Welcome to the Palais des congrès de Montréal

Montréal’s convention centre, named the Palais des congrès de Montréal, welcomes several thousand events and several million visitors every year. Gracing the heart of downtown Montréal with its iconic multi-coloured façade, the Palais — as it’s informally known — houses versatile and ultramodern facilities for conventions, conferences, meetings, galas and exhibitions.

The Palais difference

This colourful centre’s location at the crossroads between the skyscrapers of downtown and the cobblestones of Old Montréal make it incredibly walkable and bike-friendly, within close proximity to accommodations, shopping, cafés, restaurants, bars and tons of culture. More than 16,000 hotel rooms are located within a 10-minute walk, including approximately 4,000 rooms that are directly accessible by the Underground City, a vast pedestrian network.

Montréal’s convention centre is anything but conventional: with one of Canada’s largest column-less halls and exhibition venues, the Palais is capable of large-scale gatherings, while also offering ideal spaces for smaller meetings. Think reception rooms, VIP and board rooms, terraces, and private offices available for all occasions.

By the numbers

7 floors
113 rooms and venues
1,950 booths capacity for trade shows
1,858 square metres (20,000 square feet) of breathtaking rooftop space
47,265 square metres (508,756 square feet) of total rental space
36,863 square metres (396,785 square feet) of exhibition space
1,856 square metres (19,975 square feet) of column-less ballroom space

A sweet spot for all

Numerous annual events are held at the Palais throughout the calendar year, such as the Salon du livre de Montréal and the Montréal Comiccon, alongside annual conferences by international associations and organizations. From global meetings on biodiversity to academic galas (and everything in between), the world convenes at Montréal’s Palais des congrès.

But don't just take our word for it: the Palais has met AIPC Gold international quality and management standards since 2015, and obtained the GBAC Star international health accreditation in 2022.

Art at its heart

The Palais des congrès de Montréal was included in the architectural guide, 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, attesting to its internationally recognized status as an icon of creativity.

From the beautiful to the unusual, the Palais is overflowing with works of art. Its vast facade with a kaleidoscope effect — titled Translucide and signed by the trio Jean-François Cantin, Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon — is composed of multicoloured glass panels, representing the centre’s essence as a place where different points of view converge.

Inside the Palais, the Lipstick Forest (a mass of giant pink tree trunks) was designed by Claude Cormier, the artist behind Montréal’s famous Ring. Across from the Palais’s southwest corner you’ll find Place Jean-Paul Riopelle, named after the world-famous Québec artist. It’s a lovely small square featuring one of the city’s most famous public art pieces: Riopelle’s fountain-sculpture titled La Joute.

Creativity you can feel

Another artistic landmark within the Palais is OASIS immersion, located on the ground floor. In a series of large immersive rooms, OASIS features 105 laser projectors, 119 surround sound speakers, and state-of-the-art equipment that projects 360° visuals on walls and floors according to a different theme every year. The spectacular setting — which is also entirely customizable — is perfect for hybrid conferences or training events, for film shoots, or even for corporate events looking for something out of the ordinary.

Green events made easy

What is beauty without brains? The Palais des congrès is much more than just a pretty face. The building is also BOMA BEST 3-certified, fully accessible and connected to a metro station. The Palais has launched many sustainability initiatives, such as the urban agriculture lab on the roof. Event planners can also get personalized support to achieve ecological goals specific to their projects. Whether you want to sensitize attendees to their ecological impact or obtain official certification for your event, the team at the Palais keeps the environment at the heart of what they offer.

An innovative green roof

After debuting to international recognition in 2011 at the Écocité global summit, the Palais’ green roof became an important showcase and testing ground for urban agriculture in Québec in 2016, with innovative projects led by the team at the Laboratoire sur l’agriculture urbaine. Boasting an impressive surface area of 35,000 sq. ft, the initiative reflects the Palais’ ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable practices and a greener Montréal.

Sponsorship opportunities

Montréal’s convention centre was one of the first in North America to place technology at the service of event planners by keeping them (and their exhibitors and attendees) connected, while offering the possibility of generating new sources of revenue for their events. Sponsorship revenue opportunities are plentiful: visibility through Wi-Fi connection, video walls, an e-commerce portal, an event mobile app and more.