A visit to Quebec, particularly its anchor communities of Quebec City and Montreal, is as close to experiencing Europe as it gets in North America. The region overflows with Old-World charm, particularly captured in its French flavors and impressive Gothic architecture that immerses visitors in the past.
Yet, there is no end to intriguing new venues and experiences to consider, resulting in an impressive blend of modern and historic group settings.
“With their state-of-the-art infrastructures, Montreal and Quebec City both offer business and incentive travelers a variety of unique meeting venues, ranging from The Olympic Tower and contemporary art museums to 18th century buildings,” says Andrea Holder, spokesperson for Destination Quebec.
Here’s a look at some top group-friendly lures to consider in the two cities, with an emphasis on the new and revamped gamut of options.
QUEBEC CITY
“It is such a cliche, but Quebec City really has it all,” says Ann Cantin, director of marketing and communications for Quebec City Business Destination and the Quebec City Convention Center. “Great museums to immerse attendees in culture, the great outdoors for nature lovers and thrill-seekers, a vibrant nightlife, a booming culinary scene, world-class meeting facilities, unexpected and original venues, and to top it all off we have this joie de vivre that cannot be duplicated and that allows meeting planners to experience the warmest of customer experiences.”
Promising Pavilion
Quebec’s Fine Arts Museum—The Musee National Des Beaux-Arts Du Quebec—is expanding with the opening of the new Pavillon Pierre Lassonde in late June, Cantin says.
“The Pavillon Pierre Lassonde will offer larger reception areas, which is great for meeting planners as the museum is located in downtown Quebec City, in the Plains of Abraham, a wonderful urban park,” Cantin explains.
The snazzy expansion will bring an additional 160,000 square feet of space to the vital venue, including 12 new gallery areas and a living roof boasting 90,000 plants, plus numerous event-friendly lobby and reception spaces. It will immediately be put to good use with a special inaugural celebration kicking off June 24 that will showcase 358 works of art in the new pavilion alone.
Offbeat Boutique
The modern Hotel-Musee Premieres Nations is a boutique hotel, museum and unexpected meeting space all in one, according to Cantin.
“With its contemporary design uniting such natural materials as acetone, leather and wood, and forming a remarkable architectural grouping, the Hotel-Musee offers an authentic aboriginal experience for groups,” she says. “You can even have a Labrador tea ceremony served each day from 3 p.m., near the central fireplace.”
The truly one-of-a-kind lodging hosts 55 luxurious rooms suites, all of them overlooking the Akiawenrahk River, and boasts numerous special experiences and settings for smaller groups to consider, including arts and crafts workshops, snowmobile outings, “myths and legends” storytelling programs and even an ice bar. It’s also a surprisingly event-friendly venue, with 14 function spaces ranging from intimate boardrooms to a ballroom hosting up to 150 banquet-style. Groups can even experience a “longhouse,” the traditional ancient dwelling of the Huron.
Amazing Armoury
There is also a buzz building around the reconstruction of the Voltigeurs de Quebec Armoury after a horrendous fire in 2008. Set to relaunch in 2017, upon its revival the reconstructed Armoury will be a multifaceted building that will include areas showcasing the city’s military history, federal government offices and ample multipurpose spaces that will be able to host events of up to 1,300 attendees.
About half of the building will be used by the public, mainly for events hosted in its spacious multipurpose hall, while the rest will comprise administrative space such as offices. The multipurpose hall is expected to become a busy events hive and will be highlighted by top-tier audiovisual and tech, plus thoughtful acoustics perfect for live presentations and performances.
Other group-friendly touches include a spacious new parking lot adjoined by a sprawling plaza overlooking the Plains of Abraham scenery.
Improving Airport
Not to be overlooked is an ambitious $277 million expansion taking place at Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport, with a goal to further develop Quebec’s accessibility. The project, slated to wrap in 2018, will double the terminal area (including four new gates and expanded food courts), among other improvements.
The upgrade will also include robust tech upgrades such as improved check-in kiosks and signage, in addition to debuting a large new multilevel parking garage. The overhaul is taking place with the goal of hosting 2 million fliers annually by 2020.
Amped-Up Adrenaline
For breathtaking scenery—and heart-pounding thrills—groups should consider a short excursion to nearby Montmorency Falls Park. Only a few minutes’ drive from downtown, the park (a.k.a. Parc de la Chute-Montmorency) has just introduced a double zipline that lets two neighboring riders fly across the cove of the towering falls for almost a thousand feet.
The new offering and other zipline runs are on tap from May 21 to Oct. 10 in 2016, but the outdoor oasis truly is worth a look any time of year.
Center of Attention
Not be overlooked is the metropolis’ main meetings mecca, the Quebec City Convention Centre, recipient of a recent 73,000-square-foot expansion. The vital venue now offers more than 294,000 square feet of useable space.
MONTREAL
Gas-tronomical
New City Gas is an offbeat site that can host a variety of events within its multipurpose spaces, which officially opened in May 2012. The compelling and flexible venue is primarily a concert venue, though it also offers four extremely varied spaces that can be rented separately or together. Housed in an complex build in 1859, the event hub offers a wealth of a la carte event services to match its dramatic spaces; everything from high-tech and dynamic displays to a mixology bar and even fireworks can be arranged on-site.
Artsy Enclave
Arsenal Montreal, like New City Gas, is set in the Griffintown neighborhood and housed in a tastefully transformed historic structure, an 1853 shipyard warehouse. The 2011 addition to the city boasts 50,000 square feet of exhibition space completely dedicated to contemporary art, and is also home to a 20,000-square-foot event room. Smaller groups should consider TD Cultural Tuesdays, taking place about 30 times a year, where unique artists representing mediums from modern dance to cutting-edge technology host complimentary, one-night-only exhibitions.
Dramatic Debut
Au Sommet Place Ville Marie, a towering architectural gem that is the brainchild of I.M. Pei and Henry N. Cobb, just opened in May.
The structure catches the eye with its bold cruciform tower, the tallest of its type in Canada at 617 feet, and visitors can also enjoy some of the best views in the city by ascending to the 46th floor observation deck, which is also available as an unforgettable event space hosting up to 200. Other function area options include a 45th floor exhibition hall with capacity for 100 attendees, and the upscale 200-person-capacity Les Enfants Terribles restaurant.
