Montreal

Montreal (French: Montréal) is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest in Canada, and the eighth-largest in North America. Founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, or "City of Mary", it now takes its name from Mount Royal, the triple-peaked mountain around which the early settlement was built. The city is centred on the Island of Montreal and a few, much smaller, peripheral islands, the largest of which is Île Bizard. It lies 196 kilometres (122 mi) east of the national capital, Ottawa, and 258 kilometres (160 mi) southwest of the provincial capital, Quebec City.

As of the 2021 Canadian census, the city had a population of 1,762,949 and a metropolitan population of 4,291,732, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in Canada after Toronto. French is the city's official language. In 2021, 85.7% of the population of the city of Montreal considered themselves fluent in French while 90.2% could speak it in the metropolitan area. Montreal is one of the most bilingual cities in Quebec and Canada, with 58.5% of the population able to speak both French and English. Montreal is the largest primarily French speaking city in the Americas.

Historically the commercial capital of Canada, Montreal was surpassed in population and economic strength by Toronto in the 1970s. It remains an important centre of art, culture, literature, film and television, music, commerce, aerospace, transport, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, education, tourism, food, fashion, video game development, and world affairs. Montreal is the location of the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization, and was named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006.

Montreal has hosted numerous important international events, including the 1967 International and Universal Exposition, and is the only Canadian city to have hosted the Summer Olympics, having done so in 1976. The city hosts the Canadian Grand Prix of Formula One; the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the largest jazz festival in the world; the Just for Laughs festival, the largest comedy festival in the world; and Les Francos de Montréal, the largest French-language music festival in the world. In sports, it is home to multiple professional teams, most notably the Canadiens of the National Hockey League, who have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times.

Etymology and original names

See also: Name of Montreal

In the Ojibwe language, the land is called Mooniyaang or Moon’yaang, meaning "the first stopping place" in their migration story.

French settlers first named their town, founded in 1642, Ville Marie ("City of Mary"), named for the Virgin Mary.

The current name, Montréal, comes from Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill in the city center. There are different ideas about how the name developed from Mont Royal. One idea is that in old French, the words réal and royal were used in similar ways. Another idea is that an Italian mapmaker used the name Monte Real for Mount Royal, but this idea is debated.

In English, the name is often written without the accent mark as Montreal, but the official name includes it, Montréal.

History

Main article: History of Montreal

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Montreal history.

Pre-European contact

Archaeological evidence shows that First Nations people lived on the island of Montreal as early as 4,000 years ago. By the year AD 1000, they had started to grow maize. Within a few hundred years, they had built fortified villages. The Saint Lawrence Iroquoians, a group different from the Iroquois nations, established the village of Hochelaga at the foot of Mount Royal two centuries before the French arrived. French explorer Jacques Cartier visited Hochelaga in 1535 and estimated the population to be over a thousand people.

Early European settlement (1600–1760)

In 1603, French explorer Samuel de Champlain reported that the St Lawrence Iroquoians and their settlements had disappeared from the St Lawrence valley. In 1611, Champlain established a fur trading post on the Island of Montreal. In 1639, a mission was established there to share their beliefs with the local people. In 1642, Ville-Marie was founded on the southern shore of Montreal island. By 1685, Ville-Marie was home to about 600 colonists. Ville-Marie became a centre for the fur trade and a base for further exploration. Montreal was ruled as a French colony until 1760, when it fell to British forces during the Seven Years' War.

American occupation (1775–1776)

During the American Revolution, Montreal was taken by American forces in 1775. After Arnold withdrew from Quebec City, Montgomery's forces left Montreal. Montgomery was killed in a failed attack, and Arnold sent Brigadier General Moses Hazen to inform Wooster of the defeat. Wooster left Hazen in command. On April 19, Arnold arrived in Montreal to take over command from Hazen. Hazen sent Colonel Timothy Bedel to form a garrison to defend Montreal against the British army. In the Battle of the Cedars, Bedel's lieutenant surrendered to George Forster. Forster advanced to Fort Senneville. By May 24, Arnold was entrenched in Montreal's borough of Lachine. Forster initially approached Lachine, then withdrew to Quinze-Chênes. Arnold's forces abandoned Lachine to chase Forster. The Americans burned Senneville. After Arnold crossed the Ottawa River in pursuit of Forster, Forster's cannons repelled Arnold's forces. Forster negotiated a prisoner exchange. Arnold eventually withdrew his forces back to the New York fort of Ticonderoga by the summer.

Modern history as city (1832–present)

Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832. The opening of the Lachine Canal allowed ships to bypass the Lachine Rapids, while the construction of the Victoria Bridge established Montreal as a major railway hub. By 1860, it was the largest city under British rule in North America. In the 19th century, maintaining Montreal's drinking water became difficult with the rapid increase in population. A water system was installed to pump water from the St. Lawrence into cisterns.

Montreal was the capital of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, but lost its status when a mob burnt down the Parliament building. Thereafter, the capital rotated between Quebec City and Toronto until Ottawa was established as the capital in 1857.

During World War II, Mayor Camillien Houde protested against conscription. Montreal was the official residence of the Luxembourg royal family in exile during World War II. By 1951, Montreal's population had surpassed one million. However, Toronto's growth had begun challenging Montreal's status as the economic capital of Canada.

The 1970s brought social and political changes, largely from concerns of the French-speaking majority about preserving their culture and language. The October Crisis and the 1976 election of the Parti Québécois, which supported sovereign status for Quebec, resulted in the departure of many businesses and people from the city. In 1976, Montreal hosted the Summer Olympics. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Montreal experienced slower economic growth than many other major Canadian cities.

The 21st century has brought a revival of the city's economic and cultural landscape. New residential skyscrapers, super-hospitals, and new transportation projects have helped Montreal continue to grow.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Montreal

Montreal is located in the southwest part of Quebec. The city covers most of the Island of Montreal, where the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers meet. The city's port is part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, a waterway connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Montreal is named after Mount Royal, a three-peaked mountain that rises 232 metres above sea level.

Montreal is surrounded by several towns and cities, including Laval to the north, Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, and Brossard to the south, Repentigny to the east, and the West Island to the west.

Climate

Montreal has warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Summer temperatures often reach around 26 to 27 °C (79 to 81 °F), and sometimes even higher. Winter temperatures usually drop to between −10.5 to −9 °C (13.1 to 15.8 °F), with plenty of snow. Spring and fall are mild but can have sudden temperature changes, and occasional snow can still occur in early or late spring.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Montreal

Montreal has many interesting buildings from different times in history. Because it used to be an important industrial and financial center, the city has factories, elevators, warehouses, and refineries that help us learn about its past. There are 50 special places recognized as National Historic Sites of Canada in Montreal, more than any other city.

Some of Montreal’s oldest buildings are from the late 1600s and early 1700s. You can find them especially in the Old Montreal area, like the Sulpician Seminary next to Notre-Dame Basilica and Château Ramezay. Other old buildings are spread across the city, such as Le Ber-Le Moyne House in Lachine, which is the city’s oldest complete building.

Montreal also has famous buildings from the 1900s, like Saint Joseph's Oratory, the Art Deco main building of Université de Montréal, and the tall Place Ville Marie tower. Expo 67 brought many exciting designs, including the Montreal Biosphere and Habitat 67. The Montreal Metro features public art by well-known Quebec artists.

In 2006, Montreal became a UNESCO City of Design, showing its strong design community. The Underground City is a big underground network with tunnels connecting shops, universities, hotels, and more.

Neighbourhoods

Main article: List of neighbourhoods in Montreal

See also: Boroughs of Montreal

Montreal is made up of 19 large areas called boroughs, and each borough has many smaller neighbourhoods. Some of the central boroughs are Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Outremont, and Ville-Marie. In the east, you can find Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. In the northeast, there are Anjou, Montréal-Nord, Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles, and Saint-Léonard. In the northwest, the boroughs include Ahuntsic-Cartierville, L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève, Pierrefonds-Roxboro, and Saint-Laurent. In the south, the boroughs are Lachine, LaSalle, Le Sud-Ouest, and Verdun.

Many of these boroughs used to be their own cities, but they all joined together with Montreal in January 2002.

Ville-Marie, the borough with the most neighbourhoods, includes downtown, Old Montreal, Chinatown, the Gay Village, the Latin Quarter, and the Quartier international. It also has the Quartier des spectacles, which is still being developed. Other interesting parts of Ville-Marie are the Golden Square Mile and Shaughnessy Village, which has many students from Concordia University. This borough also includes most of Mount Royal Park, Saint Helen's Island, and Notre-Dame Island.

The Plateau Mount Royal was once a working-class area where many French-speaking people lived. The largest neighbourhood here is called the Plateau, and it has many artists. Mile End is another neighbourhood in this borough, known for its many different cultures and famous bagel shops like St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel. The McGill Ghetto is home to many students and faculty from McGill University.

The Southwest borough used to have many factories. It included places like Goose Village and neighbourhoods such as Griffintown, Point Saint Charles, Saint Henri, and Little Burgundy.

Other interesting neighbourhoods are the multicultural areas of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Côte-des-Neiges, and Little Italy in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is where you can find the Olympic Stadium.

Old Montreal

Main article: Old Montreal

Old Montreal is a historic area southeast of downtown. It has many attractions like the Old Port of Montreal, Place Jacques-Cartier, Montreal City Hall, the Bonsecours Market, Place d'Armes, Pointe-à-Callière Museum, the Notre-Dame de Montréal Basilica, and the Montreal Science Centre. The architecture and cobblestone streets have been kept or restored. You can get to Old Montreal from downtown through the underground city, and it has bus routes, Metro stations, ferries, and bike paths.

The area next to Old Montreal by the river is called the Old Port. It used to be where ships loaded and unloaded goods, but now it is a place for fun and history maintained by Parks Canada. The new Port of Montreal is now Canada’s biggest container port and the largest inland port in the world.

Mount Royal

Main article: Mount Royal

The mountain has Mount Royal Park, one of Montreal’s biggest green spaces. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park, and it opened in 1876.

The park has two lookouts, with the Kondiaronk Belvedere being the most famous. It has a small plaza with a chalet that looks out over downtown Montreal. Other things in the park include Beaver Lake, a small ski slope, a sculpture garden, Smith House, an interpretive centre, and a monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier. The park is used for sports, tourism, and cultural events.

Mount Royal has two big cemeteries: Notre-Dame-des-Neiges and Mount Royal. Mount Royal Cemetery is a large cemetery on the north slope of the mountain in the borough of Outremont. Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery is much bigger and mostly for French-Canadian people. Over 900,000 people are buried there.

In 2024, Elie-Wiesel Park opened on de Courtrai Avenue near Décarie Boulevard and Westbury Avenue in the Snowdon district in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. The park is named after Elie Wiesel, a writer, teacher, and Nobel Peace Prize winner who survived a very hard time during history. The park has a playground, places to relax, walking paths, furniture, green spaces, and special water features.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Montreal

In the 2021 Canadian census, Montreal had a population of 1,762,949 people. This is a change of 3.4% from the 2016 population of 1,704,694. The city covers an area of 364.74 km² and has a population density of 4,833.4/km².

The census also showed that the area around Montreal, called the Census metropolitan area, had a population of 4,291,732, an increase of 4.6% from 2016. In 2021, there were 270,430 children aged between 0 and 14, and 295,475 people aged 65 and over.

Ethnicity

People of European ethnicities made up the largest group. The main European groups in 2006 were French (23%), Italians (10%), Irish (5%), English (4%), Scottish (3%), and Spanish (2%).

In 2021, the breakdown of people in Montreal by their background was European (60.3%), African (11.5%), Middle Eastern (9.3%), South Asian (4.6%), Latin American (4.5%), Southeast Asian (3.8%), East Asian (3.8%), Indigenous (0.9%), and other or mixed backgrounds (1.3%).

Visible minorities made up 38.8% of Montreal’s population in 2021. The largest groups were Black Canadians (11.5%), Arab Canadians (8.2%), South Asian Canadians (4.6%), Latin Americans (4.5%), and Chinese Canadians (3.3%).

Language

In 2021, 47.0% of Montreal residents spoke French as their first language, while 13.0% spoke English. Some people spoke both languages or other languages as well. The most common non-official languages were Arabic (5.7%), Spanish (4.6%), Italian (3.3%), Chinese languages (2.7%), Haitian Creole (1.6%), Vietnamese (1.1%), and Portuguese (1.0%).

Immigration

See also: Haitians in Montreal

In 2021, immigrants made up 33.4% of Montreal’s population. The top countries where these immigrants came from were Haiti, Algeria, France, Morocco, Italy, China, the Philippines, Lebanon, Vietnam, and India.

Religion

Montreal has historically been a centre of Roman Catholicism, with many important churches like the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde, and Saint Joseph's Oratory.

In 2021, 49.5% of people in Montreal were Christian, mostly Roman Catholic (35.0%). Protestants made up 11.3% of the population. Islam was the largest non-Christian religion, with 12.7% of the population. The Jewish community in Montreal had 90,780 members.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Montreal

Montreal has the second-largest economy of Canadian cities and the largest in Quebec. In 2019, the area around Montreal created almost a quarter of Quebec’s total economy. Today, Montreal is a key place for business, money matters, making things, technology, culture, and important world issues. It is home to the Montreal Exchange.

The city makes many different products, such as aerospace parts, electronic goods, medicines, books, computer programs, phone services, clothes, and many other items. Services like engineering, money work, schools, and finding new ideas are also very important. The Port of Montreal is one of the biggest ports far from the ocean, moving lots of goods every year.

Montreal is also famous for making movies and TV shows. Because of its different styles of buildings and many workers, it is a popular place to film, sometimes standing in for European cities. The city holds big parties for laughter, jazz music, and more, which help its economy. It is also a leader in learning about artificial intelligence, with many companies and over 500 experts working there.

The city has grown a lot in making video games since 1995, with many famous game makers choosing to work there. Montreal is also important for money work, with many banks and financial companies based there.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Montreal

Montreal is known as Canada's Cultural Capital. It is a major center for French-language television, radio, theatre, film, and publishing. The city has many cultural groups that give it a special local flavor. In 2005, Montreal was named the World Book Capital by UNESCO.

Montreal mixes French and English traditions, creating a unique cultural scene. The city is famous for its visual arts, theatre, dance, and music, especially jazz and rock. The downtown area comes alive in the summer with many festivals. The biggest is the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the largest jazz festival in the world. Other popular events include the Just for Laughs comedy festival, the Montreal World Film Festival, and many more.

Place des Arts is a key spot for classical music and summer festivals. It is home to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and other famous music groups. The city is also known for its churches, with around 650 on the island, including four important basilicas. Montreal has many talented writers who have described life in the city in their stories.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Montreal

The most popular sport in Montreal is ice hockey. The city's professional team, the Montreal Canadiens, is one of the Original Six teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). They have won a record 24 Stanley Cup championships, with their most recent win happening a long time ago. They play their home games at the Bell Centre since 1996.

Montreal also has a team in Canadian Football League (CFL) called the Montreal Alouettes. They play most of their games at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on the McGill University campus. Montreal has a rich baseball history, too. The city was home to a minor-league team called the Montreal Royals until 1960. Later, the Montreal Expos played in the city from 1969 until they moved to Washington, D.C., in 2005.

Montreal hosts many other sports events. It has a professional soccer team, CF Montréal, which plays at Saputo Stadium. The city also holds an important car race each year called the Canadian Grand Prix on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games and many other international sports events.

Media

Main article: Media in Montreal

Montreal is Canada’s second-largest media market and the center of French-speaking media in the country.

The city has four English-language TV stations: CBMT-DT (CBC Television), CFCF-DT (CTV), CKMI-DT (Global), and CJNT-DT (Citytv). It also has five French-language TV stations: CBFT-DT (Ici Radio-Canada), CFTM-DT (TVA), CFJP-DT (Noovo), CIVM-DT (Télé-Québec), and CFTU-DT (Canal Savoir).

Montreal has three daily newspapers, including the English-language Montreal Gazette and two French-language papers, Le Journal de Montréal and Le Devoir. Another French-language paper, La Presse, switched to being online-only in 2018. There are also two free French dailies, Métro and 24 Heures, along with many weekly papers for different neighborhoods and groups.

