Centre Laval
Centre Laval is an enclosed shopping centre in Laval, Quebec, forming part of the DUO retail complex with Quartier Laval.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Centre Laval is an enclosed shopping mall in the Chomedey district of Laval, Quebec, Canada. The property is located at the intersection of Saint-Martin West and Le Corbusier Boulevard, approximately a ten-minute walk from Montmorency metro station in the Laval-des-Rapides area. It is situated about 2.5 kilometres from Carrefour Laval, a larger and more prominent regional shopping centre, but Centre Laval remains a substantial retail destination in its own right. The mall began operations in 1968 with approximately 370,000 square feet of enclosed retail space and around 50 stores. Its original anchor tenants included Famous Players, Woolco and Steinberg's. Centre Laval was also notable for being the first shopping centre to include a Société des alcools du Québec, or SAQ, store. A major southern expansion completed on August 17, 1972, more than doubled the centre's size and increased its tenant base to more than 100 merchants. The expansion added three wings and renovated portions of the original mall. Morgan was initially expected to anchor the enlarged centre, but the department-store chain had been renamed The Bay before the project was completed, so the new anchor opened under The Bay name. The mall's retail mix changed repeatedly as Canadian department-store, supermarket and specialty-retail chains evolved. Steinberg's closed its Centre Laval supermarket in 1992, and the former space was subsequently occupied by Club Biz before Bureau en Gros took over the lease in 1996. Woolco was acquired by Walmart in the 1990s, bringing the Walmart banner to the property. Walmart later left the site in November 2012 to move to a Supercentre location, and the former space was demolished and redeveloped for Target. Target operated in Canada from 2013 until 2015, when it withdrew from the Canadian market. Later redevelopment and tenant changes shifted Centre Laval toward a broad mix of value-oriented department stores, sporting goods, home improvement, office supplies, food and health-oriented retail. Sportium occupied part of the former large-format retail area from 2017, followed by Avril Supermarché Santé and Marshalls/HomeSense. Lee Valley opened its first Quebec store at Centre Laval in 2018. Sportium closed its Canadian locations in 2020, and Décathlon opened at the mall on December 19 of that year. Hudson's Bay also consolidated its Centre Laval operations onto one floor during the 2020–2021 period while testing a showroom-style retail model; the location closed in 2025. Today, Centre Laval is described as having nearly 700,000 square feet of retail space and approximately 130 shops, services and department stores. Major or notable occupants have included Marshalls/HomeSense, The Brick, Best Buy, Bureau en Gros, Lee Valley, Avril Supermarché Santé, Décathlon, Mark's, Ares and a Bank of Montreal branch. Across the street, Quartier Laval is owned by the same company. Together, the enclosed mall and power centre are marketed as DUO, creating a connected shopping complex with complementary retail formats.
History
Centre Laval opened in 1968 in the Chomedey district of Laval as a 370,000-square-foot enclosed shopping centre with about 50 stores. Its first major anchors were Famous Players, Woolco and Steinberg's. The project was significant in the development of Laval's suburban retail infrastructure and was the first shopping centre known to include an SAQ liquor store. The centre underwent a major expansion in 1972. Completed on August 17, the southern extension more than doubled the mall's floor area, introduced three new wings and raised the number of merchants to more than 100. Morgan had been planned as an anchor for the extension, but the chain changed its name to The Bay before completion. The Bay therefore opened in the enlarged mall under its successor banner. The opening was accompanied by an appearance from Montreal Expos players Ken Singleton and Terry Humphrey, who signed autographs for visitors. Centre Laval's subsequent history reflects the restructuring of Canadian retail. Steinberg's closed its supermarket at the property in 1992. Club Biz, an office-supply chain founded by former Steinberg executives, occupied the vacated space before Bureau en Gros acquired the lease and opened there in June 1996. Woolco's Canadian business was acquired by Walmart in the 1990s, and the Centre Laval store subsequently operated under the Walmart name. Ownership also changed during the 2000s and early 2010s. Homburg Invest acquired Alexis Nihon REIT in April 2007 and thereby took ownership of the centre. The property was transferred to Homburg Canada REIT in 2009, which later became Canmarc Real Estate Investment Trust in September 2011. Cominar acquired Canmarc in 2012 and became the owner and manager identified with Centre Laval. Centre Laval is paired with Quartier Laval, a power centre across Le Corbusier Boulevard; the two properties are presented together as the DUO shopping complex. Retail redevelopment accelerated after Walmart departed in November 2012 for a larger Supercentre elsewhere in Laval. The former Walmart building was demolished to make way for Target, which operated from 2013 until 2015, when Target exited the Canadian market. The space was progressively reconfigured for other large-format tenants. Sportium occupied approximately 70,000 square feet from 2017, while Avril Supermarché Santé, Marshalls and HomeSense later took portions of the area. Lee Valley opened its first Quebec location at Centre Laval on October 3, 2018. Sportium's Canadian banner was discontinued in 2020, and Décathlon opened at the property on December 19, 2020. During approximately 2020 or 2021, Hudson's Bay closed its second floor and moved its merchandise to the first level. The store formed part of a pilot showroom format intended to allow customers to order products online when they were not available in the physical store. Hudson's Bay ultimately closed the Centre Laval location in 2025. The centre now comprises nearly 700,000 square feet of retail space and around 130 shops, services and department stores. Its tenant profile includes apparel, home goods, electronics, office supplies, sporting goods, health-oriented food, banking and personal services. Its location near public transit and major Laval roads, together with the adjacent Quartier Laval power centre, gives it a role as a broad convenience and comparison-shopping destination despite competition from nearby Carrefour Laval.
