Place Vertu
A large shopping centre in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough, serving neighbourhood and regional retail customers.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
2requests
1companies- Anthropic2
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 0
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Place Vertu is a shopping centre located on Côte-Vertu Boulevard at the corner of Cavendish Boulevard in Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. The centre occupies approximately 830,000 square feet, or about 77,110 square metres, and includes a high-rise office component as well as retail space, restaurants, a food court and a broad mix of service outlets. Its tenant base has historically combined department stores, supermarkets, discount retailers, apparel stores, sporting-goods merchants, pharmacies, specialty shops and everyday services. The mall opened on August 28, 1975, with 110 stores. Its initial anchor lineup included The Bay, Kmart and Dominion, while Sears—also signed as an original tenant—opened about two months later. At launch, Place Vertu was one of the largest shopping centres in the Montreal area. It temporarily exceeded the size of Galeries d'Anjou while that competing centre was undergoing expansion, although Carrefour Laval remained larger during the period. The opening positioned Place Vertu as a major suburban retail destination for the northwest part of the Montreal metropolitan area. The property evolved through several expansions and tenant changes. During the 1980s, a new corridor connected the central court to a Pascal's hardware store, and a further corridor was added in the middle of the decade between The Bay and Pascal's, incorporating an office tower. Anchor replacements reflected the wider restructuring of Canadian retail: Dominion became Provigo in 1981, the former Pascal's space was occupied by Zellers in 1991, Provigo became Maxi in 1994, and Kmart's former premises were taken by Canadian Tire in 2000. Maxi closed in 2001, while The Bay left the mall in May 2007 and Zellers moved into its former location later that year. A substantial renovation and repositioning programme began in 2008. Subsequent additions included Urban Planet, Dollarama, Laura outlet formats, Browns Outlet and Starbucks. Marché Adonis replaced Maxi in 2009, and Winners moved from a nearby strip-mall location into space created between Zellers and the food court. Gold's Gym later occupied the former Pascal's/Zellers area in 2012. After Zellers closed in December 2012, Target opened in the space in 2013 but exited in 2015. Sports Experts and Atmosphere subsequently relocated there, using approximately 53,000 square feet, and opened in November 2016. Sears closed its Place Vertu store in October 2017; the former space was subsequently associated with Continental and Joe Fresh. Place Vertu was originally associated with Cambridge Leaseholds, with co-ownership involving Simpsons-Sears and the Hudson's Bay Company. Cambridge merged with Ivanhoe in 2001 to form Ivanhoe Cambridge, bringing the centre into that combined company's Quebec portfolio. Ivanhoe Cambridge sold the property to Primaris REIT in 2011. The centre is managed by the Westcliff Group. Public transport access is provided by STM buses serving the mall area, while Exo services stop nearby around Côte-Vertu and Beaulac. Its current role is primarily that of a practical, multi-category suburban shopping centre anchored by grocery, sporting goods, discount, pharmacy and general-merchandise tenants.
History
Place Vertu opened on August 28, 1975, in Saint-Laurent at the intersection of Côte-Vertu Boulevard and Cavendish Boulevard. The centre began with 110 stores and a department-store-led anchor lineup consisting of The Bay, Kmart and Dominion. Sears had signed as an original tenant but opened on October 29, approximately two months after the main opening. At the time, Place Vertu was larger than Fairview Pointe-Claire and briefly larger than Galeries d'Anjou while that mall was being expanded. Only Carrefour Laval was larger among the Montreal-area shopping centres identified in the historical account. The property expanded during the 1980s. One new corridor ran from the central court to a Pascal's hardware store, while another, added in the middle of the decade, connected The Bay with Pascal's and incorporated an office tower. The anchor roster changed repeatedly as Canadian department-store, supermarket and discount formats were reorganized. Dominion became Provigo on July 13, 1981. Pascal's former premises were occupied by Zellers in 1991, and Provigo was converted to Maxi in 1994. Kmart's former location became a Canadian Tire store in 2000. Maxi closed in 2001. The Bay left in May 2007, after which Zellers relocated into The Bay's former space. From 2008 onward, Place Vertu underwent renovation and tenant repositioning. The refreshed mix included Urban Planet, Dollarama, Laura, Laura+ and Laura Petite Outlet formats, Browns Outlet and Starbucks. Marché Adonis took over the former Maxi premises in 2009. Winners moved from a strip mall across the street into newly arranged space between Zellers and the food court, with other tenants moved within the centre to accommodate the change. The former Pascal's/Zellers area remained vacant for a period and was later occupied by Gold's Gym in 2012. Zellers closed in December 2012. Target opened in the former Zellers space in 2013, but its Canadian operation closed the location in 2015. Sports Experts and Atmosphere later relocated into part of that space, opening on November 10, 2016, and occupying approximately 53,000 square feet. Sears closed its Place Vertu store in October 2017; the former premises were subsequently associated with Continental and Joe Fresh. The centre's ownership history began with Cambridge Leaseholds, with Simpsons-Sears and the Hudson's Bay Company participating as co-owners. Cambridge merged with Ivanhoe in 2001 to create Ivanhoe Cambridge, after which Place Vertu became part of the merged company's holdings. Ivanhoe Cambridge sold the shopping centre to Primaris REIT in 2011. The Westcliff Group manages the property. Place Vertu remains an active Montreal shopping centre, with a tenant profile built around grocery, general merchandise, sporting goods, apparel, pharmacy, discount retail, restaurants and services. Its location is supported by STM bus service around the mall and nearby Exo stops at Côte-Vertu and Beaulac.
