Montreal Neighbourhoods

Sometimes known as Milton Park, after two streets that form part of the neighbourhood, the McGill Ghetto is not a ghetto in the popular sense of the term. Rather, this small area between the Plateau and McGill university is the habitat of choice for students of McGill University.

A wonderful location means that within 15 minutes’ walk residents could be hanging out on St-Laurent, at an outdoor show at Place des Spectacles, in a bar downtown, up the mountain or, of course, in class. There is fierce competition for housing in the McGill Ghetto, as students try to get a place before classes start in September. Those renters, however, often disappear for the summer and sublet their rooms at knock-down rates, so if you’re coming to Montreal just for a summer, you would be well advised to look for a place around here.

Metro: Place-des-Arts, McGill

Technically within the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, Mile End is nonetheless viewed as a distinct neighbourhood of Montreal. Stylish yet casual, tight-knit and multilingual, Mile End was the setting for many of writer Mordecai Richler’s novels. William Shatner and Arcade Fire also enjoyed their formative years here. You will hear a bit more English and Hebrew spoken than eastern parts of the Plateau, with the Hassidic community having established a visible presence in the area.

Some of the best food on the continent is found in Mile End, with the best bagels and countless restaurants dotted around the neighbourhood. The area became wealthier and more popular in the 1990s, and gentrification has led to increased rents. That having been said, the area remains good value for money.

If you’re looking at Montreal neighbourhoods and want an eclectic, multicultural fix, Mile End is the way to go.

Metro: Laurier, Rosemont

French expatriates and members of the Hasidic community join upper middle-class francophone Montrealers to make up a disparate collection of well-heeled communities in Outremont, located on the north side of Mount Royal and to the west of Mile End. With an abundance of quality shops, cafes, restaurants, and parks, Outremont is often followed by the phrase “quality of life”. While downtown is largely hidden from view behind the mountain, good public transport links makes the area feel more urban than suburban. Real estate prices are high, but a month-to-month rental in the area, particularly on the Mile End border, can be quite reasonable.

Metro: Outremont, Edouard-Montpetit

Montreal’s Little Italy is a small neighbourhood packed with all the best sounds, tastes, and culture from the old country. The centrepiece is the Jean-Talon Market, a bustling farmer’s market open year-round. Some of the best fresh food in Canada can be bought here.

Rent in Little Italy can often be more affordable than in other areas along the Montreal Metro system. Newcomers who want to live alone may consider this Montreal neighbourhood, as it is possible to rent an apartment for less than in neighbouring areas.

Metro: Rosemont, Beaubien, Jean-Talon, De Castelnau

A cluster of urban Montreal neighbourhoods make up the traditionally francophone working-class borough of Mercier—Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Montreal’s Olympic Stadium dominates the skyline, and the surrounding area includes Saputo Stadium (home of the Montreal Impact soccer club), the Botanical Garden, Maisonneuve Market, and the Biodome. The latter is an attraction that allows visitors to wander through four ecosystems found in the Americas.

The Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district towards the west end of the borough has witnessed a steady increase in population over recent years, as Québécois, students, and immigrants mix to create a vibrant community. The average age of residents here is among the lowest in Montreal. Rent is affordable, and the green Metro line is accessible on foot from anywhere in the area.

Metro: Préfontaine, Joliette, Pie-IX, Viau, Assomption, Cadillac, Langelier, Radisson, Honoré-Beaugrand

Stretching from the meeting point of Mile End and Parc-EX (“Mile-Ex”) to Maisonneuve Park and beyond, Rosemont—La-Petite-Patrie is a sizeable and mostly francophone borough in the centre-east of Montreal Island. The area is more like a series of urban villages than a single community. People here live for the outdoors; there are 55 parks, 10 community gardens, and 11 outdoor skating rinks.

The orange and blue lines are accessible from the western and northern ends of Rosemont—La-Petite-Patrie, providing access to downtown and other Montreal neighbourhoods.

Metro: Rosemont, Beaubien, Jean-Talon, Fabre, D’Iberville, St-Michel

These three Montreal neighbourhoods together make up one borough, extending roughly from Boulevard Pie-IX in the east to beautiful Jarry Park further west in “Parc-Ex”, where the world’s best tennis athletes compete in the Rogers Cup each summer.

Slightly further from downtown Montreal than Mile End, Outremont, and the Plateau, rent in Villeray, Saint-Michel, or Parc-Ex can be more affordable.

Metro: Parc, De Castelnau, Jean-Talon, Jarry, Crémazie, Fabre, D’Iberville, St-Michel

As Little Italy rapidly gentrifies, some would say that Saint-Leonard is the true home of Montreal’s Italian community. Italian-Canadian cultural institutions and businesses serve the city’s second-most populous cultural community. Many Saint-Leonard residents are trilingual. It is common for people growing up here to be educated in French, speak Italian at home, and socialise mostly in English.

Saint-Leonard is characterized by its spacious, wide-set semi-detached brick apartments and houses, backyard vegetable gardens, and Italian bars, cafes, and pastry shops. Given the Italian influence, soccer is particularly popular in this Montreal neighbourhood. The many parks dotted around Saint-Leonard contain numerous public soccer fields, as well as bocce courts.

The predominantly francophone neighbourhood of Anjou is located towards the east of the Island of Montreal. The final stations on the Montreal Metro green line are located just south of Anjou, which has a suburban feel. This is a place where people shop at Costco and head to the shopping mall on weekends.

Metro: Radisson, Honoré-Beaugrand

Along the north end of the Island of Montreal on the banks of the Rivières-des-Prairies facing Laval lies the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, which comprises of two main neighbourhoods: Ahuntsic and Cartierville. This was one of the first areas in the Greater Montreal Area to be inhabited by Europeans.

Fabulous properties line the river bank, with some of the most peaceful locations in the entire Montreal area found in Ahuntsic-Cartierville. This area is particularly popular among families with children.

Metro: Crémazie, Sauvé, Henri-Bourassa

Officially the Town of Mount Royal, or TMR, this affluent on-island Montreal neighbourhood is an independently-run municipality. TMR was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008 because, ‘from a design perspective, its remarkable synthesis of urban renewal movements of the early 20th century, reflecting the influence of the City Beautiful, Garden City and Garden Suburb movements, the quality of its construction, and its high level of integrity make it an outstanding example of a planned community in Canada.’

Traditionally anglophone until the 1960’s, more francophones have since moved into the area, with more than three-quarters of TMR residents now being bilingual. Median incomes among residents are high. The centrepiece of the neighbourhood is Connaught Park, with four planned boulevards leading to this green space from the outskirts of the town. As well as having a couple of Metro stations within walking distance, a commuter train on the RTM Deux-Montagnes line also makes a stop in TMR.

Metro: Acadie, De la Savane

With over 100 ethnic communities from all over the world, Côte-des-Neiges is one of the few Montreal neighbourhoods where neither French nor English is the majority language. Saint Joseph’s Oratory, situated on the western side of Mount Royal, dominates the skyline and is the main tourist attraction. A large number of students live in the area, mainly due to the presence of the francophone Université de Montréal. The size and density of Côte-des-Neiges means that rent prices can vary widely.

Metro: Snowdon, Côte-Saint-Catherine, Plamondon, Côte-des-Neiges, Universitê-de-Montrêal, Edouard-Montpetit

Almost always referred to as “NDG”, this neighbourhood west of downtown Montreal offers good value within close proximity of the city centre. Old brick houses and tree-lined avenues give the area a unique character, and, like many Montreal neighbourhoods, NDG has become more gentrified in recent years. Bisected by the Decarie Expressway, NDG’s western half is more English-speaking, while the eastern side is more francophone. The social centre of NDG is Monkland Avenue, with an array of pubs, restaurants, cafes, and shopping to suite all tastes. The western side of NDG is quite far from the Metro, but the 105 bus route, beginning at Vendôme Metro station before moving down Sherbrooke Street, serves the entire neighbourhood, which sits between Montreal Ouest and Westmount.

Métro: Villa Maria, Vendôme

Hampstead’s status as an independent municipality, governed separately from the city of Montreal, gives it a different feel from nearby neighbourhoods. This is an affluent area, with median incomes around 40 percent higher than the Montreal average. Hampstead is one of the most anglophone Montreal neighbourhoods, with English the preferred language of nearly 90 percent of residents.

Metro: Snowdon

Montreal Ouest (or Montreal West) is a predominantly English-speaking neighbourhood that has Westminster Avenue as a vibrant focal point. Here you will find an array of non-franchised local businesses, giving the area a certain charm and community spirit.

Though no Montreal Metro stations are located in Montreal Ouest, six bus routes running through the neighbourhood connect to Metro stations. A commuter train station also brings passengers to and from downtown Montreal, as well as locations further west on the island and beyond.

Côte Saint-Luc is a predominantly English-speaking neighbourhood, where around 40 percent of residents are from the Jewish community. This is where actor William Shatner grew up. With generations of immigrants having settled here, there are plentiful restaurants to suit every taste. Rent in Côte-Saint-Luc can be more affordable than in nearby neighbourhoods.

Wealthy anglophones have dominated Westmount, located on the western slopes of Mount Royal, since the nineteenth century, and the borough retains a fiercely independent (some say snobby) streak. Away from Summit Circle, however, life becomes a bit more normal toward St-Catherine Street. Spacious parks, chic boutiques, and some of the city’s most prestigious private schools attract immigrants who have the means to sustain the traditional Westmount lifestyle, but accommodation is more affordable closer to the Ville-Marie Expressway at the southern edge, closer to Vendôme Metro station.

Métro: Vendôme, Atwater

Historically known as a French-Canadian, Irish and black working-class neighbourhood of Montreal, Saint-Henri was seen as the opposite of neighbouring Westmount before gentrification took hold. The Atwater Market, a large farmers’ market, is in the vicinity, and access to downtown is simple.

Metro: Saint-Henri, Lionel-Groulx

Previously devoid of nightlife but now considered up-and-coming as more restaurants and bars appear, Verdun is a safe, affordable neighbourhood of Montreal located on the green Metro line. Verdun’s reach extends from a plot of land southwest of downtown to Nun’s Island (Isle des sœurs), just off the main island.

Verdun was once predominantly English-speaking, but now has about a two-thirds French-speaking majority, with allophones (those for whom English nor French is their mother tongue) making up a sizable minority. Verdun is rapidly shaking off a former reputation for crime, with gentrification allowing people to move here from other parts of the city in search of space, as well as relative peace and quiet. Rooms and apartments can go at a low rate, so if you’re moving on a tight budget or want to live among other young families but don’t want to live in the outer suburbs, Verdun is a good option to consider.

Metro: Lasalle, De L’église, Verdun, Jolicoeur

LaSalle is a large neighbourhood, home to around 75,000 Montreal residents. Language demographics in LaSalle are fairly evenly divided between French, English, and other languages, though most LaSallians are bilingual.

Situated between LaSalle and neighbouring Verdun is Angrignon Park, a large urban park inspired by 19^th century English gardens, with winding paths and more than 20,000 trees. Other local attractions include the Lachine Canal and Angrignon Mall. The southern parts of LaSalle follow the shore of the Saint Lawrence River, with some stunning vistas across to the south shore.

Metro: Angrignon

At the inlet of the Lachine Canal, between LaSalle and Dorval, lies Lachine, a Montreal neighbourhood bisected by Autoroute 20. A commuter train also passes through, which somewhat makes up for Lachine’s lack of a Metro station.

Lachine is home to many young families, with plenty of public schools serving the French- and English-speaking communities. Property and rent in Lachine is more affordable than many other Montreal neighbourhoods, though the area is largely bereft of bars, cafes, and restaurants, so newcomers hoping for such amenities may be better off looking elsewhere.

Nestled between the Saint-Lawrence River and the Lachine Canal, Pointe-Saint-Charles attracts new residents who want to live near scenic open spaces without sacrificing proximity to the downtown core.

Recent creation of many new housing units, the recycling of industrial buildings into business incubators, lofts, and condos, the 2002 re-opening of the Lachine Canal as a recreation and tourism area have all made Pointe-Saint-Charles one of the most attractive Montreal neighbourhoods.

Metro: Charlevoix, LaSalle

Beginning in Dorval and stretching over the western part of the Island of Montreal are a cluster of neighbourhoods that together make up what is known as the West Island. These neighbourhoods include the rather pretty villages of Point-Claire and St-Anne-de-Bellevue, which lie either side of Beaconsfield. Other neighbourhoods include Kirkland, Pierrefonds, and Dollard-des-Ormeaux.

The West Island includes neighbourhoods with some of the highest concentrations of English-speaking residents not only in Montreal, but in the whole of Quebec. While in days gone by many West Islanders would have been unilingual, today far more are bilingual.

Two major highways, the 20 and the 40, pass through the West Island and its neighbourhoods. It should be noted, however, that the Montreal metro system does not go near the West Island, and therefore it may be difficult to settle into a work-life balance without access to a vehicle.

Situated north of the Island of Montreal is Laval, which is technically a city in its own right but is part of the Greater Montreal Area. Laval includes 14 municipalities, with around 423,000 inhabitants in total. Of these, more than one quarter are immigrants.

Laval is well served by transport links, including highways and two stations on the Montreal Metro system. While long seen as a collection of commuter towns, Laval has diversified its economy over recent years, with a local economy centred around the technology, pharmaceutical, industrial, and retail sectors. Laval has many pharmaceutical laboratories, but also stone quarries and a strong agricultural sector. Laval also has four different industrial parks. Laval residents have slightly higher median incomes than residents of the official city of Montreal.

Metro: Cartier, de la Concorde, Montmorency

The South Shore is a general term for a collection of suburbs of Montreal situated close to the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River opposite the Island of Montreal. More than 750,000 people live in this large area, with nearly 250,000 of them residing in Longueuil, just opposite downtown Montreal. A particularly popular South Shore neighbourhood among newcomers is Brossard, where more than 23 different ethnicities each represent at least one percent of the population.

The South Shore is well served by transport links to and from the Island of Montreal and the downtown area, with four bridges and a tunnel bringing car traffic across the Saint Lawrence. The Montreal Metro system also extends into Longueuil. Another commuter train takes passengers from downtown Montreal to Saint-Lambert in less than 15 minutes.

Metro: Longueuil—Université-de-Sherbrooke