Press release
The Board of Trade welcomes the decision to allow
merchants to open their doors on the day of the Grand Prix F1
Montreal, May 2, 2006 The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is pleased with the decision announced by Raymond Bachand, Minister of Economic Development, Innovation, and Export Trade, to allow downtown merchants to open their doors on June 24 because of the holding of the Grand Prix F1, the most important event of the year for Montreal's entire tourism industry.
I welcome this decision because it will have a positive impact on the entire metropolitan area. The Grand Prix is a major event creating economic spin-offs totalling $75 million. Sixty percent of spectators come from outside Montreal. Allowing merchants to profit from this unique opportunity to do good business is a pragmatic decision, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
The Grand Prix is a prestigious event whose unique character justifies making it an exception that proves the rule. Allowing businesses within the downtown core and those on Boulevard Saint-Laurent between Sherbrooke and Jean-Talon streets to benefit from it is a fair and sensible exceptional provision, given the timing of this year's event, added Hudon.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montreal and to provide individuals, merchants and businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is the largest private organization in Quebec dedicated to economic development.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca