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(In French only)

(In French only)

(In French only)

Working downtown means creating space for being dazzled

Returning to the office downtown is a great opportunity for reinventing our habits and taking back our spaces, be it to enjoy the buzz of one of Montreal’s most lively areas, to discuss ideas with our co-workers around the coffee machine or simply to break from routine.

Here are 9 tips for adding some spontaneity to your weeks, making your in-person work days that much more fun.

1. Have a walking meeting on Mont Royal

Walking meetings have many physical and mental benefits. On top of boosting creativity, concentration and productivity, they foster teamwork and connection between colleagues. Mount Royal is the ideal location for your next walking meeting, because downtown is right at its foot. This is also a chance to take a run back to the office. Your weekly jogging: done!

2. Live the ré·CRÉATIONMTL experience

Fill your in-person workday with playful fun thanks to ré·CRÉATIONMTL ’s free and varied sensory experiences.

3. Discover new stores on Rue Sainte-Catherine

Popular with locals and tourists alike, Rue Sainte-Catherine stretches over 11.2 km and includes over 1,200 shops and large stores. Get together for some shopping on “Sainte-Cath” during lunchtime or after work. Free up some time for the coming weekend.

4. Leave the break room behind and have lunch with a friend

Downtown is full of cafés and cool restaurants. Why not grab a meal with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, perhaps someone who works only a stone’s throw away from your office?

5. Have a museum outing before a brainstorming session.

The bare walls of your home office aren’t too inspiring? The city’s museums just might dispel your apathy. Before your next brainstorming session, drop by Pointe-à-Callière Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts or the Montreal Science Centre. The 13th edition of Luminothérapie , which will return to the Quartier des spectacles from December 1, 2022, to March 5, 2023, also promises to fuel your creativity.

6. Spontaneously meet up for happy hour and enjoy the downtown scenery

It’s often easier to get to know our co-workers off the clock. Send them a spontaneous invitation to meet at a local bar for happy hour one evening. Try Bar Nacarat , it has a gorgeous view of The Ring on Esplanade PVM. Who knows? Those improvised apéritifs might be the start of a long tradition.

7. Organize co-working sessions

Downtown has many great options for hosting workers. Crew Collective & Cafe , Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec , Wework Place Ville Marie : great places abound! Combine business with pleasure by gathering friends and colleagues for a day’s work on laptops.

8. Explore Montréal’s underground network

Did you know that Montréal Souterrain is the largest underground network in the world? Spanning over 32 km of tunnels, it’s home to 60 residential and commercial complexes, nearly 1,700 stores and over 200 restaurants. This winter, plan a shopping spree and explore this network that connects all the major downtown shopping centres : Complexe Desjardins, Eaton Centre, Cours Mont-Royal, Place Montréal Trust, Promenades Cathédrales and Place Ville-Marie.

9. Play tourist in your own city

Downtown events aren’t just for tourists! All year round, the neighbourhood is full of attractions, heritage areas, venues and works of art that make us proud to live in this beautiful city. (Re)discover Quartier des spectacles and check out the upcoming event, festival and show schedule .

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Discover "I love working downtown", a catalyst for ambitious initiatives

Since the launch of our “I love working downtown” initiative in March 2021, we’ve been busy rolling out concrete measures to increase traffic downtown and mobilize the players who help make it such a vibrant place.

The solutions we offer through major projects are designed to enhance the lives of downtown workers in their new reality. The tools we’ve been developing and the best practices we share can help them find their way as the world of work undergoes a profound transformation.


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