Awning or marquee: what is the difference?
The two words are often used interchangeably, but they describe different structures:
- An awning: a soft structure, usually canvas or fabric on a metal frame. Often retractable. Associated with restaurant terraces and residential frontages.
- A marquee: a rigid structure in aluminium, polycarbonate or glass. Permanent. It covers the entrance or the whole commercial frontage. More durable and far better suited to Quebec winters.
The commercial marquee: our specialty
At AGS Signs, we mainly build and install aluminium commercial marquees — the solution best suited to the Quebec climate and to commercial standards.
Advantages of a marquee
- Withstands Quebec winters (snow, ice, −40 °C)
- Durability: 15 to 25 years with minimal maintenance
- Fully customizable: colour, shape, integrated lighting
- Can carry your commercial sign (name and logo printed, or in channel letters)
- Shelters customers at the entrance from rain and snow
- Significantly improves the look of the façade
Types of commercial marquees
Flat marquee (classic)
A flat horizontal aluminium structure. Simple, clean design. Suits every architectural style.
Sloped marquee (shed style)
Slightly angled forward for water runoff. Very popular in Old Montreal and heritage districts.
Polycarbonate marquee
A translucent panel that lets daylight through. Creates a bright, airy effect. Ideal for restaurants that want to keep natural light.
Marquee with integrated LED lighting
Recessed LEDs light the entrance at night. Safe and attractive — a strong current trend.
What drives the price of a marquee
Two marquees that look alike can carry very different budgets. Five factors account for most of the gap.
Width, above all. This is the dominant factor. Going from a marquee that covers the doorway to one spanning the whole storefront does more than double the surface: the load-bearing structure moves up a category and the anchor points multiply.
The material. Solid aluminium remains the benchmark for the Quebec climate. Translucent polycarbonate, which lets daylight through, needs a different frame and costs more for the same span.
Integrated lighting. Recessed LEDs mean wiring, a power supply and careful weatherproofing. It is a real addition to the budget, and it is also what makes the marquee work after dark.
The fixing. Everything depends on what the facade can carry. Sound brick does not impose the same constraints as a glazed storefront or a heritage building, where the structure sometimes has to be reinforced.
Access for installation. A narrow commercial street, a sidewalk to close, a lift to park: installation logistics weigh on the total, quite apart from the marquee itself.
The only way to get an accurate figure is a site visit. We measure, check what the facade can support, and provide a detailed quote — free and with no obligation.
Rules in Montreal
A commercial marquee falls under the same regulations as signage. A certificate of authorization is generally required, especially when:
- The marquee projects over public property (the sidewalk)
- It sits in a heritage sector (Old Montreal, historic boroughs)
- It exceeds a set area or projection
A commercial marquee is a sign, a shelter for your customers and an architectural feature all at once. Done well, it carries outside the work done on your interior fit-out and can raise the rental value of your commercial space.