Retail shops have moved into the MUHC superhospital, eight months after the first patients arrived and five months after its official inauguration.
A bookstore and a toy store are now open on the main floor of the hospital, and restaurants and cafés are expected to open later this month.
A pharmacy is due to open soon as well.
There are about 30 retail locations in the hospital complex and almost all of them will be occupied by retailers in the next four or five months.
However the hospital Auxiliary has decided not to rent any space, saying it was not willing to pay the rent being asked.
Imma Franco, real estate and planning director for the MUHC, said the hospital offered the Auxiliary a discount on rent.
"They decided that it was not a risk they wanted to take, so the MUHC continues to work with the Auxiliary to look at alternative ways that they can continue to do the good things they do for the organization by doing little kiosks, by doing little fundraising initiatives that are not necessarily a commercial activity," said Franco.
All the retail spaces are owned by the MUHC but it leases all but four retail spaces to GISM, the consortium responsible for maintenance of the hospital.
GISM, a partnership between SNC-Lavalin and Innisfree, then sublets the retail spaces to other businesses.
