

Polytechnique Montréal was founded in 1873 in order to teach technical drawing and other useful arts. At first, it was set in a converted residence. It later moved to a larger building on Saint-Denis street. In 1958, it moved to its current location on the Université de Montréal campus. The original building was enlarged in 1975 and then in 1989. In 2002, the Computer and Electrical Engineering Department (they were later separated) began to occupy the fifth and sixth floor of the old École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal building. In 2003, the construction of three new buildings started.

Until the 1960s, the main purpose of the school was to train engineers, novelty Canada diplomas. However, from 1959 on, the focus went to research. Nowadays, it is a leading research institution in applied sciences in Canada.
In 1977, a SLOWPOKE reactor, of the SLOWPOKE-2 type, was installed at Polytechnique Montréal. The non-power reactor operating licence was renewed and is valid from July 1, 2013, until June 30, 2023. The reactor has been in operation for 36 years and is used for research, teaching, neutron generation and isotope production.













