Fairview Pointe-Claire
A major enclosed shopping centre in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, serving Montreal's West Island.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Fairview Pointe-Claire, corporately styled as CF Fairview Pointe-Claire, is a large enclosed shopping centre in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Saint-Jean Boulevard. It is one of the largest shopping centres on the Island of Montreal and is generally regarded as the principal regional mall serving the West Island. The centre combines fashion, department-store, specialty retail, electronics, sporting goods, home furnishings, groceries, dining and services across approximately 1,000,000 square feet of retail space on two levels. It has historically attracted about eight million visits annually, although visitor volumes can vary with tenant changes, redevelopment and broader retail conditions. The mall opened on August 12, 1965, as the first enclosed shopping mall in Montreal's West Island. Its original anchor tenants were Simpsons, Steinberg's, Eaton's and Pascal's, and the centre began with approximately 70 tenants. The opening made Fairview Pointe-Claire an important suburban retail development: it was the first shopping centre in the West Island and one of the largest malls in Canada at the time. The original building was largely single-level, although several department-store premises were designed with additional vertical capacity. Early tenants also included Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy's and Woolworth's. A replica of Michelangelo's David displayed by Simpsons became an unusual and controversial feature of the opening-era mall. A major redevelopment completed in 1985 transformed the centre into a two-level mall. The project substantially modernized the first floor, introduced a food court and increased the reported tenant count from 88 to 201. The centre then continued to evolve as Canadian department-store and specialty-retail chains changed ownership or left the market. Simpsons was taken over by The Bay in 1989. Pascal's entered bankruptcy in 1991, and its former premises later hosted other electronics and big-box retail uses before being replaced by Best Buy in 2005. Sears opened a purpose-built 164,000-square-foot store in 1992 and later moved into the former Eaton's space in 2001. Sears ultimately closed the Fairview Pointe-Claire location in December 2017 during the chain's liquidation. The former Sears space was subsequently reconfigured for new uses. Its first level was converted into a dining area, and the food court moved there in April 2021. Simons opened in the former upper Sears space on May 5, 2022, adding a major Quebec-based fashion and home retailer to the tenant mix. Other principal or notable tenants have included Winners, HomeSense, Sports Experts and Atmosphere, Best Buy, Simons, Renaud-Bray, Old Navy, Dollarama, Linen Chest, Imaginaire and food-service operators. Tenant layouts have changed repeatedly as retailers relocated within the property or occupied spaces vacated by department stores. Ownership has also shifted. The property was initially jointly owned by Simpsons Limited and Cemp Investments and managed by Fairview Shopping Centres, while Cadillac Development Corporation constructed the mall. Cadillac Development and Fairview Corporation merged in 1974 to create Cadillac Fairview. Markborough Properties replaced Simpsons as co-owner in 1984. Markborough was absorbed by Cambridge Shopping Centres in 1997, and Cambridge later combined with Ivanhoe Corporation in 2001 to form Ivanhoé Cambridge. In 2021, Cadillac Fairview exchanged its 50 percent interest in Galeries d'Anjou for Ivanhoé Cambridge's interest in Fairview Pointe-Claire, making Cadillac Fairview the sole owner. Fairview Pointe-Claire is also integrated with Montreal-area public transportation. Its former northern parking area accommodated the Fairview bus terminus of the Société de transport de Montréal. The Réseau express métropolitain's Fairview–Pointe-Claire station is located next to the mall, improving regional rail access. The centre remains an active regional retail destination whose identity is based less on a single proprietary product than on its scale, location, tenant variety and role as a long-established suburban commercial hub.
