Granby: Still a Hockey Town.

When the Granby Bison won the 2025 LHSAAAQ championship, it put the town on the hockey map…sort of. In reality, it was always there. Granby has a rich history in the AHL and QMJHL. As the game became more expensive, smaller markets like Granby struggled to keep up and saw their teams move on to bigger markets. Granby maintained its hockey presence through teams playing in lower level junior and senior leagues and recently reaped the reward of a league championship. If Granby hasn’t been known as a hockey town in these lower profile years, what has it been known for? Plenty!

Just an hour East of Montreal, Granby is a city of around 70,000 people. Initially developed in the Eastern Townships in 1803 as the Township of Granby, it was incorporated as a town in 1816 and achieved city status in 1971. Today it is run by a mayor and 10 city councilors as a member of the Estrie Region and Haute-Yamaska MRC.

Its sprawling flat plains, making it a desirable location dating back to indigenous days, have allowed it to develop as an agricultural, industrial and recreational area.

As shown by its sharp population increase in recent decades, Granby offers a little for everyone. Those seeking the outdoors enjoy the Granby Zoo, Lac Boivin, and Daniel Johnson Park as well as other smaller lakes and parks. While the zoo may be the town’s most well-known attraction, Daniel Johnson Park offers up the year round family activities from hiking and biking to watersports and playground activities, as well as Winter sledding options. 

For those looking for a little more excitement, the Granby Autodrome is the largest dirt track racing course in the province. Those looking for indoor excitement can find plenty at Arena Leonard-Grondin which offers up a host of indoor entertainment options beyond the local junior and senior hockey circuits. At just under 2,400 seats, it hosts concerts, auto sports and most indoor sports and entertainment events including some of the upcoming 2025 Canadian Special Olympics.

Of course, for the kids there’s more than just the zoo. There’s the P’tit Monde des Grands Museum known for catering to kids' interest in adult occupations. 

Its dining scene takes advantage of the agriculture of the region. The flat plains make dairy the primary agricultural option, and there are no shortages of fromageries in the area. Its dining options are far from just dairy. Downtown Granby is home to plenty of farm to table restaurants, brewpubs and distilleries featuring locally sourced ingredients. The Marche Public offers visitors and locals alike the chance to shop individual specialty stores including bakeries, cideries and, of course, fromageries.  

The Estrie as a whole is known for its tourism opportunities. Within its boundaries, Granby appears the right size for those wanting to experience all the options without the hustle and bustle of the big city. There are outdoor options in every direction, a world class locavore dining scene, museums and, yeah, there’s some pretty good hockey!