Montreal Street Circuit (Montreal ePrix)
Montreal Street Circuit (Montreal ePrix) at a glance
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec
- Type
- historic circuit (defunct)
- Length
- 2.745 km (1.706 mi)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (public roads)
- Opened
- 2017
Track map and layout
The Montreal Street Circuit was a temporary 2.745 km (1.706 mi), 14-turn course laid out on public roads in the southeast of downtown Montreal, with its main straight on René-Lévesque Boulevard between Papineau Avenue and Berri Street. The lap also used Viger Street, Notre-Dame Street and Saint-Antoine Street, looping around the Radio-Canada building and skirting the edges of the Gay Village and Old Montreal. Built and struck for a single weekend, it existed only for the 2017 Formula E double-header and was never used again.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 layout | 2.74 km | 2.745 km, 14 turns; the only configuration ever run |
Events and race weekends
The circuit hosted a single event in its history: the 2017 Montreal ePrix, a Formula E double-header run on 29-30 July 2017 as rounds 11 and 12 of the 2016-17 championship, drawing a two-day crowd of about 45,000. A planned return as the 2018 season finale, under a six-year hosting deal with a renewal option, was cancelled before it could take place, and no race has been held on the streets since.
Getting there and parking
The former circuit ran through downtown Montreal, an area well served by the city's métro system and easily reached on foot or by transit from most downtown hotels. Montréal-Trudeau International Airport connects to downtown by bus or taxi in roughly 25-30 minutes; there is no reason to travel specifically to the site today, as the roads have returned to normal city use.
- Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) · about 25 min drive
The former circuit streets are ordinary downtown Montreal roads today, easily explored on foot or by métro.
Hotels and camping near Montreal Street Circuit (Montreal ePrix)
Downtown Montreal offers a full range of hotels close to the former circuit's streets, from Old Montreal to the Quartier des Spectacles, making it a convenient and walkable base for anyone visiting the area for other reasons.
Where to look
Downtown Montreal, including Old Montreal and the area around René-Lévesque Boulevard, offers hotels close to the former circuit's roads.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
There is no track access of any kind associated with the former Montreal ePrix circuit; it was a temporary public-road course assembled for a single race weekend in July 2017 and dismantled immediately afterward, and the streets carry ordinary city traffic today.
Spectator guide
There is no spectator event to plan for today; the circuit hosted its only race weekend in July 2017 and no event has returned to the site since the 2018 race was cancelled.
History of Montreal Street Circuit (Montreal ePrix)
A one-time Formula E debut
Montreal's foray into Formula E came together under mayor Denis Coderre, who signed a six-year hosting agreement (with a renewal option after three years) to bring the all-electric series to a temporary street circuit in the southeast of downtown. The 2.745 km, 14-turn course ran along René-Lévesque Boulevard, Viger, Notre-Dame and Saint-Antoine streets, circling the Radio-Canada building and skirting Old Montreal. On 29-30 July 2017 it hosted a Formula E double-header, rounds 11 and 12 of the 2016-17 championship, drawing roughly 45,000 spectators over the two days. The weekend was not without controversy: Sébastien Buemi was disqualified from the first race after his car was found underweight, and local residents raised early complaints about street and sidewalk closures for a privately run event.
Cost concerns and cancellation
Montreal was scheduled to host the 2018 season finale, but a municipal election that autumn brought Valérie Plante to the mayor's office, and her administration inherited a very different financial picture. Officials learned taxpayers could be on the hook for up to C$35 million for the 2018 race, partly because a major sponsor had failed to pay its committed share of the 2017 event's costs. Citing the mounting public cost and calling the arrangement unsustainable, Plante cancelled the planned 2018 and 2019 races before either could take place.
Aftermath
Formula E's promoter subsequently sued the City of Montreal over the cancelled contract, and the dispute was eventually settled years later. No Formula E race, or any other event, has returned to the downtown Montreal streets since, leaving the 2017 Montreal ePrix as a single, well-attended but financially contentious chapter in the city's motorsport history, distinct from the long-running Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Île Notre-Dame, which continues to host Formula 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Montreal ePrix still held?+
No. The circuit hosted only one event, a Formula E double-header in July 2017; the planned 2018 return was cancelled by the city and no race has been held there since.
Why was the Montreal ePrix cancelled?+
New mayor Valérie Plante cancelled the planned 2018 and 2019 races after her administration found taxpayers faced costs of up to C$35 million, partly because a sponsor had not paid its share of the 2017 event.
Where was the circuit located?+
On public streets in southeast downtown Montreal, with the main straight on René-Lévesque Boulevard between Papineau Avenue and Berri Street.
Is this the same track as the Canadian Grand Prix circuit?+
No. The Montreal ePrix ran on downtown city streets, a completely different and separate venue from Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Île Notre-Dame, which hosts Formula 1.
How long was the Montreal ePrix circuit?+
It was 2.745 km (1.706 mi) long with 14 turns.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve · 3 km · street circuit
- Autodrome Saint-Eustache · 32 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Sanair Super Speedway · 52 km · dormant
- Circuit Mont-Tremblant · 111 km · road course
- Circuit Trois-Rivières (GP3R) · 121 km · street circuit
- Calabogie Motorsports Park · 244 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.