- 2017
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store shuts in October, ending the presence of an original opening-era tenant.
- 2016
Sports Experts and Atmosphere relocate
[1]The sporting-goods banners open in part of the former Target premises on November 10.
- 2013
Target opens after Zellers' closure
[1]Target occupies the former Zellers space before closing the location in 2015.
- 2011
Ivanhoe Cambridge sells the property to Primaris REIT
[1]The shopping centre changes ownership through a sale to Primaris REIT.
- 2009
Marché Adonis opens in the former Maxi space
[1]The grocery retailer replaces Maxi and becomes one of the centre's principal food anchors.
- 2007
The Bay exits the centre
[1]The Bay closes in May, and Zellers later moves into the vacated department-store location.
- 2001
Cambridge and Ivanhoe merge
[1]The merger creates Ivanhoe Cambridge, which becomes associated with Place Vertu's ownership.
- 2000
Canadian Tire takes over the former Kmart space
[1]Canadian Tire replaces Kmart in one of the centre's major retail spaces.
- 1991
Zellers occupies the former Pascal's space
[1]The former Pascal's hardware-store premises become a Zellers location.
- 1981
Dominion is converted to Provigo
[1]The original Dominion supermarket anchor changes to the Provigo banner.
Products and positioning
A large, accessible suburban shopping centre focused on everyday retail needs, value-oriented shopping, grocery, apparel, sporting goods, pharmacy services and food-service options.
Grocery retail · 2009
Marché Adonis
Marché Adonis is a major grocery anchor at Place Vertu. It occupies the space formerly used by Maxi and broadens the centre's offer beyond discretionary shopping through food, produce and international grocery merchandise.
General merchandise and automotive retail · 2000
Canadian Tire
Canadian Tire occupies the former Kmart premises and provides a large-format mix of household goods, hardware, automotive products, seasonal merchandise and recreational equipment. Its presence supports Place Vertu's practical, everyday-shopping positioning.
Sporting goods and outdoor retail · 2016
Sports Experts and Atmosphere
Sports Experts and Atmosphere form a sporting-goods and outdoor retail offering in part of the former Target space. The combined location sells equipment, apparel and footwear for sports, fitness and outdoor activities.
Off-price apparel and home retail
Winners
Winners is an off-price retailer that relocated from a nearby strip mall into Place Vertu. Its assortment typically supports value-focused shopping across apparel, accessories and home-related merchandise.
Discount general merchandise
Dollarama
Dollarama adds a discount-oriented general-merchandise offer to the centre. The format complements Place Vertu's emphasis on convenient, value-conscious purchases across household, seasonal and everyday categories.
Pharmacy and health retail
Uniprix
Uniprix provides pharmacy, health, beauty and personal-care services within the centre's tenant mix, reinforcing Place Vertu's role as a neighbourhood shopping destination rather than solely a fashion mall.
Brand decisions
2011
Sale to Primaris REITM&ABackground
After a period under Ivanhoe Cambridge ownership, the property was sold as part of a change in shopping-centre ownership.
Action taken
Ivanhoe Cambridge sold Place Vertu to Primaris REIT.
Aftermath
The Westcliff Group manages the centre; the available reference does not specify a later ownership change.
2008
Renovation and tenant repositioningStrategyBackground
The centre faced a changing Canadian retail environment and a series of anchor departures and conversions.
Action taken
Place Vertu undertook renovations and added or expanded value, apparel, food-service and specialty tenants.
Aftermath
The refreshed tenant mix included Marché Adonis, Winners, Dollarama, Urban Planet, outlet formats and Starbucks, while later anchor transitions continued.
2001
Cambridge merges with IvanhoeM&ABackground
Place Vertu was part of Cambridge Leaseholds' shopping-centre portfolio when Cambridge combined with Ivanhoe.
Action taken
The merger formed Ivanhoe Cambridge and transferred Place Vertu into the combined company's ownership structure.
Aftermath
Ivanhoe Cambridge held the centre until selling it to Primaris REIT in 2011.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/place-vertu · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled