Saint-Michel, Montreal

Saint-Michel is a neighborhood in the Montreal borough of
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. Its boundaries corresponds to the former city of Ville Saint Michel, which was annexed to Montreal in 1968. This former independent city was known as Saint-Michel-de-Laval from its inception in 1912 to 1914 and Ville Saint Michel from 1914 to 1968. This was one of the last cities to be merged into Montreal until the 2002 municipal reorganization. Saint-Michel is the home of Le Boulevard shopping centre(recently renovated) and also is home to the headquarters of the world renowned Cirque Du Soleil as well as the Tohu, la Cité des Arts du Cirque and the Complexe environmental Saint-Michel. The former Miron and Francon quarries are also located here. Autoroute 40 runs through the area and adds a distinctive feel to the neighborhood.

The 1990s saw Saint-Michel's reputation tarnished by its severe street gang problems and the negative coverage and propaganda surrounding this delicate situation. In consequence, Saint-Michel was long viewed as one of Montreal's most dangerous inner city neighbourhoods. Although these problems persist to this day, the phenomenon seems better controlled and has to an extent been relocalised in adjcacent neighbourhoods. As a whole, Saint-Michel is a culturally dynamic and vibrant area with roots spanning all generations and ethnic backgrounds.

Saint-Michel is one of the most ethnically diversed areas in Montreal and in the province of Québec. Italians, Haitians, Arabs, Asians, Hispanics as well as people of French canadian decent (Québecois) represent the major ethnic groups of this inner city area. French remains the first language spoken at home, by 51% of the population. But, most people have a working knowledge of both of Canada's main languages. The area is also home to many University students because of the relatively low rent and cheap housing and its proximity to the University of Montreal.

The presence of The Cirque Du Soleil since the late 1990s (along with recent real estate development) has begun to change the public perception of the area. Several condominiums projects are currently in the works and signs of urban renewal are clearly evident. The neighbourhood has a dense conglomerate of residential architecture unique to Montreal, notably row houses featuring outdoor spiralling metal staircases (mostly present in the Villeray part of the borough, but also present in Saint-Michel.). The neighborhood is also home to severall beautiful churches, some of witch are considered by many as some of theof the most beautiful of the island of Montreal.

Saint-Michel is mainly served by the blue line of the Montreal Metro, although some metro stations from the green and orange lines do have buses that pass through the neighbourhood. Metro stations that are physically located within the neighborhood are D'Iberville station (only one entrance, the other entrance being in nearby Villeray) and the whole Saint-Michel station.

Two municipal electoral districts (François-Perreault and Saint-Michel) are in the neighborhood. The Saint-Michel civic district is currently held by Soraya Martinez of Vision Montreal party. François-Perreault district is currently held by Frank Venneri of Union Montreal. The upcoming federal elections will see, Justin Trudeau, son of former Canadian prime minister Pierre-Eliott Trudeau, run for the liberal party of Canada, in this part of montreal. A nomination vote for the Liberal candidate in Papineau was held on April 29, 2007, which Trudeau handily won. Trudeau received 690 votes, while runners-up Mary Deros received 350 votes and Basilio Giordano received 220. 634 votes were needed to win the nomination. [8] With his nomination victory, Trudeau will enter the next election against incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Vivian Barbot.

See also

* History of Montreal

External links

* [http://montrealflags.tripod.com/SaintMichel.html Ville Saint-Michel]
* [http://www.journaldestmichel.com The Journal de St-Michel, a local weekly paper that serves the district]