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Site Visit by the City of Montréal’s Economic Development Service | Hodge-Lebeau / District Central Innovation Zone
On September 24, the SDC District Central, in collaboration with several partners, hosted the Economic Development Service (EDS) of the City of Montréal for a full-day site visit dedicated to understanding the territory of the Hodge-Lebeau / District Central metropolitan innovation zone.
This initiative aimed to gain deeper insight into on-the-ground realities, challenges, and economic development opportunities in this strategic industrial sector, currently undergoing major transformation.
A special thank-you to the EDS team, our partner Excellence Industrielle Saint-Laurent, and the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Saint-Laurent for their participation.
In the morning, the SDC was at Hodge-Lebeau, at the Montréal Industrial Expertise Centre near the future REM station, where past, current, and future planning for this sector was presented.
The delegation then headed to the District Central, visiting La Centrale Agricole in the Acadie sector, highlighting the urban agriculture business hub and its innovative circular economy model.
At noon, SDC directors Hélène Veilleux and Geneviève Dufour welcomed participants at 555 Chabanel Street West, a landmark in the neighborhood, for a networking lunch where they presented:
- The characteristics of the territory and the business profile
- The SDC’s collaborative and partnership-based development approach
- The Signature Action Plan
- The neighborhood’s challenges and opportunities
- The unique role of the SDC in the transformation of the District Central
The orientations of the District Central Special Planning Program (PPU) were also presented by the Borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
In the afternoon, Hélène and Geneviève led the delegation on a site visit through the District Central. The program included:
- Visit to Attraction’s manufacturing workshop: a showcase of the design/textile business hub, where Philippe Gagnon, VP of Canadian operations, discussed the industry’s challenges and opportunities related to ecological transition, urban logistics, and manufacturers’ expectations of the City.
- Urban walk along Chabanel Street: immersion into the built environment and business dynamics of the sector, the historic heart—and still very active hub—of Montréal’s textile industry.
- 150 Louvain West site: discussion about the development potential of this 650,000 sq. ft. lot in the heart of the District Central, local economy initiatives, the C40 project, and transitional uses for the site.
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Visit to Matelas Sélection’s workshop-boutique: in the Sauvé/Port-Royal sector, with Eugénie Lévis and her entrepreneurial family, offering a concrete example of local manufacturing and short supply chains that showcase the strengths of the neighborhood’s industrial fabric.
- Friendly pause at Terra Café & Tea: a warm moment of exchange with owner Carlo Granito to close the visit.
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Walk along Meilleur Street: immersion into the dynamics and challenges of coexistence between industrial uses and growing mixed-use mobility needs in the area.
Toward a major territorial project: the LABurbain
This visit is part of a broader initiative led by local economic stakeholders: the LABurbain HL-DC, an experimental laboratory created by the SDC District Central, PME MTL Centre-Ouest, and Excellence Industrielle Saint-Laurent.
The project seeks to foster cutting-edge business innovations in response to today’s economic and social challenges. LABurbain embodies a vision of sustainable development integrated into the production of goods and services, promoting high-impact business models. It positions the HL-DC Innovation Zone as a catalyst for sustainable urban manufacturing solutions, an incubator for flagship projects, and a driver of a solutions-based economy.
This day marks an important milestone in the recognition and structuring of the Hodge-Lebeau / District Central Innovation Zone, a status granted by the City of Montréal in 2021. Next steps: deepen collaborations, mobilize local stakeholders, and co-create an ambitious vision for the future of this strategic zone.
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