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Outremont (borough)
Encyclopedia
Outremont is a borough
(arrondissement
) of the city of Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. It consists entirely of the former city on the Island of Montreal
in southwestern Quebec
, Canada
. The neighbourhood has been traditionally inhabited largely by Francophones, but is now also home to a large number of Hasidic Jews.
, Outremont is located north of downtown, on the northern side of Mount Royal
- its name means "beyond the mountain" although it encompasses Murray Hill (colline d'Outremont), one of the three peaks that make up Mount Royal.
The borough is bounded to the northwest by Mount Royal
, to the northeast by Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
, to the east by Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
and the Mile End
district, to the south by Ville-Marie, and to the west by Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
. The Mount Royal Cemetery
is located in the south eastern tip of the borough.
It has a population of 22,897; its area of 3,86 km² makes it the smallest of Montreal's boroughs. One of its nicest streets is Bernard avenue. It is filled with restaurants, small shops, a historic theatre and more.
in 1833 and named Outre-Mont. In 1875 the new Village of Outremont was named after the house, which still exists today on Rue McDougall.
In 1927, Outremont became the first place in the world to use a snow blower
to clear its streets in the winter. It was the first production model of Canadian inventor Arthur Sicard's Sicard Industries.
and Édouard-Montpetit
stations on the blue line
of the Montreal Metro
. (Édouard-Montpetit station is actually located in Côte-des-Neiges
, but right on the Outremont border.)
Major thoroughfares include Avenue Van Horne. and Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, with Rue Bernard and Rue Laurier as the principal shopping and dining areas. The area has a number of trendy restaurants, cafes and shops. Residents include a substantial percentage of expatriates from France. There is also a sizable Hassidic Jewish community, representing about 20% of Outremont's population, which resides mainly in the eastern and northern portions of the borough. Many Jewish synagogues, schools and businesses can be found on rues Van Horne, Bernard and St. Viateur.
There is also palpable friction between the francophone and Hasidic communities. In November 2007, a public hearing was held to address allegations that members of the Hassidic Jewish community regularly flout the rules and regulations of the borough. At the hearing, a petition of 158 francophone Outremont residents was submitted decrying the "abuses" by Jews that residents of Outremont have seen over the years. The 158 petitioners asked that their names be kept secret, fearing a backlash from the Hasidic Jewish community. In July 2007, B’nai Brith Canada asked then Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion to remove new star candidate Jocelyn Coulon from an upcoming by-election in Montreal’s Outremont riding because of his past stance on Hamas.. Local Jews are subject to harassment by an antisemitic borough councillor and a group of antisemitic residents. Many by-laws of the borough are based against Jewish law and Jewish community conveniences, those by-laws were initiated under pressure of the above group, including limiting Sukkah
building, burning of Chametz
, refusal of suspending parking restrictions on Jewish holidays.
There have also been a number of firebombings of Jewish temples and schools within the district of Outremont. In September 2006, a Jewish school was fire bombed. On May 12, 2007, a young hassidic Jewish man was attacked. This shocked residents of the area who had becomed accustomed to the tranquility and safety that Outremont had previously offered. In March 2010, a synagogue was desecrated with swatsikas and was categorized as a hate crime by police. A crime wave in April 2010 attacked many synagogues in Outremont bringing fear to the Jewish community and also reinforcing the perception that Quebec breeds racism against Jews. Residents described a "gang atmosphere" purveying the area with muggings and home break ins occurring in broad daylight.
Among the attractions in the mainly residential community are the Mount Royal Cemetery
, the Salle Claude-Champagne, the Théâtre Outremont, the Saint-Grégoire-l'Illuminateur Armenian Cathedral, and part of the Université de Montréal
campus.
Outremont also has a rail yard along its northern border. The rail yard has been purchased by the Université de Montréal and is to be developed to house its hospital complex, its research faculties, and the faculty of Health Sciences (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal).
Outremont was twinned as a sister city with Oakwood
, Ohio
and Le Vésinet
, France
.
and the provincial electoral district of the same name. In 2006, the borough mostly voted for the Bloc, but the riding itself voted Liberal.
The previous mayor of Outremont, Stephane Harbour, resigned his post on October 11, 2007 after an investigation discovered, amongst other ethical lapses, that a discreet lounge was kept by Outremont officials within the borough hall which officials used to relax and consume alcohol bought with public funds. This solidified the impression of many that cronyism and patronage run rampant in Outremont. The current mayor, Marie Cinq-Mars, was part of the Harbour cabinet. The Vision Montreal party also asked her to resign, which she refused. Cinq-Mars was elected Borough Mayor in a by-election on December 16, 2007. This by-election saw the winning Union Montreal party's share of the popular vote reduced to 47%, down from 71% in 2005, with Projet Montreal in second with 37% and Vision Montreal with only 14.96%.
by its borough mayor alone. The borough is further divided into four districts, each of which elects one borough councillor.
As of the November 1, 2009 Montreal municipal election
, the current borough council consists of the following councillors:
Montreal borough
The city of Montreal is divided into 19 boroughs , each with a mayor and council.- Powers :The borough council is responsible for:*Fire prevention*Removal of household waste and residual materials*Funding of community...
(arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
) of the city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It consists entirely of the former city on the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
in southwestern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The neighbourhood has been traditionally inhabited largely by Francophones, but is now also home to a large number of Hasidic Jews.
Geography
A separate city until the 2000 municipal mergersMontreal Merger
As with other large cities like New York City and Toronto, the legal geographic boundaries of Montreal have been reorganized to incorporate adjacent communities which are integral to its social and economic life.-Merger and demerger:...
, Outremont is located north of downtown, on the northern side of Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
- its name means "beyond the mountain" although it encompasses Murray Hill (colline d'Outremont), one of the three peaks that make up Mount Royal.
The borough is bounded to the northwest by Mount Royal
Mount Royal, Quebec
Mount Royal is a town located on the northwest side of Mount Royal, north of downtown Montreal, on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. The town is completely surrounded by Montreal. The population was 18,933 at the 2006 census...
, to the northeast by Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension is a borough in the city of Montreal, Quebec. It has a population of 145,485 and an area of 16,05 km².-Location:...
and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie is a borough in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located in the centre-east of the city.-Geography:...
, to the east by Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal is a borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The Plateau-Mont-Royal takes its name from its location on relatively flat terrain north of Sherbrooke Street and downtown, and east of Mont-Royal...
and the Mile End
Mile End (Montreal)
Mile End is a neighbourhood and municipal electoral district in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Mile End is part of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough in terms of Montreal's municipal politics...
district, to the south by Ville-Marie, and to the west by Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is a borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada-Geography:Located to the north and west of Mount Royal, it was part of the City of Montreal prior to the 2002 municipal mergers...
. The Mount Royal Cemetery
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a 165-acre terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery -- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges...
is located in the south eastern tip of the borough.
It has a population of 22,897; its area of 3,86 km² makes it the smallest of Montreal's boroughs. One of its nicest streets is Bernard avenue. It is filled with restaurants, small shops, a historic theatre and more.
History
The area was originally known as Côte Sainte-Catherine. It came to be named Outremont after a stately residence built by Louis-Tancrède BouthillierLouis-Tancrède Bouthillier
Louis-Tancrède Bouthillier was a Canadian officer, merchant, potash inspector, sheriff, and landowner....
in 1833 and named Outre-Mont. In 1875 the new Village of Outremont was named after the house, which still exists today on Rue McDougall.
In 1927, Outremont became the first place in the world to use a snow blower
Snow blower
A snow blower or snow thrower is a machine for removing snow from an area where it is not wanted, such as a driveway, sidewalk, roadway, railroad track, rink, runway, or houses...
to clear its streets in the winter. It was the first production model of Canadian inventor Arthur Sicard's Sicard Industries.
Features
Outremont is served by the OutremontOutremont (Montreal Metro)
Outremont is a station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Outremont borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada .- Overview :...
and Édouard-Montpetit
Édouard-Montpetit (Montreal Metro)
Édouard-Montpetit is a station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
stations on the blue line
Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
of the Montreal Metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
. (Édouard-Montpetit station is actually located in Côte-des-Neiges
Côte-des-Neiges
Côte-des-Neiges is a working class neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, situated at the geographic center of the Island of Montreal on the western slope of Mount Royal. The neighbourhood is part of the borough Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
, but right on the Outremont border.)
Major thoroughfares include Avenue Van Horne. and Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, with Rue Bernard and Rue Laurier as the principal shopping and dining areas. The area has a number of trendy restaurants, cafes and shops. Residents include a substantial percentage of expatriates from France. There is also a sizable Hassidic Jewish community, representing about 20% of Outremont's population, which resides mainly in the eastern and northern portions of the borough. Many Jewish synagogues, schools and businesses can be found on rues Van Horne, Bernard and St. Viateur.
There is also palpable friction between the francophone and Hasidic communities. In November 2007, a public hearing was held to address allegations that members of the Hassidic Jewish community regularly flout the rules and regulations of the borough. At the hearing, a petition of 158 francophone Outremont residents was submitted decrying the "abuses" by Jews that residents of Outremont have seen over the years. The 158 petitioners asked that their names be kept secret, fearing a backlash from the Hasidic Jewish community. In July 2007, B’nai Brith Canada asked then Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion to remove new star candidate Jocelyn Coulon from an upcoming by-election in Montreal’s Outremont riding because of his past stance on Hamas.. Local Jews are subject to harassment by an antisemitic borough councillor and a group of antisemitic residents. Many by-laws of the borough are based against Jewish law and Jewish community conveniences, those by-laws were initiated under pressure of the above group, including limiting Sukkah
Sukkah
A sukkah is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic themes...
building, burning of Chametz
Chametz
Chametz, also Chometz, and other spellings transliterated from , are leavened foods that are forbidden on the Jewish holiday of Passover. According to Jewish law, Jews may not own, eat or benefit from chametz during Passover...
, refusal of suspending parking restrictions on Jewish holidays.
