How does Heritage Montreal conduct its advocacy actions?
Heritage Montreal, via its team members, performs advocacy in various ways:
Where does the money from donations go?
Héritage Montréal is a privately run, not-for-profit foundation. It is financed almost exclusively by donations, with a small percentage of self-generated revenue. Donations received are therefore used to implement Héritage Montréal’s mission, through educational activities, special projects and advocacy actions. Besides a permanent staff, Héritage Montréal relies on close to a hundred volunteers. With the support of its donors, partners and volunteers, Héritage Montréal has tangible, direct impacts on the quality of Montrealers’ living environment.
What does it mean to be a member of the Heritage Montreal Foundation, and what are the benefits of membership?
Members of Heritage Montreal are part of a dynamic network!
When you support Heritage Montreal as a member, you enable the organization to further develop its civic presence, gain additional legitimacy, and broaden its capacity as a support network for assembling the resources needed to fulfill its mission. Being a member also means having a voice—being part of the conversations that enrich the Foundation’s raison d’être.
In return, our members enjoy preferential access to our rich and diversified programming, information on our actions, as well as special rates for activities and events put on by our many partners.
See the Become a member section for more information.
How can I become a member?
To become a member or renew your membership, you can do so online under Become a member or call us at 514-286-2662 ext. 21.
I am a person with limited mobility. Can I take part in the guided tours?
To confirm the accessibility of our walking tours, please contact us at 514-286-2662 ext. 21 or by e-mail.
Who are the guides that present your tours?
Heritage Montreal’s tour guides are all experienced volunteers eager to convey their enthusiasm for Montreal’s built heritage. They are professionals or students in fields such as architecture, urban planning, art history, tourism, museology and heritage conservation. To guarantee the quality of tours, all of our guides are trained by our team members, who together have more than twenty years’ experience in heritage interpretation and/or architecture.
Do I have to make a reservation to take part in a tour?
Yes, you must purchase your ticket online before the visit. No tickets will be sold on site on the day of the visit. Tickets can be bought online.
Where can I access Heritage Montreal publications?
Although some publications are now out of print, you can obtain photocopied versions (you must pay for the cost of the copies). You may also view some publications at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), in some municipal libraries.
Where can I get pamphlets describing Heritage Montreal activities (e.g., ArchitecTours, Renovation Courses, At the Heart of the City)?
You can obtain our various pamphlets directly on our website, in the Activities section, or at the reception in our offices. You can also subscribe to our newsletter via the website.
How can I become a Heritage Montreal volunteer?
To become a Héritage Montréal volunteer, you must complete the form available on the website. All selected volunteers must attend an orientation session. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer guide, you will be invited to a group interview. Recruitment takes place at the start of each new year.
To submit an unsolicited application, go to Become a volunteer.
Is your Documentation Centre open to the public?
Please note that the center is currently closed due to the fire that affected our premises in May 2023. We are currently in the process of restoring our archives. All documentation is currently inaccessible.
For your information, you can find additional documentation at the Bibliothèque des archives nationales (BAnQ) and in university libraries.
Where can I find information on a specific building?
In particular, you can consult the répertoire des biens culturels du Québec, the répertoire du patrimoine bâti de Montréal and the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office. You can also consult the archives of the Ville de Montréal, the various historical societies and the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
Héritage Montréal does not own any buildings and is not in a position to help you organize your shooting. To find out who owns a specific building in Montreal, please consult the Rôle d’evaluation foncière de la Ville de Montréal.
Can I obtain technical and/or renovation advice from you? Can you recommend a person in a specific field?
It is not our policy to provide technical advice or professional recommendations for your project. However, there are a number of relevant, but not exhaustive, resources that may be of help:
For your professional inspection needs, you may refer to the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors website. For specialty trades and other professionals, see the directory of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals.
Can I send a grant request to Heritage Montreal?
By virtue of its mission, Heritage Montreal offers no grant programs. If your property meets certain criteria, however, there are financial assistance programs available from the City of Montreal, including one for buildings with heritage value and one for major residential renovations. You can also inquire with various government bodies, Hydro-Québec, Gaz Métro, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Office de l’efficacité énergétique du Québec and your financial institution.
What can I do to help protect Montreal’s built heritage?
We urge you to become a member of Heritage Montreal, the mission of which is to promote and protect built heritage in Greater Montreal. Another effective way to help is to take part in public hearings. Héritage Montréal’s guided tours, roundtables and conferences are also great ways to learn about and protect Montreal’s heritage.
What can I do to save a building, a church, or a tree?
Do you know an important building in your neighbourhood that has been abandoned or is in poor shape? An exceptional landscape that is at risk of being radically transformed? Héritage Montréal’s Memento is the tool you can use to inform the public, through citizen alerts, and to work with others to promote the heritage of our metropolis. To report a vulnerable heritage site, fill in the form on Memento.
Where do I take old doors, windows, etc. after renovations?
For recovery or resale of construction and renovation materials.
Reco at 514 725-9990.
What do I do if I make a chance archeological discovery?
Quebec’s Cultural Heritage Act (Section 74, 2011, c. 21, s. 74.) stipulates that anyone who discovers an archeological property or site must inform the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications without delay; the validity of the discovery will be assessed and the proper protection measures enforced, as needed.
What is Opération Patrimoine Architectural de Montréal (the Montreal Architectural Heritage Campaign) and what are your links to this initiative?
The Montreal Architectural Heritage Campaign, known by its French acronym OPAM, is an annual event created by the Ville de Montréal in collaboration with Héritage Montréal. It seeks to raise Montrealers’ awareness of the importance of protecting built heritage, and to reward work by homeowners to maintain their heritage properties. Each year OPAM awards a number of prizes to property owners who maintain and/or restore their homes in keeping with their original character.
For more information, please consult the Ville de Montréal website dedicated to Opération patrimoine Montréal.
What were the Save Montreal Orange and Lemon Prizes?
This competition was developed by Save Montreal to spark debate and thinking around the issue of quality in architectural. The goal of the Orange and Lemon Prizes was to highlight qualities and benefits as well as faults and inconveniences, respectively, of architecture projects in Montreal, both large and small. The competition was created in the early 1970s, and the first Lemon Prize was awarded to the Institut d’hôtellerie de Montréal building (which has since been renovated). It’s important to note, however, that Heritage Montreal was not a stakeholder in the project; only a jury member.