Place Sainte-Foy
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn upscale enclosed shopping centre in Quebec City, Quebec, with approximately 135 stores and 590,000 square feet of retail space.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
Place Sainte-Foy is an upscale shopping centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, located in the former city of Sainte-Foy beside Université Laval. It forms part of a major retail concentration in the Sainte-Foy district, with Laurier Québec and Place de la Cité nearby. The property is owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and managed by JLL. The centre traces its origins to November 1957, when the site began operating with a Steinberg supermarket. A larger shopping centre formally opened on November 27, 1958. Developed and initially managed by Ivanhoe Corporation, the property began as an open-air strip centre. In 1964, it was enclosed, making it the first Ivanhoe shopping centre to undergo that type of conversion. This transition helped establish Place Sainte-Foy as a year-round retail destination rather than a conventional neighbourhood strip mall. Over the following decades, the centre expanded its department-store and specialty-retail offer. Eaton opened a major store around September 1975 and remained until the chain disappeared in 1999. Holt Renfrew operated at the mall for approximately five decades, from 1965 until 2015, contributing to Place Sainte-Foy’s upscale positioning. Miracle Mart was also present from the 1960s and was later rebranded as an M store. Les Ailes de la Mode opened a location in 1997 and ultimately closed around 2014 or 2015. Maurice Tanguay moved into the mall in 2001, taking the location associated with the former Eaton store. Simons, which has been present since 1961, substantially increased its space in 2007. From 2004 through 2012, ownership was divided equally between Ivanhoé Cambridge and Commerzbank AG’s Commerz Real business. Ivanhoé Cambridge continued to manage the property during that period. After 2012, Ivanhoé Cambridge became the centre’s owner again. The property has continued to operate as a curated, higher-end retail destination, combining fashion, department-store, grocery, furniture, technology, restaurant, and service tenants. The mall has approximately 135 stores covering about 590,000 square feet, or 54,800 square metres. Its anchor and major tenants have included Simons, Signature Maurice Tanguay, Metro, Saks Off 5th, and Archambault. It also became home to the first Apple Store in Quebec City’s Capitale-Nationale region. Place Sainte-Foy’s current identity rests on its established history, upscale tenant mix, proximity to a major university, and position within Quebec City’s principal suburban shopping district.
History
Place Sainte-Foy developed from a small retail site into one of Quebec City’s established enclosed shopping centres. The earliest operation began in November 1957 with a Steinberg supermarket. The shopping centre itself opened on November 27, 1958, under the development and management of Ivanhoe Corporation. At launch, it was an open-air strip centre, reflecting the suburban retail formats then emerging in North America. A major structural change took place in 1964, when the property was enclosed. The conversion was historically significant within Ivanhoe’s portfolio because Place Sainte-Foy became the company’s first shopping centre to be enclosed. Enclosure allowed the mall to operate more consistently through Quebec’s severe winter conditions and supported a broader mix of department stores, specialty retailers, and services. The centre’s tenant history shows its gradual movement toward upscale regional retail. Simons has operated at Place Sainte-Foy since 1961 and later doubled its footprint in 2007. Holt Renfrew occupied a prominent position for approximately fifty years, from 1965 until 2015. Miracle Mart appeared at the mall from the 1960s and was subsequently converted into an M store. Eaton opened a new location around September 1975 and remained until the chain’s collapse in 1999. The former Eaton space later became associated with Maurice Tanguay, which relocated to Place Sainte-Foy in 2001. The property also hosted newer Quebec retail concepts as the market changed. Les Ailes de la Mode chose Place Sainte-Foy for a store opening in 1997; that location closed around 2014 or 2015. The mall later included Saks Off 5th, Metro, Archambault, Signature Maurice Tanguay, and an Apple Store described as the first Apple location in the Capitale-Nationale region. Ownership arrangements changed during the 2000s. Between 2004 and 2012, Ivanhoé Cambridge and Commerzbank AG’s Commerz Real business each held a 50 percent interest. Ivanhoé Cambridge remained responsible for management throughout that joint-ownership period. Ivanhoé Cambridge subsequently continued as the owner, while JLL is identified as the property manager. Place Sainte-Foy is situated next to Université Laval and near Laurier Québec and Place de la Cité. This location gives it access to residents of the Sainte-Foy area, students and employees connected to the university, and visitors using Quebec City’s principal suburban retail corridor. The centre contains approximately 135 stores across about 590,000 square feet of space. Its history reflects the evolution of Canadian shopping-centre retail: from a supermarket-led strip centre, to an enclosed mall, to a more selective lifestyle and department-store destination within a competitive metropolitan retail cluster.
- 2015
Holt Renfrew tenancy ends
[1]Holt Renfrew leaves after approximately five decades at Place Sainte-Foy.
- 2012
Joint ownership period ends
[1]The equal ownership arrangement involving Commerz Real ends, with Ivanhoé Cambridge continuing as owner.
- 2007
Simons expands
[1]Simons doubles the size of its Place Sainte-Foy store, reinforcing the retailer’s role as a major anchor.
- 2004
Joint ownership begins
[1]Ivanhoé Cambridge and Commerzbank AG’s Commerz Real business begin holding equal ownership interests in the property.
- 2001
Maurice Tanguay relocates to the mall
[1]Maurice Tanguay moves to Place Sainte-Foy from another Quebec City location and occupies the former Eaton-associated space.
- 1999
Eaton tenancy ends
[1]The Eaton store leaves following the demise of the Eaton chain.
- 1997
Les Ailes de la Mode opens
[1]Les Ailes de la Mode selects Place Sainte-Foy for a store opening, adding a prominent Quebec fashion retailer to the tenant mix.
- 1975
Eaton opens a new store
[1]Eaton opens a major store at the centre around September, strengthening Place Sainte-Foy’s department-store profile.
- 1964
Centre is enclosed
[1]The formerly open-air strip centre is enclosed, becoming the first Ivanhoe shopping centre to undergo this conversion.
- 1961
Simons joins the centre
[1]Simons establishes a presence at Place Sainte-Foy, beginning a long-running anchor relationship.
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Products and positioning
An established upscale regional shopping centre serving Quebec City, with a department-store-oriented tenant mix, fashion and lifestyle offerings, and a prominent location near Université Laval and neighbouring major malls.
Retail category
Fashion and apparel retail
Place Sainte-Foy’s core offer includes clothing, footwear, accessories, and related fashion merchandise. Its historic and current tenant mix has included department-store and specialty-fashion operators, supporting the centre’s upscale positioning.
Retail category · 2001
Home furnishings
Home-related retail is represented by Signature Maurice Tanguay, which occupies a major former department-store location and gives the centre a substantial furniture and home-furnishings component.
Food and grocery retail
Groceries and food services
Food-related offerings include Metro and other food-service tenants, complementing the mall’s discretionary retail mix and providing recurring local shopping use.
Specialty retail
Cultural and technology retail
Archambault provides books, music, and cultural merchandise, while the Apple Store adds consumer technology and device-related services. The Apple location has been identified as the first Apple Store in the Capitale-Nationale region.
Sources2 sources
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