Downtown YMCA: Youth and Community Support Programs

Located in the heart of Montréal, the YMCA works hard every day to support the people most vulnerable to social exclusion and offers safe spaces for young people and the community.

Through its community programs, TeenZones, and work in the field, the YMCA contributes to the social vitality of downtown Montréal.

Opening hours

Exclusion prevention programs

Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: closed

TeenZones

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Friday: 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: closed

View the itinerary

Our address

1435 Drummond St,
Montreal, H3G 1W4

Phone number

514 687-9622

Email

transformation@ymcaquebec.org

Our Impact in Downtown Montréal

Through its youth programs, exclusion prevention initiatives, and support services for youth, the YMCA works in the downtown area to address emerging community needs.

Our teams intervene on the ground to create opportunities for support, promote inclusion, and direct people to resources tailored to their specific circumstances. During the winter, our teams also participate in running the warming centre to offer a place to rest and warm up during periods of extreme cold.

Youth programs

735 young people

benefitted from our two TeenZones

99 students

helped by the Back on Track by the YMCA program

31 young people

supported by our Welcome and Discover Zone

Prevention and social reintegration programs

911 people

assisted by the Espadrille program

534 people

supported by the La Boussole program

211 people

helped by the Planning for Prison Release program

*Data from 2025

Programs in the Heart of the Community

Two TeenZones for 12-to-24-year-olds

The Downtown YMCA offers two TeenZones tailored to the diverse needs of young people, providing a safe place where young people can be active, learn, and build connections.

One TeenZone for 12-to-17-year-olds
One TeenZone for 16-to-24-year-olds

Learn more about our TeenZones

Support and guidance for youth

Back on Track by the YMCA supports students suspended from school, transforming their suspension into an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow.

Discover Back on Track

Prevention and social reintegration

The YMCA offers several programs geared at people in vulnerable situations, specifically:

Espadrille
La Boussole
Planning for Prison Release
Dialogue and access to showers
Compensatory work
Social cohabitation
Alternative day work opportunities

Learn more

A Centre That Continues to Serve the Community

Until the Downtown YMCA building is sold, we are adapting how our spaces are used, to continue meeting the needs of the community.

While the centre no longer offers fitness and aquatic activities, it still offers community programs. The gym is also being used by our youth programs and available for group rentals.

Some spaces are also currently being used by other community organizations at a special rate.

To learn more or to make a request to rent a space: transformation@ymcaquebec.org

You can also consult the FAQ to learn more

Fitness and Aquatic Activities in Our Montréal Centres

For people looking for fitness facilities, our Montréal YMCA network offers a full range of fitness and aquatic activities:

Discover a YMCA near you

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The decision to sell the downtown building was announced to the public in 2023 and is part of our real estate transformation plan.

Several factors led to this organizational decision, specifically the recurrent operational deficit, which had persisted for several years prior to the pandemic. The programs could not cover the operational and maintenance costs of the building, which opened in 2001. The sale of the building, which is located on Stanley and Drummond Streets, will allow us to invest in our mission.

The sale would help us pursue our real estate transformation plan, just as the proceeds from the sale of the buildings in Pointe-Claire and Saint-Laurent did. The proceeds from those sales were invested into our mission-driven investment fund, generating revenues to support the Y’s work.

The situation in downtown Montréal has changed for many organizations and businesses, and the YMCA is no exception. The Downtown YMCA is facing the same numerous challenges as the rest of the community sector, which is forcing us to rethink the YMCA’s future and how it needs to change. These challenges mainly have to do with the drop in the number of people coming downtown and changes in work habits and workout habits.

The Downtown YMCA is our largest centre and the one with the highest maintenance costs.

Contact

To contact us about the Downtown YMCA redevelopment project or to rent a space, please write to transformation@ymcaquebec.org and we will be happy to answer your questions.

For media requests: media@ymcaquebec.org