Carrefour Laval

Carrefour Laval, corporately styled as CF Carrefour Laval, is a large enclosed shopping centre in the Chomedey neighbourhood of Laval, Quebec. It occupies a prominent site at the junction of Autoroute 15 and Autoroute 440, giving it strong access from Laval, Montreal's North Shore and other parts of the metropolitan region. The mall is approximately 115,478 square metres, or 1.24 million square feet, making it the largest enclosed shopping centre in the Greater Montreal area and the largest single-floor shopping mall in Quebec. The project was announced in 1969 by Steinberg's and Eaton's as a proposed 150-store centre on a large tract of land beside the Laurentian Autoroute. Development was delayed by a dispute over municipal zoning and the proposed relationship between the mall and Laval's emerging downtown area. Construction eventually began under Fairview Corporation, a developer associated with other major Quebec shopping centres. Carrefour Laval opened in 1974 with a group of prominent department-store and specialty anchors, including Simpsons, Eaton's, Dupuis Frères, Pascal's and Beaucoup. Its original L-shaped layout covered approximately 850,000 square feet. The property expanded substantially in 1983, adding roughly 90 stores and a Sears department store. Over subsequent decades, its anchor lineup changed repeatedly as Canadian department-store and specialty-retail formats evolved. Beaucoup was discontinued, Miracle Mart became M, Simpsons became The Bay, and several original anchors later closed. Former department-store spaces were reused for retailers and restaurants, including Rona, Staples, Les Ailes de la Mode, Crate & Barrel, The Keg and P.F. Chang's. The mall also added a major southern and eastern extension in 2002, built on the former Eaton's site, with Simons as a principal anchor. Carrefour Laval has continued to invest in the customer experience rather than relying solely on its original department-store structure. A redesigned and expanded food court opened in 2009 with 22 fast-food restaurants, approximately 1,200 seats and the Table 51 restaurant. The former food-court area was subsequently converted into retail space. After Sears exited the property, its former building was demolished in 2022 and replaced in part by a Sporting Life store. The centre has generally remained resilient despite the broader decline of enclosed malls. Its scale, highway visibility, concentration of retailers and restaurants, and access to public transportation support a broad regional catchment. Transit connections are provided by Société de transport de Laval services and an EXO bus terminal across from the mall, with links toward the Montreal Metro's Orange Line. Ownership has changed over time: Cadillac Fairview obtained full ownership in 2000, TD Asset Management acquired a 50 percent interest in 2019, and Cadillac Fairview bought that interest back in 2024. Carrefour Laval remains an active regional retail and dining destination, with Simons and Rona among its major anchors.

Planning for Carrefour Laval was announced on February 27, 1969, when Steinberg's and Eaton's presented a proposal for a 150-store shopping centre on approximately 20 million square feet of land beside the Laurentian Autoroute. The project depended on infrastructure and planning decisions by the newly formed city of Laval. Its development was delayed after a proposed zoning bylaw associated with Mayor Jacques Tétreault was challenged by political opponents and members of his own party, who argued that it could give the consortium an excessively protected position in the proposed downtown area. The project eventually proceeded, with construction undertaken by Fairview Corporation, previously associated with Fairview Pointe-Claire and Galeries d'Anjou. Carrefour Laval opened in 1974 as an approximately 850,000-square-foot L-shaped mall containing 125 stores. Its early anchors and major tenants included Simpsons, Eaton's, Dupuis Frères, Pascal's and Beaucoup. Ownership was initially shared by Fairview Corporation, Ivanhoe Corporation and Eaton's. The centre's location between major highways helped it attract customers from beyond Laval. The first major expansion occurred in 1983, when the mall grew to approximately 1.15 million square feet. The western addition added about 90 stores and a Sears department store of approximately 158,000 square feet. The following years brought extensive tenant changes. Beaucoup was discontinued in 1984, Miracle Mart occupied a distinct space beside Steinberg's, and Miracle Mart was converted to M in 1985. Simpsons became The Bay in 1989. Pascal's closed in 1991, while Steinberg's and M closed in 1992. Rona later opened in the former Steinberg's and M anchor spaces. In the 1990s, Carrefour Laval continued to repurpose former anchors. Staples occupied part of the former Pascal's space in 1993, while an intended Costco conversion in the former M area was abandoned after the Costco and Price Club merger, because a Price Club location already stood across the expressway. Les Ailes de la Mode opened in 1996, and Eaton's closed in 1999. Cadillac Fairview acquired full ownership in 2000, consolidating the property after its earlier co-ownership arrangements. A major redevelopment followed in 2002. Eaton's was demolished and its former site became a large extension of approximately 80 stores, including a Simons department store. The addition reshaped the southern and eastern portions of the centre into an arc-like section and significantly broadened the mall's retail offer. Further modernization focused on food and dining. Work on an expanded food court and redesigned interior finishes began in 2008. The new food court opened in 2009 with 22 fast-food restaurants, seating for approximately 1,200 people and the Table 51 restaurant. The former 1983 food court was converted into retail space, with that work completed in 2010. The mall experienced additional departures and replacements in the 2010s. Les Ailes de la Mode closed in 2011; part of its former location was occupied by Crate & Barrel in 2012, while other portions were used by The Keg and P.F. Chang's. Staples closed in 2014, and Sears closed in 2018. In 2019, TD Asset Management became a 50 percent owner. The former Sears building was demolished in 2022, and Sporting Life opened in a replacement location. In 2024, Cadillac Fairview bought back TD Asset Management's half-interest, restoring full ownership. Hudson's Bay subsequently closed its Carrefour Laval location in 2025. Carrefour Laval remains one of Quebec's largest enclosed malls. Its continuing relevance is supported by its regional scale, a single-floor layout, major anchors, extensive food and restaurant choices, highway access and public-transit connections. The property is served by Société de transport de Laval routes and benefits from an EXO bus terminal across the road, with connections toward the Montreal Metro.

