Choosing the right type of concrete for the project was also an arduous task, notes Michel Labrosse, Béton Provincial’s sales manager for the Montréal region. “Choosing the best type of concrete for the circumstances was one of the most critical issues on that project. “On some floors, we had to use up to five different types of concrete to pour a single slab,” recalls Pomerleau project manager Stéphan Lacombe. Despite the complexity of the project, however, Lacombe says that they were able to meet these challenges successfully, thanks to Béton Provincial’s expertise and excellent cooperation between the teams. Béton Provincial – a solid partner in the Québec construction industry

MICHEL LABROSSE, T.SC.A. Sales Manager, Montréal region Béton Provincial Ltée

Maçonnerie Maçonnerie Rainville Rainville et et Frères Frères

BUILDING BUILDING ENVELOPE ENVELOPE EXPERTS EXPERTS SINCE SINCE 1968 1968 Maçonnerie Rainville et Frères Inc., founded in 1968, specializes in the restoration of heritage properties and stonework. Maçonnerie Rainville et Frères Inc., founded in 1968, specializes in the restoration of heritage properties and stonework.

The masonry company began to expand The masonry began to expand in the 1980s,company when they shifted their in the 1980s, when they shifted their practice to stonework restoration. Sepractice to stonework restoration. Senior executives Gino Ouellet and Maxime nior executives Gino Ouellet and Maxime Lorrain have headed the company since Lorrain have headed the company since 2004, recruiting exceptional profession2004, exceptional professionals to recruiting provide high-quality work on a als to provide high-quality work on a rock-solid foundation. rock-solid foundation. With 45 years of experience, the comWith 45 years the company has forgedofanexperience, enviable reputation. pany has forged an enviable No wonder architects have reputation. such great No wonder in architects have such offers great confidence the team, which confidence in the team, offers top-notch service, highlywhich competent top-notch service, highly competent staff and everything required to fully staff and everything required to fully meet clients’ needs. For that purpose, meet clients’ needs. For that purpose, Rainville runs a state-of-the-art natural Rainville runsGroupe a state-of-the-art natural stone plant, Roc Concept, that stone plant, Groupe Roc Concept, employs experts in natural stone that and employs experts in natural stone and professional sculptors. professional sculptors. Rainville et Frères is frequently called Rainville Frères is frequently called upon by et professionals to provide inupon by professionals to provide inspection and expertise on façades spection and expertise on façades of buildings of five or more storeys. of buildings of fiveoforBillmore Since the adoption 122, storeys. the Act Since the adoption of BillAct 122, the Act to amend the Building mainly to to amend the Building Act mainly to modernize safety standards, Rainville modernize standards, Rainville experts havesafety completed many visual inexperts completed many envelope visual inspectionhave mandates on building spection mandates on building envelope components, working alongside other components, working alongside other building professionals. Using cranes, building professionals. Using cranes, platforms or scaffolding, Rainville et platforms oronscaffolding, Rainville et Frères works all types of buildings. Frères works on all types of buildings.

MAJOR PROJECTS MAJOR PROJECTS The company has an impressive list The company hasthroughout an impressive list of major clients eastern of majorfrom clients throughout eastern Canada, Ottawa to Quebec City Canada, from Ottawa to Quebec and of course in Montréal. RainvilleCity et and ofhas course in Montréal. Rainville on et Frères partnered with Pomerleau Frères has partnered with on the Montreal Museum of Pomerleau Fine Arts prothe of Fine project,Montreal the Price Museum Building and theArts Château ject, the Price Building and the Château Frontenac, and is currently working on Frontenac, and isreconstruction currently working on the high-profile of the the high-profile reconstruction the armoury in Quebec City, amongofother armoury projects. in Quebec City, among other projects. HONOURS AND AWARDS HONOURS AND AWARDS 2013 – Quebec Ministry of Labour: 2013 – Quebec Ministry of Labour: Skills investment Skills investment 2010 – Sustainable development 2010 – Sustainable development award award 2008 – Bruno-Riverin Award 2008 – Bruno-Riverin Award “Coup de Coeur” “Coup de Coeur” 2004 – Association des entrepreneurs 2004 – Association desdu entrepreneurs en maçonnerie Québec en maçonnerie du Québec (AEMQ), honourable mention, (AEMQ), Project ofhonourable the Year mention, Project of the Year 1996 – Ville de Montréal and Heritage 1996 – Ville de Montréal and Award, Heritage Montreal, Tradesman Montreal, Tradesman Award, Montreal Architectural Heritage Montreal Architectural Heritage

Vice-President MAXIME LORRAIN and President GINOMAXIME OUELLET, Vice-President LORRAIN and Maçonnerie Rainville et Frères President GINO OUELLET, Maçonnerie Rainville et Frères

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

POMERLEAU

Beaudoin Hurens BRINGING YOUR PROJECTS TO FRUITION Quick quiz: What do the Mosaïcultures internationales de Montréal, the Westmount Arena, Griffintown and le Square at Quartier DIX30 have in common? That’s easy: the common thread is Beaudoin Hurens Consulting Engineers – an active partner in each of these major projects... and so many others!

Having met the challenges of highly complex projects and imagined the most effective and economical solutions for more than half a century, Beaudoin Hurens is known as the uncontested leader in building engineering (structural, mechanical and electric systems), civil engineering, transportation, energy, industrial, environment and water treatment. Quite a vast array of knowledge – all concentrated under the same roof. With 270 professionals working in eight offices in Québec, the reliable, dedicated Beaudoin Hurens team can see the most varied projects through to fruition. A PASSION FOR ENGINEERING Thanks to the expertise Beaudoin Hurens has acquired over the years, the firm has expertly tackled many different projects, including Place Bell in Laval, the CHUM research centre (CRCHUM), the Maison des étudiants at the École de technologie supérieure, the Bibliothèque du Boisé in Saint-Laurent, and many other successful projects – schools, municipal buildings, health-care institutions, airports, and industrial, cultural and residential buildings. “What sets us apart is our passion for engineering and a job well done,” says Norman Hurens, Executive Director of

MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC MAGAZINE : : 2016 EDITION

Beaudoin Hurens and Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We work in synergy with the client, and with contractors onsite, and we walk our clients through the whole process, including commissioning and industrial processes.” Shared values and a shared desire to do more and better every time have made Beaudoin Hurens and Pomerleau frequent partners on major projects, such as the CRCHUM, the Westmount Arena, and Place Bell. The firm uses 3D modelling, as technological innovation is central to everything Beaudoin Hurens does. “That means we can choose the best possible solutions and anticipate technical complications,” says Hurens. Many Beaudoin Hurens buildings have been certified BOMA BESt, LEED Gold or even LEED Platinum, in addition to winning high-profile awards and honours. The Bibliothèque du Boisé won a Canadian Green Building Award, and the Westmount Arena won first prize from the Union of Québec Municipalities. Beaudoin Hurens has built its sterling reputation on broad, in-depth experience, an expert team and a strong commitment to excellence.

The location of choice for innovative companies Surround yourself with 6300 geniuses in the Life Sciences, Aerospace, ICT and Cleantech sectors.

technoparc.com

fondsimmobilierftq.com

WORKING TOGETHER TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH

BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

For more than 20 years, the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ has been strategically investing with other real estate leaders in profitable and socially responsible flagship projects that create jobs. Working together to enhance our partners’ success, the Fonds immobilier is helping to define a more modern approach to urban development, with a view to DRIVING QUÉBEC’S ECONOMY. P R O J E C T: ESPACE MONTMORENCY, LAVAL

PA R T N E R S :