MONTREAL — Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx says the provincial government will spend $870 million to replace the decaying roof of Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

Proulx told reporters in Montreal the existing roof is nearing the end of its life and the stadium will have to close completely within two years if nothing is done.

She says the new roof will keep the stadium open year-round and could double the number paying visitors to the tourist site.

Currently, events at the stadium, built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, are cancelled if more than three centimetres of snow are expected to fall.

Proulx says demolishing the stadium would cost $2 billion and would be complicated by the fact the Montreal metro runs under the structure and because several businesses lease office space in the stadium’s tower. 

Officials have been looking to replacing the roof for more than 20 years, and the stadium has been closed since mid-December for exploratory work related to the upcoming renovations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press