History
Fairview Pointe-Claire opened on August 12, 1965, in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. Developed by Cadillac Development Corporation, the enclosed centre was established at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and Saint-Jean Boulevard to serve the growing suburban communities of Montreal's West Island. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in the West Island and one of the largest shopping centres in Canada when it opened. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of Simpsons, Steinberg's, Eaton's and Pascal's, supported by approximately 70 tenants. The original mall was primarily single-level, although Simpsons, Eaton's, W.H. Smith Books and Pascal's had two-level spaces. Simpsons and Eaton's were also constructed with capacity for possible future expansion. The opening-era centre reflected the department-store-led model of Canadian suburban retail. Other notable tenants included Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy's and Woolworth's. Simpsons installed a replica of Michelangelo's David in a mall corridor, which attracted criticism but also became part of the centre's early public identity. The mall was initially jointly owned by Simpsons Limited and Cemp Investments and managed by Fairview Shopping Centres, a Cemp subsidiary. In 1974, Cadillac Development Corporation and Fairview Corporation merged to form Cadillac Fairview. This created the corporate structure that would remain associated with the property for decades. In 1984, Markborough Properties replaced Simpsons as Cadillac Fairview's co-owner. A major physical transformation followed in 1985. Completed around the mall's twentieth anniversary, the renovation converted the property into a two-level shopping centre, extensively modernized the first floor, added a food court and increased the reported number of stores from 88 to 201. The tenant base changed significantly during the following decades. Simpsons was acquired by The Bay in January 1989. Pascal's filed for bankruptcy in 1991, and its premises were later used for electronics retail before being replaced by a Best Buy store in 2005. Sears opened a newly built 164,000-square-foot location on the south side of the centre in 1992. Eaton's closed in October 1999 after 34 years at the mall, and Sears moved into the former Eaton's space in 2001. The original Sears building was subsequently redeveloped for tenants including HomeSense, Decathlon, Sports Experts and Atmosphere, Imaginaire and Columbus Café. Other retailers, including Winners, Renaud-Bray, Old Navy and Starbucks, have also changed locations within the centre over time. Ownership continued to consolidate. Markborough Properties was absorbed by Cambridge Shopping Centres in 1997. Cambridge merged with Ivanhoe Corporation in 2001, creating Ivanhoé Cambridge. In 2021, Cadillac Fairview exchanged its 50 percent interest in Galeries d'Anjou for Ivanhoé Cambridge's interest in Fairview Pointe-Claire. Cadillac Fairview thereby became the mall's sole owner. Sears announced the closure of the Fairview Pointe-Claire store in 2017, and the location closed in December of that year. The vacated space became the focus of a later redevelopment. The first level was converted into a dining area and the food court moved there in April 2021. Simons opened on the second and third floors on May 5, 2022, providing a major new fashion and home anchor. The centre's contemporary tenant mix also includes Winners, HomeSense, Sports Experts and Atmosphere, Best Buy, Dollarama, Linen Chest, Renaud-Bray, Old Navy, Imaginaire and a range of restaurants and service businesses. Transportation has been an important part of the mall's regional role. The northern parking area formerly housed the Société de transport de Montréal's Fairview bus terminus. A station on the Réseau express métropolitain, Fairview–Pointe-Claire, is located beside the shopping centre, connecting it to Montreal's expanding regional transit network. Fairview Pointe-Claire remains an active Cadillac Fairview property and a major retail and transportation landmark in the West Island.
- 2025
Hudson's Bay closes its remaining stores
[1]Hudson's Bay closed its remaining Canadian stores in June; the Fairview Pointe-Claire location was among those considered for continued operation before the wider closure.
- 2022
Simons opens
[1]Simons opened on May 5 in the upper floors of the former Sears space.
- 2021
Cadillac Fairview becomes sole owner
[1]Cadillac Fairview exchanged its interest in Galeries d'Anjou for Ivanhoé Cambridge's interest in Fairview Pointe-Claire.
- 2021
Food court relocates
[1]The food court moved into the first level of the former Sears premises on April 1.
- 2017
Sears closure is announced
[1]The Fairview Pointe-Claire Sears store was included in a group of locations targeted for closure and shut in December.
- 2005
Best Buy opens
[1]Best Buy opened in the former Pascal's premises after the space had previously been used for electronics retail.
- 2001
Sears relocates to the former Eaton's space
[1]Sears moved from its original purpose-built location into the former Eaton's premises.
- 1999
Eaton's closes
[1]The Eaton's store closed on October 17 after 34 years at Fairview Pointe-Claire.
- 1992
New Sears store opens
[1]A newly constructed 164,000-square-foot Sears store opened on August 12 on the south side of the shopping centre.
- 1991
Pascal's declares bankruptcy
[1]Pascal's entered bankruptcy, ending the original anchor lineup's role at the property.
Products and positioning
A large, established regional shopping centre positioned as the West Island's principal destination for fashion, department-store, specialty, dining and service retail.
