Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Saint-Laurent is a former city on the Island of Montreal
in southwestern Quebec
, Canada
. It is now the largest in area of the boroughs
(arrondissement
s) of the city of Montreal
.
Saint-Laurent contains two CEGEP
s in proximity, one English (Vanier College
) and one French (Cégep de Saint-Laurent
), showing the history of Saint-Laurent as a college town. A widely noted art museum, the Saint-Laurent Museum of Art, is located on the campus of Cégep de Saint-Laurent, along with a bowling alley and an indoor college hockey rink. With both French and English colleges, it also shows the ethnic diversity of the borough, with sizable French, English, Jewish, Romanian, South-Asian, East-Asian, Lebanese, Italian, and Greek communities.
Saint-Laurent is home to some of Montreal's best fast food: Coronet Pizza was voted to have the best pizza
by CJAD Radio; and Decarie Hot Dog, a diner
on Decarie Boulevard, was voted to have the best hot dogs in Montreal by the Gazette
in the 1980s, and is still highly touted. http://www.montrealmirror.com/2009/051409/bom-08.html
Saint-Laurent has three fire stations and two police stations, one municipal court building, one library, the former City Hall (now the borough headquarters), and two indoor hockey arenas (the municipal Raymond Bourque Arena, named after the legendary NHL player, a Hockey Hall of Fame
member; and the commercial Bonaventure's Arena whose rinks can be hired out, among other things, for private league play.)
, a cinema pioneer at the National Film Board of Canada
, whose headquarters are located in the borough district.
As of the November 1, 2009 Montreal municipal election
, the current borough council consists of the following councillors:
Norgate shopping centre
, the earliest shopping center in Canada
, a strip mall
, was built in Saint-Laurent in 1949, and is still operational.
Linguistic trend
Saint-Laurent is the second-largest employment hub within the metropolitan region, after downtown Montréal. http://www.nouvellessaint-laurent.com/article-347672-Local-transportation-plan-adopted.html
Air Canada Centre, also known as La Rondelle ("The Puck" in French
), is Air Canada
's headquarters, located on the grounds of Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
and in Saint-Laurent. In 1990 the airline announced that it was moving its headquarters from Downtown Montreal
to the airport to cut costs.
In addition Air Transat
's headquarters and a regional office of Air Canada Jazz
are in Saint-Laurent and on the grounds of Trudeau Airport. Before its dissolution Jetsgo
was headquartered in Saint-Laurent.
Bombardier Aerospace
has the Amphibious Aircraft Division in Saint-Laurent.
), two Montreal Metro
stations (du Collège
, Côte-Vertu
), three commuter train stations (Bois-Franc
, du Ruisseau
and Montpellier
), four autoroutes (Autoroute 15 (Decarie Expressway and Laurentian Autoroute
), Autoroute 40 - Metropolitan Boulevard
/Transcanada Highway, Autoroute 520
, and Autoroute 13
), and a secondary highway (Route 117
), in addition to major urban boulevards (Marcel-Laurin Boulevard
, Henri Bourassa Boulevard
, Cavendish Boulevard, De la Côte-Vertu Road, Decarie Boulevard, Thimens Boulevard). The former Cartierville Airport
is no more, having been turned into a residential subdivision called Bois-Franc
.
Part of Trudeau International Airport
also lies within the territory of Saint-Laurent.
government. On June 20, 2004, the demerger forces lost a referendum on the issue of recreating Saint-Laurent as a city. While 75% of the turnout voted to demerge, only 28.5% of the total eligible voting population voted to demerge, falling short of the requisite 35% as set by the province.
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...
. It is now the largest in area of the boroughs
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...
s) 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...
.
Saint-Laurent contains two CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
s in proximity, one English (Vanier College
Vanier College
Vanier College is an English-language public college located in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1970 as the second English-language public college of Quebec's public college system...
) and one French (Cégep de Saint-Laurent
Cégep de Saint-Laurent
Cégep de Saint-Laurent is a Cégep located in the Saint-Laurent borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec. It is a few doors south of Vanier College, another Cégep.-History:...
), showing the history of Saint-Laurent as a college town. A widely noted art museum, the Saint-Laurent Museum of Art, is located on the campus of Cégep de Saint-Laurent, along with a bowling alley and an indoor college hockey rink. With both French and English colleges, it also shows the ethnic diversity of the borough, with sizable French, English, Jewish, Romanian, South-Asian, East-Asian, Lebanese, Italian, and Greek communities.
Saint-Laurent is home to some of Montreal's best fast food: Coronet Pizza was voted to have the best pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
by CJAD Radio; and Decarie Hot Dog, a diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
on Decarie Boulevard, was voted to have the best hot dogs in Montreal by the Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
in the 1980s, and is still highly touted. http://www.montrealmirror.com/2009/051409/bom-08.html
Saint-Laurent has three fire stations and two police stations, one municipal court building, one library, the former City Hall (now the borough headquarters), and two indoor hockey arenas (the municipal Raymond Bourque Arena, named after the legendary NHL player, a Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
member; and the commercial Bonaventure's Arena whose rinks can be hired out, among other things, for private league play.)
Borough council
Saint-Laurent is divided into two districts, Norman-McLaren and Côte-de-Liesse. The Norman-McLaren district is named for Norman McLarenNorman McLaren
Norman McLaren, CC, CQ was a Scottish-born Canadian animator and film director known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada...
, a cinema pioneer at the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
, whose headquarters are located in the borough district.
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 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... |
Alan DeSousa Alan DeSousa Alan DeSousa is a city councillor from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is also the borough mayor of Saint-Laurent, and the former Chairman of the City of Montreal's Executive Committee. He is currently Vice-chairman, in charge of sustainable development, the environment, parks and green spaces. He... |
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... |
|
| Côte-de-Liesse | City councillor | Francesco Miele, elected at the by-election held on November 21, 2010, after the death of Laval Demers, on September 17, 2010.http://www.newswire.ca/fr/releases/archive/September2010/17/c2940.html | ||
| Borough councillor | Maurice Cohen | 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... |
||
| Norman-McLaren | City councillor | Aref Salem | 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... |
|
| Borough councillor | Michèle Biron | 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... |
||
History
Saint-Laurent was founded as the Parish of Saint-Laurent in 1720.Norgate shopping centre
Norgate shopping centre
Norgate shopping centre is a strip mall built in 1949, in the then-suburb of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, now the Saint-Laurent borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:...
, the earliest shopping center in 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...
, a strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
, was built in Saint-Laurent in 1949, and is still operational.
Demographics
Saint-Laurent is one of Montreal's, and Canada's, most ethnically mixed areas, with some 166 ethnicities said to live there in relative harmony. http://www.thesuburbannews.ca/content/en/1717| Ethnicity | Population | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian | 16,685 | 21.78% |
| French French people The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups... |
9,570 | 12.49% |
| Lebanese Lebanese people The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state.... |
7,875 | 10.28% |
| Jewish Jews The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation... |
6,765 | 8.83% |
| Chinese Chinese people The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity .... |
5,460 | 7.13% |
| Greek | 4,265 | 5.57% |
| Italian Italian people The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people... |
3,285 | 4.29% |
| English English people The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens... |
2,800 | 3.66% |
| Irish Irish people The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha... |
2,375 | 3.1% |
| East Indian | 2,265 | 2.96% |
| Language | Population | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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... |
30,210 | 36.02% |
| 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... |
23,110 | 27.55% |
| Both English and French | 1,925 | 2.30% |
| Other languages | 28,620 | 34.12% |
Linguistic trend
| Language | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| French | 23,715 | 24,520 | 24,280 |
| English | 13,550 | 12,805 | 13,290 |
| English and French | 1,540 | 1,030 | 710 |
| Other languages | 35,445 | 38,255 | 45,590 |
| Population | 74,240 | 77,391 | 84,833 |
Economy
Air Canada Centre, also known as La Rondelle ("The Puck" in 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...
), is Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
's headquarters, located on the grounds of Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport or Montréal-Trudeau, formerly known as Montréal-Dorval International Airport, is located on the Island of Montreal, from Montreal's downtown core. The airport terminals are located entirely in Dorval, while the Air Canada headquarters complex...
and in Saint-Laurent. In 1990 the airline announced that it was moving its headquarters from Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
to the airport to cut costs.
In addition Air Transat
Air Transat
Air Transat is an airline based in Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, operating scheduled and charter flights, serving 60 destinations in 25 countries. The airline is owned and operated by Transat A.T. Inc. During the summer season its main destinations are Europe and in the winter season the...
's headquarters and a regional office of Air Canada Jazz
Air Canada Jazz
Jazz Aviation LP is a Canadian regional airline based at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield and Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation....
are in Saint-Laurent and on the grounds of Trudeau Airport. Before its dissolution Jetsgo
Jetsgo
Jetsgo Corporation was a Canadian low-cost carrier based in the Saint-Laurent area of Montreal. Jetsgo served 19 destinations across Canada, 10 destinations in the United States, and 12 scheduled weekend-charter destinations in the Caribbean...
was headquartered in Saint-Laurent.
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
has the Amphibious Aircraft Division in Saint-Laurent.
Transportation
Saint-Laurent has many transportation links, with one municipal bus terminal (Terminus Côte-VertuTerminus Côte-Vertu (AMT)
Terminus Côte-Vertu is an AMT bus terminus partly north and partly south of the Côte-Vertu Metro station. It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
), two 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....
stations (du Collège
Du Collège (Montreal Metro)
Du Collège is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
, Côte-Vertu
Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)
Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
), three commuter train stations (Bois-Franc
Bois-Franc (AMT)
Bois-Franc is a commuter rail station on the AMT Deux-Montagnes Line in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area. The Orange Line of the Montreal Metro was to have been extended to de Salaberry Street at the corner of Laurentian Boulevard, but that would have been too far away to have made an...
, du Ruisseau
Du Ruisseau (AMT)
Du Ruisseau is a commuter rail station on the AMT Deux-Montagnes Line in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area.-Origin of name:Du Ruisseau takes its name from nearby Boulevard Du Ruisseau, located in the heart of the subdivision....
and Montpellier
Montpellier (AMT)
Montpellier is a commuter rail station on the AMT Deux-Montagnes Line in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area.-Origin of name:Prior to the modernization of the Deux-Montagnes Line, between 1993 and 1995, the station was called Vertu because of its location on Côte-Vertu Boulevard...
), four autoroutes (Autoroute 15 (Decarie Expressway and Laurentian Autoroute
Quebec Autoroute 15
Autoroute 15 is a highway in western Quebec, Canada...
), Autoroute 40 - Metropolitan Boulevard
Quebec Autoroute 40
Autoroute 40 is a major highway on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. It is one of the two main connections between Montreal and Quebec City...
/Transcanada Highway, Autoroute 520
Quebec Autoroute 520
Autoroute 520, Autoroute Côte de Liesse, or Côte-de-Liesse Road connects Autoroute 20 and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Autoroute 40 on Montreal Island.- Interchanges from west to east :...
, and Autoroute 13
Quebec Autoroute 13
Autoroute 13 , is a freeway in the urban region of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its southern end is at the junction of A-20 on the Island of Montreal near Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Its northern terminus is at the junction of A-640 near Boisbriand...
), and a secondary highway (Route 117
Quebec route 117
Route 117 is a provincial highway within the Canadian province of Quebec, running between Montreal and the Quebec/Ontario border where it continues as Highway 66 east of Kearns, Ontario...
), in addition to major urban boulevards (Marcel-Laurin Boulevard
Quebec route 117
Route 117 is a provincial highway within the Canadian province of Quebec, running between Montreal and the Quebec/Ontario border where it continues as Highway 66 east of Kearns, Ontario...
, Henri Bourassa Boulevard
Henri Bourassa Boulevard
Henri Bourassa Boulevard is a major east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Situated in northern Montreal Island, it runs parallel to Gouin Boulevard. Spanning 29 kilometres in length, it links the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles in the east to Autoroute 13 in the...
, Cavendish Boulevard, De la Côte-Vertu Road, Decarie Boulevard, Thimens Boulevard). The former Cartierville Airport
Cartierville Airport
Cartierville Airport was an airport in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, now a borough of Montreal. The airport was decommissioned and turned into the Bois-Franc neighbourhood. It was located next to Route 117, and the terminal buildings were accessed via Boul...
is no more, having been turned into a residential subdivision called Bois-Franc
Bois-Franc
Bois-Franc is a residential neighbourhood located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal. It was designed by architect Louis Sauer-Transportation:...
.
Part of Trudeau International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport or Montréal-Trudeau, formerly known as Montréal-Dorval International Airport, is located on the Island of Montreal, from Montreal's downtown core. The airport terminals are located entirely in Dorval, while the Air Canada headquarters complex...
also lies within the territory of Saint-Laurent.
Merger and Proposed Demerger
The City of Saint-Laurent or Ville Saint-Laurent was one of the economic engines of Metropolitan Montreal, and forcibly merged into the City of Montreal on January 1, 2002 by the Parti QuébécoisParti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
government. On June 20, 2004, the demerger forces lost a referendum on the issue of recreating Saint-Laurent as a city. While 75% of the turnout voted to demerge, only 28.5% of the total eligible voting population voted to demerge, falling short of the requisite 35% as set by the province.
External links
- Borough of Saint-Laurent
- Borough of Saint-Laurent
- City of Saint-Laurent (Archive) /
- Socio-economic profile 2002 (PDF)
- Socio-economic profile 2004 (PDF) (French)
See also
- History of MontrealHistory of MontrealThe human history of Montreal, located in Quebec, Canada, spans some 8,000 years. At the time of European contact, the area was inhabited by the St. Lawrence Iroquoians, a discrete and distinct group of Iroquoian-speaking indigenous people. They spoke Laurentian...
- 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....