The mayors of Montreal and Longueuil are confirming that Molson Coors is moving its brewing facility from its familiar location on the St. Lawrence River to a parcel of land near the St. Hubert airport.
Montreal mayor Valerie Plante says since she took office two weeks ago, she had appealed to Molson family to keep the company's operations in Montreal, but a formal offer from the city apparently went out after the company had made its decision.
The brewery's famous illuminated sign had long been a fixture on the waterfront, just steps away from the Jacques-Cartier bridge. The company has been brewing beer on the site since 1786.
“The discussions I had with the company’s representatives confirmed Molson Coors’ and the city’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable presence for the company in Montreal,” said Plante in a statement. “I’m confident that leaders will maintain this openness by making their next business decisions reflect not only the importance of Molson in Montreal’s history, but also the fact that Montreal helped Molson become what it is today.”
Meanwhile, Longueuil's mayor, Sylvie Parent, says she's delighted with the move.
“We are very proud that Molson Coors chose Longueuil for this vast project,” Parent said. “This important gesture is rewarding years of effort to develop our city, particularly the airport zone, in order to make it a strategic part of industrial development.”
A proposal to sell the land to the brewing company still needs to be approved at a meeting of Longueuil's city council on Dec. 5.