A great first: an event will take place for more than 24 hours at the Society for Technological Arts (SAT) and, exceptionally, alcohol can be sold there from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
This is a pilot project called NON-STOP 24/24which will take place for 29 hours from May 21 to 23 and will bring together some 25 artists whose names will be revealed on Tuesday April 26.
“It’s a historic day for nightlife in Montreal,” said Mathieu Grondin, founder of MTL 24/24, at a press conference. non-profit organization, which campaigns precisely so that Montreal is alive and accessible at all hours of the night. “This represents a real milestone in the work that our organization began two years ago with the City of Montreal and the Government of Quebec. »
The big first is the continuous liquor license for 24 hours. “This is a first made possible thanks to an exceptional exemption granted by the City of Montreal”, declared Luc Rabouin, member of the executive committee of the City of Montreal, responsible for economic and commercial development, as well as design. .
Montreal nightlife is second to none. It is part of what makes Montreal unique. It contributes directly to the cultural and economic dynamism of our metropolis.
Luc Rabouin, member of the executive committee of the City of Montreal
The City wants to position Montreal “as one of the most festive cities in the world”. The City will “document the experience” of the pilot project and learn from it, underlined the mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
This is a first step to imitate cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin or New Orleans. Former mayor Denis Coderre had plans to keep bars open from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., but it didn’t come to fruition.
“Innovative mitigation measures”
The tranquility of the neighborhood is of course a major concern for the City, which does not want to “harm” the quality of life of residents, but “enrich it”, underlined Luc Rabouin.
Mathieu Grondin points out that it is above all the closing of bars at 3 a.m. that creates crowds, noise and nuisance. It also speeds up the consumption of alcohol at the last service (last call).
Luc Rabouin promises “innovative mitigation measures”. Mathieu Grondin also ensures that the evening NON-STOP 24/24 will be at the “cutting edge of international practices in the management of nighttime activities”.
In particular, there will be members of the Parisian troop “Pierrots de la nuit” (which does nocturnal, artistic and social mediation) and a collaboration with the Psychosocial Intervention Research Group.
Mathieu Grondin already has other pilot projects in mind in different neighbourhoods. As for Luc Rabouin, he recalled the financial support of $600,000 over three years in partnership with MTL 24/24, and he announced the holding of a citizen consultation (Open Microphone, which will take place on May 18 at La Tulipe ) that will be used to develop a nightlife policy. This will open the Montreal event at Sommet de la nuit, where the results of a study on the economic impact of Montreal’s nightlife will also be unveiled.
At a press conference, Luc Rabouin indicated that 17% of visitors come to Montreal for its nightlife, according to Tourisme Montreal.
Montreal at the Summit of the Night
NON-STOP 24/24 will close the event Montreal at the Sommet de la nuit, whose goal is to imagine the future, governance and regulation of living together at night in Montreal with workshops and conferences.
The names of the artists will be announced on the day of ticket sales, April 26.
“We have the experience and expertise to host this pilot project. In terms of reception, logistics and security”, insisted Alexandre Auché, programming director of the Society for Technological Arts.