Downtown

The City of Laval, through the objectives set out in its amended Land Use Development Plan, aims to stimulate and promote its dynamism, innovation and unique identity by creating a multipurpose downtown that is both attractive and people-friendly.

Location of Laval’s downtown

While Laval’s downtown is still relatively unknown, it occupies a clearly defined area. Located in the centre of the island, in the heart of Laval, it lies on either side of Autoroute 15 south of the Autoroute Jean-Noël-Lavoie (Autoroute 440) and extends all the way to the Boulevard de la Concorde and Boulevard Notre-Dame between Boulevard Chomedey, the Canadien Pacific railway, Boulevard Saint-Martin Ouest and Boulevard Le ​Corbusier.

Its location is explained by the concentration of jobs and transit activities and the diversity of its constituent parts, in complement with the intensity and shape of the development taking place there. The Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan​ identifies the downtown area as a primary employment hub within the metropolitan area.​

The area includes several well-known destinations in Laval and the metropolitan area.

In recent years, the City of Laval and its partners have made efforts to turn the area into a thriving centrepiece and a leading cultural hub in Laval, where people can make the most of life in the city, study, work and have fun. The mixed-use downtown will thus feature numerous attractions, making it a destination with a metropolitan scope of influence, both for residents and for other clienteles frequenting the area (workers, students, tourists).​

A development vision in the image of Laval residents​​

In the summer of 2022, the City of Laval adopted a Special Planning Program (SPP) for downtown Laval​ (PDF, 120 MB ​– in French). Marking an important milestone in the development of a place for exchange, innovation, growth and harmony, this planning tool makes it possible, notably, to:

Give the area a strong identity and a development vision, specifically in regards to the streets, the integration of active mobility, and public spaces.

Program actions by the City of Laval aimed at making this vision a reality.

​Oversee planned real estate projects in order to ensure that they play a part in the fulfillment of this vision.

Little by little, the area will be transformed and:

• Will be interconnected, urban, dynamic and multipurpose.
• Will integrate the latest advances in sustainable development.
• Will be home to multiple green and public spaces.
• Will leave room for effervescent creativity, notably thanks to artistic or design initiatives, public artworks and an evolving cultural offer.

Montmorency area: A nerve centre for culture

Located around the Montmorency intermodal metro station and characterized by a high concentration of cultural and knowledge institutions (performance venues, exhibitions halls, and teaching institutions), the Montmorency area​ is the cultural heartbeat of downtown Laval. The City of Laval wishes to build upon this characteristic to make the area a lively and attractive district whose reputation extends well beyond Laval’s borders.​

A research and development hub

The southwest area of downtown is occupied in part by the Biotech City​,​​​which features a science and technology park that acts as a research and development hub. The Biotech City is home to numerous biotechnology and life sciences companies, along with the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, a science university for graduate studies. This area also features a concentration of public facilities, including city hall and various municipal departments, a fire station, a multicultural library, and more.

A significant commercial and tourism offer

The northern part of downtown Laval features a major commercial and tourism offer, with about 20 attractions within walking distance, along with hotel establishments with conference spaces, and a diversified offer of culinary experiences. The museum and science hub, made up of the Cosmodôme and the Musée de la santé Armand-Frappier, and the future aquatics complex​, is certainly an area that aspires to become a cultural and sports hub with a national profile.

Additional information