The Macdonald plant is one of the few remaining industries in the Centre-Sud neighbourhood. This tobacco company was founded by William Christopher Macdonald in 1858. Originally located on Water Street near the port, the plant moved to the corner of Ontario and Iberville Streets in 1876. The building was rebuilt after a fire ravaged the site in 1895. The company has employed thousands of people since its founding, including many Centre-Sud residents. The McDonald building leaves an indelible mark on the Sainte-Marie landscape given its size and central tower that features a four-sided clock.

Click here to learn more.

Opened in 1922, the cold storage warehouse was used to preserve the perishable foodstuffs moving through the port. This monumental building, now converted into housing, is a reminder of the importance of trade and port activities at the turn of the 20th century, when Montreal was the Canadian metropolis.

Despite its new purpose, the former Alphonse Raymond industrial complex is an important part of Montreal’s industrial heritage. Founded in 1905, the jam and marinade manufacturing company expanded and built a new plant on Panet Street in 1913. It subsequently became one of the most important factories in Canada. Today, the site is home to Usine C, a space for artistic creation and presentation, as well as residential spaces.

The Dominion Rubber Company dates back to 1854, when the first rubber factory was built adjacent to the Molson Brewery. It first manufactured boots, then hoses, conveyor belts, extruded elastic threads and cylinder liners. The company became Uniroyal in 1966 and ceased operations in 1984. The remaining buildings now house Cité du son and storage spaces.

The Viger Hotel and Railway Station was built in 1898 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. This chateau-style terminal offered transcontinental stopovers, in addition to connecting the metropolis to Quebec City and the Laurentians. The economic crisis of the 1930s led to its closure despite strong protests from the French-speaking bourgeoisie in city’s East End. The building was later purchased by the City to become the Jacques-Viger Building.

Founded in 1872, the Dominion Oilcloth & Linoleum Company stands out as one of the first flexible flooring production plants in North America. By the middle of the 20th century, the company employed more than one thousand workers. Spread over a vast area between Parthenais and Fullum Streets, south of St. Catherine Street, the industrial complex was almost completely demolished to make way for Télé-Québec facilities in the late 1960s.

Built in 1910 according to the plans of architect Eugène Payette, this building is best known for the curve in the design it forced on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Soap manufacturer Joseph Barsalou first occupied the building until it was bought by Proctor and Gamble in 1935. Roméo Parent’s pharmaceutical company, Familex, then purchased the building in 1943. The company was then sold to Pierre Valcourt in 1983. The Valcourt family sold the building to the Cosoltec company in 2019.

Montreal established itself as a hub for transportation and national trade in the 19th century. Completed in 1884, the Dalhousie Station is a reminder of the glory days of the Canadian Pacific Railway. As soon as it opened, the station offered routes between Montreal and Winnipeg. In the summer of 1886, P.C. inaugurated the first passenger train between Montreal and Port Moody, British Columbia. This was the first transcontinental route. The building was restored to house the National Circus School and is now home to the Cirque Éloize.