his Map Shows Which Neighbourhoods Montreal’s Diverse Communities Call Home
Montreal is one of the most diverse cities in the world. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody but if you needed proof, now you’ve got it!
A map by cartographer Cécile Marin we’ve found on Le Monde Diplomatique highlights the population centres of Montreal’s diverse range of cultural communities, with some perhaps surprising results. Did you know that one of the largest Lebanese communities is located in Laval?
TL;DR We’ve found a map of Montreal that shows where the city’s largest minority populations are located. Keep reading to find where your family’s nationality resides. This is great for wannabe foodies because you’re sure to find amazing food in these diverse neighbourhoods.
You can see a preview of the map below and the full map here. The article in which the map is published highlights some of the challenges North African immigrants to Montreal face in the city and province, at-large. But the map is a striking representation of Montreal’s beautiful diversity.
It should come as no surprise that Montreal is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada. For 375 years, Montreal has been known for being an open and rich city for immigrants. Our European vibes and freewheeling lifestyle attract so many different people to the city.
Though this data is almost a decade old, it remains rather accurate. No surprise that St-Léonard is a mainstay for Italians and Haitians, or that St-Laurent and Cartierville have large Algerian and Moroccan populations.
Dorval and the West Island, two areas that are known as communities full of people of Anglo-Saxon descent, are in fact over 5% Chinese and Philipino. This could be due to the affordability of housing and the suburban bliss that you find outside of downtown.
In Brossard, it seems that many Chinese immigrants and Canadians of Chinese descent are choosing the South Shore for the same reasons. Many people tell me that Brossard is home to some of the best Chinese food outside the city.
In Laval, one of the fastest growing suburbs in the country, Lebanese people are starting to outnumber the Greeks. After their exodus to the suburbs of Laval, Greeks have maintained dominance in Montreal’s oft-maligned island neighbour. Where the Greeks have already left, the Lebanese took up the mantle. Culturally, the two populations have a lot in common, so this pattern may make sense.
According to this map, everyone’s suspicions about the Plateau are true. Yes, French people from France have made it their home. Next time you’re walking down the Main, don’t act confused at all the beret-wearing and skinny cigarette smoking Europeans around you. The Plateau is officially Petit Paris.