Bonsecours Market

Montreal's first marketplace

Talk of the town: In its early days, Bonsecours Market used to house both the public market as well as the City Hall.
Word to the wise: You won't find farm produce here anymore. The market is now a high-end mall selling made-in-Quebec arts and crafts.

Opened in 1847, Bonsecours Market with its distinctive tin-plated dome was Montréal's main public market for over 100 years. But that was not its only notable significance. Built as a multipurpose building, it was the center of business and social activity, hosting administrative offices, exhibitions, as well as large-scale concerts.
Although considered the main farmer's market until its 1963 closure, Bonsecours suffered from the migration of residents and businesses out of Old Montreal to the new downtown core and residential suburbs. The city made plans to demolish Bonsecours and surrounding buildings for new developments but citizens protested strongly, and these heritage buildings were saved. Today, restored and renovated, Bonsecours remains multipurpose in function, offering retail as well as business convention facilities.