- 2025
Hudson's Bay closes
[1]Hudson's Bay closes its Centre Laval location after previously testing a showroom-oriented format there.
- 2020
Sportium banner closes
[1]Sportium announces the closure of all locations, including its Centre Laval store.
- 2020
Décathlon opens
[1]Décathlon opens at Centre Laval on December 19.
- 2018
Lee Valley enters Quebec at Centre Laval
[1]Lee Valley opens its first Quebec store at Centre Laval on October 3.
- 2015
Target exits Canada
[1]Target closes its Centre Laval location as part of its withdrawal from the Canadian market.
- 2013
Target opens in former Walmart location
[1]The redeveloped former Walmart site becomes a Target store.
- 2012
Cominar acquires Canmarc
[1]Cominar acquires Canmarc and becomes the owner and manager of Centre Laval.
- 2012
Walmart leaves the mall
[1]Walmart relocates from Centre Laval in November to a Supercentre at another Laval site.
- 2011
Homburg Canada REIT becomes Canmarc REIT
[1]The ownership vehicle changes its name to Canmarc Real Estate Investment Trust in September.
- 2009
Property transferred to Homburg Canada REIT
[1]Centre Laval is transferred to Homburg Canada REIT.
Products and positioning
A large, accessible suburban shopping centre serving Laval and the north shore of the Montreal metropolitan area, with a tenant mix combining department stores, value retailers, specialty merchants, services and large-format stores.
Retail property · 1968
Enclosed shopping mall
Centre Laval's core offering is an enclosed shopping environment serving Laval and nearby communities. The centre provides approximately 700,000 square feet of retail space and around 130 stores, services and department stores. Its tenant mix spans apparel, home, electronics, office supplies, sport, food, health and banking, allowing it to function as both a convenience centre and a destination for comparison shopping.
Shopping complex
DUO
DUO is the combined retail complex formed by Centre Laval and the Quartier Laval power centre across the street. The pairing brings together enclosed-mall stores and large-format power-centre retailers under a shared shopping destination, extending the range of shopping and service options available to visitors in the area.
Specialty and department retail · 1968
Large-format retail space
The property has repeatedly adapted large retail spaces for major tenants. Historical occupants have included Woolco, Walmart, Target and Sportium, while later occupants have included Avril Supermarché Santé, Marshalls, HomeSense and Décathlon. These changes illustrate Centre Laval's ability to accommodate evolving department-store, discount and specialty-retail formats.
Brand decisions
2020
Replace Sportium with DécathlonGeneration changeBackground
Sportium announced the closure of all stores under its banner, creating an opportunity to replace its sporting-goods format at Centre Laval.
Action taken
Décathlon opened a store at Centre Laval on December 19, 2020.
Aftermath
The change maintained a major sporting-goods presence while replacing the discontinued Sportium banner with an international-format sports retailer.
2012
Redevelop the former Walmart siteStrategyBackground
Walmart moved from Centre Laval to a larger Supercentre elsewhere in Laval, leaving a major retail space that no longer matched its operating strategy.
Action taken
The former Walmart location was demolished and prepared for a Target store, which opened in 2013.
Aftermath
Target operated at the site until 2015, after which the space was progressively divided and repositioned for other large-format tenants.
1972
Expand the mall southwardStrategyBackground
Centre Laval's original 370,000-square-foot format had approximately 50 stores and required additional capacity to support a broader regional tenant mix.
Action taken
The centre added three southern wings, renovated the original mall and more than doubled its floor area, reaching more than 100 merchants.
Aftermath
The expansion established Centre Laval as a larger regional shopping centre and enabled the arrival of the planned department-store anchor, which opened as The Bay after Morgan's rebranding.
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