Palais des congrès de Montréal At the centre of Montreal’s business events ecosystem, the Palais des congrès de Montréal is investing in the “intelligent venue”: a long-term integration of arti- ficial intelligence into venue operations, sustainability tracking and attendee flow management. The initiative, in collaboration with university partners, research centres and others, reflects a broader trend toward data-driven event design. One of the most closely watched projects focuses on waste analysis. Using computer vision technology, the Palais is developing systems capable of measuring and categorizing waste in real time, allowing event organizers to better understand consumption patterns at the individual event level. For planners managing large-scale attendance, Montreal’s density remains one of its greatest operational assets: hotels, venues, restaurants and entertainment districts are concentrated within a relatively compact urban core. MTLdistrict Launched as a collaborative downtown initiative, MTLdistrict groups major hotels, venues and restaurants into a unified booking ecosystem designed specifically for meetings and conventions. The concept responds directly to one of the biggest friction points planners face in urban destinations: managing multiple suppliers across a multi- venue program. Within the MTLdistrict, properties including Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, Le Centre Sheraton Montréal, Montréal Marriott Château Champlain and Hôtel Bonaventure operate in coordination with venues such as the Bell Centre, Windsor Station, Time Out Market and Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten. Combined, the MTLdistrict offers LARGE GROUP GATHERINGS PLANNER NOTEBOOK 24,600 hotel guestrooms of which 16,000 are downtown and 4,000 linked directly to the convention centre via the underground pedestrian network MET The new Montréal Metropolitan Airport (MET), just 15 km from downtown, serves 15 destinations across Canada. 508,756 sq. ft. of rental space Palais des congrès de Montréal YUL At the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), the new REM station is expected to begin rapid-transit service to downtown in late 2027. IGNITE YOUR 4 | Quebec | Canada MONTREAL Land Economics Society Montreal Gathering September 11 - 13, 2025 Conference Hotel: Hotel Place d’Armes Educational Tours: Old Montreal, Royalmount; University of Montreal campus architecture; Port of Montreal Grand Quay and Tower experience; University of Montreal Sciences Complex (Campus MIL) President’s Reception and Dinner: Hotel Nelligan Rooftop Terrace Closing Awards Dinner: Montreal Science Centre HOW THEY HOSTED 2,786 total guestrooms and 211,000 sq. ft. of versatile meeting and event space. The approach opens up more fluid programming possibilities: plenary sessions in one venue, receptions in another and a vast choice of stunning event venues, all connected by Montreal’s walkable core, metro system and underground pedestrian network. “It’s a turnkey service that is managed by the Business Events Montreal team. And what’s really important is that planners will work with only one contract, which makes it easy for them to manage,” explains Mylène Gagnon, vice-president, sales and convention services, Business Events Montreal. MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES
