Montreal’s Chinatown, threatened by development, to be granted heritage status

MONTREAL — The Quebec government is granting heritage status to the core of Montreal’s Chinatown district to protect its historic buildings from redevelopment.

Culture Minister Nathalie Roy made the announcement today alongside Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and other municipal and provincial officials.

Roy says the designation requires owners to preserve the historic character of their buildings in Chinatown and to be granted approval from the Culture Department before they can make significant changes.

The province is also giving special protection status to two of Chinatown’s most “emblematic” buildings, including a former school building from 1826 that now hosts a noodle manufacturer.

Community leaders have been calling for years for the city and the province to protect the shrinking core of Chinatown, which they say has been slowly transformed by gentrification and development. 

Plante says the city will modify its urbanism plan to ensure that future development in the downtown neighbourhood respects specific criteria regarding building height, density and architecture.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2022.

The Canadian Press