There have also been a number of firebombings of Jewish temples and schools within the district of Outremont. In September 2006, a Jewish school was fire bombed. On May 12, 2007, a young hassidic Jewish man was attacked. This shocked residents of the area who had becomed accustomed to the tranquility and safety that Outremont had previously offered. In March 2010, a synagogue was desecrated with swatsikas and was categorized as a hate crime by police. A crime wave in April 2010 attacked many synagogues in Outremont bringing fear to the Jewish community and also reinforcing the perception that Quebec breeds racism against Jews. Residents described a "gang atmosphere" purveying the area with muggings and home break ins occurring in broad daylight.
Among the attractions in the mainly residential community are the Mount Royal Cemetery
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a 165-acre terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery -- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges...
, the Salle Claude-Champagne, the Théâtre Outremont, the Saint-Grégoire-l'Illuminateur Armenian Cathedral, and part of the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
campus.
Outremont also has a rail yard along its northern border. The rail yard has been purchased by the Université de Montréal and is to be developed to house its hospital complex, its research faculties, and the faculty of Health Sciences (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal).
Outremont was twinned as a sister city with Oakwood
Oakwood, Montgomery County, Ohio
Oakwood is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,202 at the 2010 census. Oakwood is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was incorporated in 1908...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Le Vésinet
Le Vésinet
Le Vésinet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Demographics
Home language (2006)| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... |
15,170 | 66.59% |
| English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
3,795 | 16.67% |
| Both English and French | 285 | 1.25% |
| Other languages | 3,520 | 15.46% |
Federal and provincial elections
The borough is entirely contained within the federal riding of OutremontOutremont (electoral district)
Outremont is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1949, and since 1968...
and the provincial electoral district of the same name. In 2006, the borough mostly voted for the Bloc, but the riding itself voted Liberal.
The previous mayor of Outremont, Stephane Harbour, resigned his post on October 11, 2007 after an investigation discovered, amongst other ethical lapses, that a discreet lounge was kept by Outremont officials within the borough hall which officials used to relax and consume alcohol bought with public funds. This solidified the impression of many that cronyism and patronage run rampant in Outremont. The current mayor, Marie Cinq-Mars, was part of the Harbour cabinet. The Vision Montreal party also asked her to resign, which she refused. Cinq-Mars was elected Borough Mayor in a by-election on December 16, 2007. This by-election saw the winning Union Montreal party's share of the popular vote reduced to 47%, down from 71% in 2005, with Projet Montreal in second with 37% and Vision Montreal with only 14.96%.
Borough council
The borough is represented on Montreal City CouncilMontreal City Council
The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal...
by its borough mayor alone. The borough is further divided into four districts, each of which elects one borough councillor.
As of the November 1, 2009 Montreal municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 2009
The city of Montreal, Quebec, held a municipal election at the same time as numerous other municipalities in Quebec, on November 1, 2009. Voters elected the Mayor of Montreal, Montreal City Council, and the mayors and councils of each of the city's boroughs....
, the current borough council consists of the following councillors:
| District | Position | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Borough mayor Montreal city councillor Montreal City Council The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal... |
Marie Cinq-Mars Marie Cinq-Mars Marie Cinq-Mars is a city councillor from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She has served as the borough mayor of Outremont since 2007. She is a member of the Union Montreal municipal political party.... |
Union Montréal Union Montreal Union Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently governs Montreal's city government.-Origins:It was established as the Montreal Island Citizens Union in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger of 2001 and not long before the municipal election... |
|
| Claude-Ryan | Borough councillor | Louis Moffatt | Union Montréal Union Montreal Union Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently governs Montreal's city government.-Origins:It was established as the Montreal Island Citizens Union in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger of 2001 and not long before the municipal election... |
|
| Jeanne-Sauvé | Borough councillor | Ana Nunes | Union Montréal Union Montreal Union Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently governs Montreal's city government.-Origins:It was established as the Montreal Island Citizens Union in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger of 2001 and not long before the municipal election... |
|
| Joseph-Beaubien | Borough councillor | Céline Forget | Independent | |
| Robert-Bourassa | Borough councillor | Marie Potvin | Union Montréal Union Montreal Union Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently governs Montreal's city government.-Origins:It was established as the Montreal Island Citizens Union in the aftermath of the province-wide municipal merger of 2001 and not long before the municipal election... |
External links
- Borough website (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - Historical buildings of Outremont on IMTL
- Outremont Restaurants
See also
- Boroughs of Montreal
- Districts of MontrealDistricts of MontrealThis is the list of the neighbourhoods in the city of Montreal. They are sorted by the borough they are located in.-Ahuntsic-Cartierville:* Ahuntsic* Nouveau-Bordeaux* Cartierville* Île de la Visitation* Sault-au-Récollet-Anjou:...
- Municipal reorganization in QuebecMunicipal reorganization in QuebecThe most recent episode of municipal reorganization in Quebec, Canada, was undertaken in 2002 by the Parti Québécois Government of Quebec, headed by Premier Lucien Bouchard and his successor Bernard Landry....
- Habitation Outremont