In April 2018, Montréal mayor, Valérie Plante, presented the city’s 2018–2022 economic development strategy, entitled Accélérer Montréal (accelerating Montréal), which comprises eight action plans, including one for design: Créer Montréal (creating Montréal). Officially launched on May 30, this three-year plan developed by Montréal’s Bureau du design provides for investments of $ 3.8 million spread over five major focuses of intervention. Emulating orientations that have made the city successful thus far and helped Montréal obtain and renew its status as a UNESCO City of Design, the plan comes at an opportune moment. The time is ripe to accelerate the strategic and cross-disciplinary integration of design into all municipal practices.
The city stimulates creative design and promotes the reputation of Montréal designers both at home and abroad by pursuing a single objective – to use local design talent to enhance sustainable economic and urban development and create a first-rate environment throughout its territory.
Highlights
The action plan’s key measure affirms the value placed on design quality: the Bureau du design will coordinate the development and implementation of an Agenda for Design and Architectural Quality (Agenda montréalais pour la qualité en design et en architecture). This collective effort will emphasize the importance of design as a factor in quality of life and assist communities, the city, and its boroughs in creating high-quality buildings and public spaces. It will also facilitate the development and maintenance of effective and efficient design processes.
The Bureau du design will support the development of the Montréal design market, in particular by funding departments and boroughs in their own design projects that provide access to emerging designers. It will also invest in opportunities provided by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network by supporting the participation of Montréal designers. And it will help to develop specialized training courses aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of Montréal designers.
The Bureau du design will continue to guide different departments of both the city and its boroughs by training design champions and providing them with coaching tools and practical guides. It will also continue to promote the importance and impacts of design on quality of life by raising awareness and providing information about design and architectural issues among both the general public and city employees.
Recall the Bureau du design’s mission:
- Work with designers to make the city better [design, build].
- Develop the market for Montréal designers and architects and promote their talent.
- Provide guidance for private and public design commissions.
We invite designers, architects, and other professionals in the field to meet with us and take part in consultative activities to develop the agenda for design and architectural quality. More details on the project will be forthcoming in the months ahead. To read the action plan Créer Montréal (French only here, available in English soon). For further information see here.