PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NOVEMBER 10, 2026

SDC District Central Unveils Its 2027–2035 Territorial Resilience Plan

A roadmap shaped by more than 200 contributions to secure the future of Montréal’s productive and creative heart

MONTRÉAL, November 10, 2026 – Following the Grand Dialogue held in spring 2026 and the Business Summit on June 9, the Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central today unveils its first Territorial Resilience Plan for 2027–2035, setting out a vision and strategic actions for the future of the territory and Montréal. Built on more than 200 contributions from the territory’s business and institutional communities, the Plan outlines five strategic priorities and calls for coordinated action among local stakeholders and municipal, provincial, and federal governments to bring the identified transformative projects to fruition.

By 2035, the territory’s resilience will be measured by its ability to attract and retain talent, foster greater engagement among local stakeholders, accelerate the ecological transition, and improve the territory’s accessibility, appeal, and overall quality.

“This Plan demonstrates that District Central’s business community has done its homework. It reflects a clear ambition: to make District Central a recognized, competitive, and resilient territory, better equipped to navigate economic, climate, and urban transformations. Beyond identifying challenges, we are proposing concrete solutions and mobilizing projects that will enable businesses, partners, and governments to work together to help shape the future of Montréal’s productive and creative heart,” said Hélène Veilleux, Executive Director of the SDC.

District Central, Montréal’s fourth-largest employment hub and a metropolitan innovation zone, is undergoing several rapid transformations, including real estate pressures, access and logistics challenges, the need to accommodate active transportation, urban heat islands, and economic uncertainty. The challenges of recent years have highlighted the need for a more integrated approach to planning and initiatives that shape the territory’s development.

Five strategic priorities to guide decisions and investments

The Plan is built around five priority areas, each supported by a series of specific projects.

Identity: Establish District Central as Montréal’s productive and creative heart by strengthening its representation among decision-makers and supporting business innovation. The Industrial Merchant – Produce and Sell in District Central program is one concrete example.

Competitiveness: Create a seamless and efficient business environment by improving access to information, strengthening local supply chains, and addressing logistics, accessibility, and affordability challenges. The creation of a smart business services hub is among the key structural projects proposed.

Governance: Establish a collaborative, project-based economic governance model to improve coordination among businesses, property owners, institutions, and public authorities. Collaboration mechanisms will be developed with other production zones, and an economic ethics charter will establish criteria to protect District Central’s productive and creative heart.

Human Focus: Strengthen the sense of belonging and improve the quality of the living and working environment by focusing on cleanliness, safety, commercial vitality, and signature landscaping, public art, and wayfinding initiatives. A culture of shared responsibility will also be encouraged, particularly when it comes to waste management.

Attractiveness: Raise District Central’s profile to attract businesses, investment, and talent, while recognizing the stakeholders who contribute to its resilience. The Plan includes support tools for businesses looking to establish themselves in the territory, as well as the launch of a territorial ambassadors program.

To kick-start the implementation of the Plan, the SDC District Central brought together Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville; André A. Morin, Member of the National Assembly for Acadie; Maude Théroux-Séguin, Mayor of Ahuntsic-Cartierville; and Victor Esposito, City Councillor for the Saint-Sulpice district, on November 6 for an initial working meeting bringing together all three levels of government around a shared goal: advancing District Central’s priority projects and identifying the tools and resources needed to support their implementation.

A similar exercise will be held with District Central businesses in the near future.

About the SDC District Central

The Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central is the catalyst and the voice of the Ahuntsic-Cartierville business world. It represents the combined forces of 2,100 business leaders united to develop a sector with outstanding economic, urban, and human potential. Its mission is clear: to breathe new life into this legendary neighbourhood, make it shine on a broader stage and propel it to the very top of Montreal’s economic landscape. Covering an area of 3km2, the District Central is the 4th largest employment centre in Montreal, with 25,000 workers grouped around three business hubs: design, urban manufacturing, and technology.

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INFORMATION
SDC District Central Website

MEDIA CONTACT

Maximilien Perron
[email protected]

514-260-6972