Montreal's convention circuit had a banner year in 2025, even if the calendar looked a little lighter. According to a joint report from the Palais des congrès de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal, the city hosted 477 business events that drew over one million visitors and generated an estimated $438 million in economic impact for the city and province.
The interesting part is that there were 63 fewer events than 2024, yet $43 million more in returns. The takeaway? iMontreal is being more selective about what it hosts, prioritizing higher-impact gatherings over sheer volume.
The Palais des congrès alone accounted for the lion's share, hosting 281 events that brought in nearly 940,000 attendees and $277 million in economic spinoff. That's 92 percent of the city's total business tourism traffic and 63 percent of the value, all under one roof.
Still number one
Several major international conferences anchored the year, including the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research annual congress (4,200 attendees, $4.4 million impact) and the American Society for Engineering Education gathering (3,800 attendees, $4 million).
Not everything was about the bottom line. The World Congress on STIs and HIV brought 1,500 delegates to town, while the National Conference to End Homelessness drew 2,350 participants, with the Palais donating its space free of charge.
Montreal maintained its ranking as the top city in North America for international association conventions according to the International Congress and Convention Association, a title it's held for nine consecutive years. It also remained first in the Americas according to the Union of International Associations, for the eighth year running.
What's coming in 2026
The momentum continues as major incoming events include the Salon international de l'alimentation (20,000 expected attendees, $14 million projected impact), the American Society of Human Genetics conference (6,000 attendees, $8 million), and the Goldschmidt Conference in geochemistry (4,500 attendees, $5.8 million).
Local anchors remain strong too. The Journées dentaires internationales du Québec draws roughly 12,000 attendees annually and generates over $15 million, while ALL IN—Canada's largest AI event, backed by Scale AI—expects 6,000 participants this year.
The strategy seems to be working: fewer events, bigger returns, and a city that keeps punching above its weight on the global convention circuit.
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