From defence to buzzing trade

Even though Quebec was now under British rule, Place-Royale kept all of its commercial and economic appeal. Many English-speaking merchants wanted to take advantage of this strategic location to develop their businesses. Within just a few years, the land where the old Batterie Royale once stood was filled with warehouses, dwellings and port facilities.

With the docks growing and the flow of goods accelerating, it became increasingly necessary to build a new marketplace near the port. On the site of the former Batterie Royale, two wooden halls were built, one in 1816 and the other in 1837. This was before the construction of the famous Finlay Market. With its distinguished architecture and its pier jutting directly into the river, the Finlay Market was the embodiment of the economic vitality and bustling port atmosphere that characterized Place-Royale throughout the 19th century.