Federal courthouse under construction in Montreal
Posted May 8, 2024 3:39 pm.
The federal government is planning to build a new 10-storey courthouse in the heart of Old Montreal.
La Presse reports that according to documents from 2020, the new courthouse will house offices and courtrooms for the federal government on nine floors, plus basement parking – costing $160 million.
Construction started recently on an empty lot on Saint-Jacques Street and Notre-Dame Street, near Place d’Armes.
The empty space had been used as a parking lot from the 1960’s until this year.
Ottawa is not obligated to respect provincial legislation or municipal regulations in its construction projects.
La Presse reports that although Old Montreal is considered a heritage site, the land targeted by the project is under federal jurisdiction, so the Quebec Cultural Heritage Act does not apply.
Architecture 49 and Perkins & Will were selected to design the new federal courthouse. And the construction contract was awarded to Pomerleau in 2021.
