Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica will reveal its refurbished exterior on October 25. This event follows a decade of scaffolding, though officials warn that the vast majority of the restoration remains unfinished.
The 20 per cent milestone and the $100 million price tag
The upcoming unveiling on October 25 will be celebrated with a free concert featuring organist Jean-Willy Kunz and the New World Philharmonic Society. While the event marks a visual victory for the city, the scale of the remaining work is daunting. According to The Canadian Press, only about 20 per cent of the total restoration has been completed to date.
Michel Issa, the executive director of the Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montreal, estimates that the total cost for both interior and exterior work will reach $100 million. While the facade is returning to public view, Issa notes that exterior work will likely require another four years, a timeline he admits may be optimistic.
Mile End quarry stones and the perils of vertical placement
The degradation of the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal is not merely a result of age,but of historical construction errors. Mathieu Verreault,the basilica's director of tourism and operations, explained that stones sourced from an old quarry in Mile End were of varying quality; specifically, stones used for the higher sections were salvaged from the bottom of the quarry and were inherently weaker.
Furthermore, the structural integrity was compromised by sedimentary stones being laid vertically rather than horizontally, making the walls more permeable to rain.. As reported by The Canadian Press, previous attempts to fix these issues using epoxy mortar actually increased pressure on the masonry, contributing to the cracking caused by Montreal's freeze-thaw cycles.
Augmented reality messages as a funding engine for 2027
To fund the massive $100 million project, the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal is blending traditional charity with modern technology. the parish currently generates revenue through fundraising campaigns and the Le Firmament cafe, operated in partnership with the Cafe Saint-Henri chain.
In a move to attract new donors, Michel Issa has introduced a program where sponsors can attach digital messages to stones on the facade. Because physical engraving would damage the stone's durability,these messages will be accessible via augmented reality on mobile phones—a process Issa compares to the app Pokemon Go—starting in early 2027.
The 10-storey scaffolding threat to the blue vault
The most precarious phase of the restoration involves the basilica's famous blue vault. To repair the interior, which has suffered from water penetration and dampness, workers will need to erect scaffolding approximately 10 storeys high. This necessity creates a financial paradox: the scaffolding will likely force the suspension of guided tours and music concerts, the very activities that fund the restoration.
Inside the Notre-Dame Basilica, conservationists are avoiding repainting deteriorated decorations. Instead, they are employing a labor-intensive process to reattach original flakes of paint, a method Mathieu Verreault describes as the best practice in heritage conservation.
Who will bridge the funding gap for the remaining 80 per cent?
While the basilica has diversified its income through cafes and AR sponsorships, it remains unclear exactly how much of the $100 million has been secured. The source does not specify the current balance of the restoration fund or if government grants are supplementing the private donations.
Additionally, there is a looming question regarding the financial viability of the project once the 10-storey scaffolding goes up. If the primary revenue streams from tourism are severed during the interior phase, the parish may need to find a new, more aggressive funding model to avoid a stalemate in the restoration of the blue vault.
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