The exterior of the Montreal Palais des congrès on Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle.
Montreal is expecting as many as 12,000 delegates to descend on the city for the United Nations biodiversity conference, COP15, taking place at the Palais des congrès from December 7 to 19. And Montrealers will be feeling the squeeze. Major traffic disruptions, including a metro station and road closures, will plague the area around the convention centre in December. Some will last into January.
Here's what you need to know — and what streets to avoid.
What streets will close for COP15 Montreal?
Officials began erecting a perimeter fence around the Palais des congrès in November and partially closed some streets to make way for security preparations.
That prep work, including the complete closure of rue Saint-Urbain between avenue Viger and rue Saint-Antoine, will last through Saturday, November 26.
After that, Saint-Antoine, Viger and Saint-Urbain will all see lane closures immediately surrounding the convention centre, leaving just one lane open to traffic on Saint-Antoine and Viger, and one lane in each direction on Saint-Urbain until January 20.
Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, that small park with a fountain across the street from the Palais des congrès, and the small sections of street to its west and east will also close until mid-January.
Palais des congrès parking will be closed to the general public starting December 1.
The city warns that other traffic obstructions could be necessary in case of "unforeseen situations."
Hundreds of law enforcement officials are expected in the area, further crowding the neighbourhood.
How will COP15 affect the STM?
A map of downtown Montreal showing the COP15 security perimeter and the zone surrounding the Palais des congrès where there will be no bus stops.
The STM is closing Place-d'Armes metro station from December 1 to 20. It says orange line trains will otherwise run normally, just without a stop between Square-Victoria–OACI and Champ-de-Mars.
In addition, there will be no bus stops within an approximately two-block radius of the Palais des congrès until December 20. That means route changes or stop cancellations for bus lines 55, 129, 361, 363 and 365.
The transit company adds that there could be further service changes if authorities impose additional security measures.