Montreal’s iconic Chinatown is going to be granted heritage status in Quebec.
Nathalie Roy, Quebec's minister of culture and communications, signed a notice of intent on Thursday to preserve Chinatown’s culture and prevent overdevelopment in the iconic downtown sector.
According to CBC, “Roy is expected to make the announcement Monday morning, alongside Montreal mayor Valérie Plante, Heritage Montreal and members of a working group composed of business owners, citizens and local officials from the Chinatown.”
A plan has been put in place to preserve the historic characteristics of Chinatown with a new urbanism plan that will “revise the maximum allowable height and density of buildings.”
Currently only two buildings in Chinatown are identified as heritage buildings under provincial law: the church and presbytery of the Mission-Catholique-Chinoise-du-Saint-Esprit on Jeanne-Mance Street.