The city has been trying hard to get people to come into downtown Montreal for their holiday shopping. So, in an effort to get people into shops, Montreal’s Ville-Marie borough announced that it will make street parking totally free on evenings and weekends throughout the holiday season.
“We hope that many Montrealers will come to support our downtown merchants for their holiday shopping. Our merchants give the city its special colours and flavours. After another year marked by the pandemic, they need our support more than ever,” Mayor Valérie Plante said in a press release.
Along with shopping, other wintry and Christmassy activities are taking shape across the downtown core.
From Christmas markets to holiday pop-up events and even a giant skating rink, downtown Montreal has turned into a veritable winter wonderland.
Even those giant, unsettling inflatable nutcrackers are back on rue Sainte-Catherine to stare at you with their vacant gaze.
“Downtown merchants are delighted that on-street parking is free on evenings and weekends for holiday shopping,” said Glenn Castanheira, general manager of SDC Montréal Centre-Ville.
“The downtown area has been hit hard by the pandemic and this measure is in addition to a series of initiatives aimed at promoting economic recovery, including festive programming in collaboration with the City of Montreal and our partners.”
Street parking will be free in downtown Montreal on weeknights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m and on weekends, from December 3, 2021, to January 2, 2022.