• 2024

  Cadillac Fairview restores full ownership

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  Cadillac Fairview reacquired TD Asset Management's 50 percent interest.

• 2022

  Sporting Life replaces the former Sears site

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  The former Sears building was demolished and Sporting Life opened in a new approximately 26,827-square-foot location.

• 2019

  TD Asset Management acquires a half-interest

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  TD Asset Management became a 50 percent owner of the mall.

• 2009

  Expanded food court opens

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  The redesigned food court opened with 22 fast-food restaurants and about 1,200 seats.

• 2002

  Simons extension opens

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  An approximately 80-store expansion was built on the former Eaton's site, with Simons as a principal anchor.

• 2000

  Cadillac Fairview obtains full ownership

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  Cadillac Fairview consolidated ownership of the mall.

• 1983

  First major expansion

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  A western expansion added approximately 90 stores and a Sears department store, taking the property to about 1.15 million square feet.

• 1974

  Carrefour Laval opens

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened with 125 stores and major tenants including Simpsons, Eaton's, Dupuis Frères, Pascal's and Beaucoup.

• 1969

  Shopping-centre project announced

  [1]Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org

  Steinberg's and Eaton's announced plans for a 150-store shopping centre beside the Laurentian Autoroute.

A large, premium-oriented regional shopping centre serving Laval and the wider Greater Montreal market, with a broad tenant mix, major anchors, restaurants and strong highway and transit accessibility.

• Department store · 2002

  Simons

  Simons is a major fashion and home-goods anchor at Carrefour Laval. It became part of the mall's expanded retail offer when the 2002 extension was developed on the former Eaton's site.

• Home improvement · 1994

  Rona

  Rona occupies former department-store anchor space created after the closure of Steinberg's and M. It provides home-improvement, hardware and renovation products within the shopping-centre complex.

• Food service · 2009

  Food court and dining offer

  Carrefour Laval's food offer includes a large redesigned food court, fast-food operators and sit-down restaurants. The modernized food court opened in 2009 with 22 fast-food restaurants and approximately 1,200 seats, alongside the Table 51 restaurant at launch.

• Sporting goods · 2022

  Sporting Life

  Sporting Life opened in 2022 after the demolition of the former Sears building. Its approximately 26,827-square-foot store added a major sporting-goods and outdoor-retail presence to the redeveloped site.

• 2024

  Reacquisition of TD Asset Management's ownership interestM&A

  Background

  TD Asset Management had held a 50 percent interest in the mall since 2019.

  Action taken

  Cadillac Fairview bought back the half-interest previously sold to TD Asset Management.

  Aftermath

  Cadillac Fairview returned to full ownership of Carrefour Laval.

  Source

• 2022

  Replacement of the former Sears buildingOther

  Background

  Sears closed its Carrefour Laval store in 2018, leaving a large building available for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  The former Sears building was demolished and a Sporting Life store opened on the site.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment refreshed a major portion of the property and introduced a new large-format tenant.

  Source

• 2008

  Food-court and interior modernizationStrategy

  Background

  The mall pursued interior improvements and a stronger dining offer as part of its continuing modernization.

  Action taken

  Carrefour Laval expanded and redesigned its food court and updated flooring and ceilings, with work completed in phases.

  Aftermath

  The new food court opened in 2009, and the former food-court space was converted to retail use by 2010.

  Source

• 2002

  Redevelopment of the former Eaton's siteOther

  Background

  Eaton's had closed in 1999, leaving a substantial anchor location available for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  The former store was demolished and replaced by an approximately 80-store extension anchored by Simons.

  Aftermath

  The project materially enlarged the mall and added a major southern and eastern retail section.

  Source

1. 1Carrefour Lavalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Carrefour Laval official websitecarrefourlaval.ca