Government

The leader of Montreal’s government is the mayor, who works with the city council. As of 2026, the mayor is Soraya Martinez Ferrada. The council has 65 members who help make important decisions for the city.

The council talks about many topics, like keeping the city safe, planning where new buildings can go, and taking care of the environment. There is also an executive committee that helps prepare budgets and other important papers for the council to approve.

Policing

Main article: Service de police de la Ville de Montréal

Law enforcement on the island is handled by the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal, often called SPVM for short.

Crime

Since 1975, when Montreal's homicide rate was highest, the overall crime rate in the city has mostly gone down. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in crime, including more homicides. In 2020 and 2021, the number of homicides went up, and there were many shootings reported in the city.

The city has some groups that take part in illegal activities, such as the Rizzuto crime family, Hells Angels and West End Gang. It's important for everyone to stay safe and follow the rules to help keep the community secure.

Education

Main article: Education in Montreal

The way kids learn in Quebec is a bit different from other places in North America. After high school, which ends in grade 11, students go to a special school called CEGEP before going to university. CEGEP has two kinds of programs: one that prepares students for university (takes two years) and another that teaches useful skills for jobs (takes three years). In Montreal, there are seventeen CEGEPs where students can learn in French, and five where they can learn in English.

Montreal has many places for higher learning, including four big universities and twelve CEGEPs all within a short distance. This makes it a top spot for students in North America.

Higher education in English

• McGill University is one of Canada's best schools and is known around the world. It is especially famous for its medical programs.
• Concordia University was formed by joining two older schools in 1974 and is one of Canada’s top all-around universities.

Higher education in French

• Université de Montréal (UdeM) is one of Canada’s biggest and best research universities. It has two special schools attached to it: the École Polytechnique Montréal for engineering and HEC Montréal for business.
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is part of the Université du Québec network and focuses mostly on liberal arts, but also offers science programs.
  • The Université du Québec also runs three other schools in Montreal, including the École de technologie supérieure for technology and the École nationale d'administration publique for public service.
• Other schools in Montreal include the L'Institut de formation théologique de Montréal des Prêtres de Saint-Sulpice for theology and philosophy, and the Institut d'hôtellerie et de tourisme du Québec for hospitality and tourism management.
• The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal offers degrees in classical music.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Montreal

Montreal, like many big cities, has busy traffic, especially when people are commuting to work or school. Many roads cross over the Saint Lawrence River, making it tricky to travel between areas. The city has many highways, and some of them get very crowded during rush hour. The government is working on ways to help make travel easier.

Montreal has a good public transportation system. Buses, subways, and trains help people move around the city and to nearby areas. The subway, which opened in 1966, has many stations and quiet trains that run on rubber tires. There are also two airports: Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport for passengers and Montreal Mirabel International Airport for cargo and some special flights. Montreal’s train station, Central Station, connects the city to other places in Canada and the United States.

Montreal is also a great city for cyclists. It has a popular bike-sharing program with many stations and bikes for people to use.

Société de transport de Montréal

Air

Rail

Bike Share Program

Main articles: BIXI Montréal and PBSC Urban Solutions

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Montreal

Montreal has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known individuals come from this vibrant city, though the full list is quite long and varied. You can find out more about them if you're curious!

International relations

Sister cities

Montreal has many sister cities around the world, including:

• Algiers, Algeria – 1999
• Barcelona, Spain
• Brussels, Belgium
• Bucharest, Romania
• Busan, South Korea – 2000
• Boston, United States – 1995
• Guadalajara, Mexico – 2004
• Hanoi, Vietnam – 1997
• Hiroshima, Japan – 1998
• Lyon, France – 1979
• Manila, Philippines – 2005
• Melbourne, Australia – 2007
• Port-au-Prince, Haiti – 1995
• Quito, Ecuador – 1997
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 1998
• San Salvador, El Salvador – 2001
• Shanghai, China – 1985
• Tunis, Tunisia – 1999
• Yerevan, Armenia – 1998

Friendship cities

Montreal also has a friendship city:

• Paris, France – 2006