5 New Venues in East Canada for Fall 2023 Meetings and Events

In September, Warwick Hotels & Resorts opened its first property in Canada: Warwick Le Crystal – Montréal. The hotel, located in downtown Montreal, offers 131 guest rooms and a wellness center on the 12th floor that features an indoor pool, an outdoor terrace hot tub, a sauna, a fitness center, and the Eléments Maison de Beauté spa. The property also boasts more than 7,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Crescent is its largest meeting room at 1,670 square feet. It can accommodate 150 standing or 110 seated at rounds. The 540-square-foot Drummond lounge, perfect for more intimate gatherings, offers prime views of downtown.

The building that once housed the original Toronto Stock Exchange, built in 1937, has been transformed into an event venue. Design Exchange spans more than 40,000 square feet and features new, modern interior upgrades that still preserve the building's historic elements. The most notable feature is Canada's first dedicated fully immersive projection mapping system, boasting 45-by-230-foot projections. This state-of-the-art system allows planners to fully customize the content shown to bring immersive, virtual, and interactive elements to their events. Other spaces available for events include the 6,500-square-foot Trading Floor, ideal for conferences and trade shows, and the 4,000-square-foot Gallery, suitable for smaller dinners, events, and experiential activations. There's also a boardroom, lobby, and library available for rent. Eatertainment is the venue's events and catering partner.

Located on the 46th floor of Place Ville Marie (one of Montreal's most iconic buildings), Hiatus opened in August and invites visitors to enjoy panoramic views of the city while enjoying a French Japanese-inspired menu. Expect a bar and open dining room, plus private dining rooms for meetings and events. The concept comes from A5 Hospitality, with interior design done by Sid Lee Architecture. The 44th and 45th floors are also part of the concept, with the 44th floor home to the Rose Orange terrace, prime for summer outings that can accommodate 120 guests cocktail style. The 45th-level bar can also accommodate 120 in that style. For a plated dinner in the 46th-level restaurant, the space can hold 70 guests. The two private dining rooms can accommodate 16 people each or 32 if the rooms combine.

In September, Liberty Entertainment Group launched its new concept, DaNico, a fine dining destination located in a heritage bank building in downtown Toronto. Daniele Corona, of fellow Liberty restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 Toronto, is the executive chef. The concept was created in partnership with international hospitality icon Nick Di Donato of Liberty Group, multistarred chef Ernesto Iaccarino of the Don Alfonso 1890 Group, and chef Corona. Expect modern Italian cuisine with Asian influences in a space that seats 60. There are also wines housed in the cellar in the building's original bank vault, boasting more than 3,000 bottles. The space also features vaulted 30-foot ceilings, an open kitchen, a chef’s table, and intimate banquettes. For private events, DaNico can accommodate buyouts on Mondays and Tuesdays and can host 56 guests for seated events or 110 guests for standing events.

October marked the unveiling of Chelsea Hotel, Toronto's $25 million renovation. The upgrade—the most extensive since 2013—includes 600 guest rooms in the Executive Tower, corridors throughout the hotel, and the refurbishment of the Executive Tower elevators. Market Garden Restaurant also has new carpet and furniture, while the hotel's full-service restaurant, Elm Street Bar & Lounge (pictured), has doubled its seating capacity and received new furniture and lighting.