This popular New York weekend getaway will soon allow bars to stay open 24 hours a day: ‘It’s crazy’

The city that never sleeps could face some stiff competition—just a few hours’ drive up the Thruway.

Joining a very short list of North American cities that allow bars to stay open and serve alcohol 24 hours a day, Montreal – where the drinking age is 18 – hopes to further expand its appeal as a nightlife destination, the BBC reported.

The bold move would put Canada’s second city in elite company with only two other cities of all time – New Orleans and Las Vegas.

The new one Healthy! the clause will no longer require bars in certain areas to close at 3am, while a designated 24-hour nightlife zone will be created.

“This is an opportunity for economic growth,” City Councilwoman Ericka Alneus, who championed the change, told the newspaper. “But it’s also to present and reinforce the cultural scene.”

A handful of spots in the city — long a popular party destination for American bachelor weekends and American college students looking to drink legally — are already piloting the concept, according to Time Out.

The city has yet to announce specifics about the new district of anything, but the changes are said to be expected to be implemented at some point this year.

The move appears to follow changes made in other popular destinations such as Berlin and Tokyo, which have also introduced special zones and new laws in the hope of bringing more money into local coffers.

Back in the Big Apple, bars typically close at 4 a.m., though the city has always enjoyed a legendary — if somewhat stealthy — after-hours culture.

Some Montrealers are questioning the move, but others say changing the law so that closing times are staggered could go a long way with issues like safety.

“In Montreal, we close at 3 a.m. People are drunk at 1 a.m. — and they’re super drunk at 3 a.m.,” one bar owner explained to the BBC.

“One of the problems we have is that at 3 o’clock in the morning it’s like crazy. But if you extend the hours, there are fewer problems, less demand for security,” said L’ile Noire owner Michel Lavallée.