Molson to keep offices in Montreal as brewery moves to the South Shore

Molson Coors Canada Inc. has announced it plans to keep its offices in Montreal, even when its new brewery begins operations across the river in Longueuil in 2021.

The company said the decision was made after several months of discussions and with the goal of keeping "a link to the site where we began our operations in 1786."

"Our roots in Montreal are deep and we are proud we are respecting our commitment to maintain a presence of Molson in Montreal," said Frederic Landtmeters, the company's president and chief executive officer, in a joint statement with the City of Montreal Wednesday.​

The company's longstanding brewery is on Notre-Dame Street East, west of Papineau Street.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante welcomed the company's decision to keep its offices in the city.

"Molson Coors has been integral to Montreal's identity for several years and will remain so," she said in the statement.

The decision will maintain the links between Montreal and the company, while preserving jobs and administrative activities on the present site, the mayor said.

That's important for the neighbourhood where Molson got its start, Plante said. 

Upholding the heritage of the site

Molson Coors and the city have been in discussions about the future of the Notre-Dame Street site for several months.

The company has met with the city and the Ville-Marie borough as it works to develop an agreement in principle on the re-development of the brewery site and its heritage.

These agreements should be announced soon, the city and the company said.

"This will allow the redevelopment of the site of a new district for Montreal honouring the history of the brewery and the Molson family," Landtmeters said.