Fashion retail · 1965
Fashion and department-store retail
Fairview Pointe-Claire's fashion offer includes national and Quebec-based retailers spanning apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and home merchandise. Simons is a major contemporary anchor, while Winners, Old Navy and other specialty retailers broaden the range from value-oriented shopping to department-store-style assortments.
Sporting-goods retail
Sporting goods
Sports Experts and Atmosphere provide sporting goods, athletic clothing, footwear and outdoor equipment. Their presence gives the centre a substantial active-lifestyle component alongside its fashion and general merchandise tenants.
Electronics retail · 2005
Consumer electronics
Best Buy occupies a major external-access retail space associated with the former Pascal's location. The electronics offer includes consumer technology and related products, continuing a category that previously included Aventure Électronique in the same broader site.
Home retail
Home and household goods
HomeSense, Linen Chest, Simons and other tenants provide furniture, décor, textiles, kitchenware and household products. This category expanded after the reconfiguration of former department-store space and complements the centre's fashion and general retail offer.
Food service · 1985
Dining and food court
The mall provides food-court and restaurant offerings for shoppers and transit users. A major food-court relocation into the former Sears first-floor space was completed in 2021, while other cafés and restaurants operate elsewhere in the centre.
Brand decisions
2022
Introduce Simons in the former Sears upper floorsProduct launchBackground
The closure of Sears created a large anchor-store vacancy requiring a new long-term tenant and a revised use for the space.
Action taken
Simons opened on May 5 in the second and third floors of the former Sears location.
Aftermath
The arrival restored a major fashion and home anchor and formed part of the centre's post-department-store redevelopment.
2021
Cadillac Fairview consolidates ownershipM&ABackground
Fairview Pointe-Claire was jointly held by Cadillac Fairview and Ivanhoé Cambridge.
Action taken
Cadillac Fairview exchanged its 50 percent interest in Galeries d'Anjou for Ivanhoé Cambridge's interest in Fairview Pointe-Claire.
Aftermath
Cadillac Fairview became the sole owner of Fairview Pointe-Claire.
2017
Close the Fairview Pointe-Claire Sears storeOtherBackground
Sears Canada entered a broad restructuring and liquidation process that affected the Fairview Pointe-Claire location.
Action taken
The Sears store was included in the announced closures and shut in December 2017.
Aftermath
The former premises were later repurposed for dining and the Simons store.
2001
Relocate Sears into the former Eaton's premisesStrategyBackground
Eaton's closed its long-standing store in 1999, leaving a major department-store space available within the mall.
Action taken
Sears moved from its 1992 purpose-built location into the former Eaton's space.
Aftermath
The original Sears building became available for later specialty, sporting-goods, home and dining tenants.
1985
Convert the mall to a two-level formatStrategyBackground
The original centre was primarily single-level and required modernization and additional retail capacity as suburban demand developed.
Action taken
The property was extensively renovated, its first floor was rebuilt, a second shopping level was added and a food court was introduced.
Aftermath
The renovation expanded the reported store count from 88 to 201 and established the centre's modern two-level configuration.
Recent events
- 2025
Hudson's Bay closes its remaining stores[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Hudson's Bay closed its remaining stores in June 2025; Fairview Pointe-Claire was among the locations that had been considered for continued operation.
- 2022
Simons opens at Fairview Pointe-Claire[1]
Product launch · Other
Simons opened in the upper portion of the former Sears location, adding a major fashion and home retailer to the centre.
- 2021
Food court moves into former Sears first-floor space[1]
Product launch · Other
The former Sears premises were repurposed, with the shopping centre's food court moving into the first level.
- 2017
Sears closes its Fairview Pointe-Claire store[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Sears location closed in December 2017 as part of the retailer's Canadian liquidation and store-closure process.
- 1985
Major two-level redevelopment is completed[1]
Other
A substantial renovation expanded the mall from a primarily single-level format to two levels, added a food court and increased the number of stores.
- 1965
Fairview Pointe-Claire opens as the West Island's first enclosed shopping mall[1]
Other
The centre opened with approximately 70 tenants and anchor stores including Simpsons, Steinberg's, Eaton's and Pascal's.
Sources2 sources
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