MONTREAL, Oct. 15, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Montreal Jewish Museum (MJM) will become a welcoming space where members of different Montreal communities can come together, learn and enjoy themselves, after an investment of more than $3.2 million from the federal government through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.
This was announced by the Honourable Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Zev Moses, Executive Director at the MJM.
Today's investment will enable the renovation of the building that houses the MJM, which has been closed to the public for almost 30 years.
Once renovated, the Museum will be open to the public and will offer a variety of flexible, multipurpose spaces. The ground floor will feature an event space, a café-restaurant, and a gift shop. The second floor will house a gallery for exhibitions, screenings, and events. The third floor will include a food lab, spaces for creative workshops, and administrative spaces for the Museum and community members.
The Museum is located at 5220 St-Laurent Boulevard, where the Jewish community first settled in Montreal at the beginning of the last century. The building was built in 1914 as a garment factory and has housed a synagogue as well as a Jewish school. From 1984 to 1996, the building was home to Le Lux, a restaurant and bar that also sold magazines and candies.
This project will allow visitors of all ages and backgrounds to access the entire museum building. This new space will offer community members the opportunity to help create innovative experiences centered on Montreal's Jewish heritage and identity-building through art, culture, language, cuisine, and history.
Quotes
"The Canadian government is proud to invest $3.2 million in the renovation of the Montreal Jewish Museum, breathing new life into a piece of our city's history right here in the Mile End. This will be a welcoming place for Montreal's Jewish communities to gather and for people of all backgrounds to discover and celebrate Jewish culture and heritage."
The Honourable Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
"Sixteen years after the launch of our online museum, our dream of an inclusive space connecting Montreal's Jewish community to the rest of the world is becoming a reality at 5220 Saint-Laurent Boulevard. This federal investment, combined with the support of so many other partners, will help make this place a true hub for Jewish arts, culture, and heritage. We look forward to welcoming Montrealers and Canadians from all walks of life when we reopen."
Zev Moses, Executive Director of the Montreal Jewish Museum
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $3,234,476 million in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program. The Museum of Jewish Montreal, along with other funding sources, is contributing $1,625,000.
- The GICB program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It supports the Plan's first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.
- The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing public community buildings and the construction of new publicly-accessible community buildings that serve high-needs, underserved communities across Canada.
- Budget 2024 announced an additional $500 million to support more projects through GICB until 2029.
- At least 10% of program funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.
- The Government of Canada is taking concrete actions to strengthen the economy by investing in Canadians and supporting Canadian businesses.
- Federal actions are creating good jobs, accelerating home building and helping communities grow across the country.
Associated Links
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Piper McWilliams, Communications Advisor, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, 819-955-1813, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Austin Henderson, Arts Programming and Communications Manager, Montreal Jewish Museum, 514-840-9300, [email protected]
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