History Montreal Quebec

The following history Montreal Quebec and geography information take us back to the first decade of the new millennium or, more precisely, to the beginning of the 2000s.

Up until those years, the Island of Montreal was composed of one City of Montreal and 27 smaller cities, all governed by the Montreal Urban Community, the MUC.

An MUC that was then a Quebec regional government with services and responsibilities that included police protection, urban planning and sewage treatment.

Jean Drapeau, Mayor of Montreal - 1954-1957 & 1960-1986

Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal - 2002-2012

In 2000 the MUC was replaced by the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal a French CMM now responsible for coordinating Montreal, Longueuil, Laval and all the other suburban cities of the metropolitan area. A MMC also called Greater Montreal.

During the following years, the amalgamation of the City of Montreal and of the 27 other independent cities of the Island of Montreal was a dream cherished by some of our municipal and provincial elected officials.

The idea of uniting the City of Montreal with all the other smaller cities of the Island into one mega Montreal Quebec City was proposed for the first time by Jean Drapeau, then mayor of the City of Montreal.

Montreal City Maps

Mayor Drapeau from the Parti civique was very much in favor of such a merger but his proposition was strongly opposed by many residents and some elected officials.

The Island of Montreal in 2001 - Wikipedia

In 2001, Lucien Bouchard Quebec Prime Minister from the Parti Québécois (PQ) was the first elected official to announce a plan. As prime minister of the province of Québec, he chose to create one large municipality by merging the then 28 cities of the Island of Montreal into one mega City of Montreal divided into 27 boroughs.

Pierre Bourque from Vision Montréal endorsed the eventual unsuccessful attempt proposed by Lucien Bouchard and, as a result, lost the 2001 City of Montreal mayor election.

Lucien Bouchard, Quebec Prime Minister - 1996-2001

Pierre Bourque, Mayor of Montreal - 1994-2001

The next year, in 2002, Bernard Landry Quebec Prime Minister also from the Parti Québécois (PQ) forcibly merged the entire Island of Montreal into one single mega city. As a result, every cities and several remote islands all became a rather large City of Montreal.

In 2002 the City of Montreal and the 27 other cities of the Island of Montreal officially became one City of Montreal Quebec divided into 27 boroughs named after their former city or district names. A series of geography information and a bit of history Montreal Quebec seen by some as a badly diagnosed problem with a wrong remedy.

Old Map of Montreal

During the same time, mayor Gérald Tremblay from Union Montreal and his administration decentralized this new mega city and gave more power to each borough and to their respective mayors and elected officials.

The Island of Montreal in 2002 - Wikipedia

Later, during the 2003 provincial elections, Jean Charest from the winning Parti Libéral Québécois (PLQ) promised to submit each borough and each merger to a referendum.

In 2004, and as promised, a referendum took place and some of the former cities of the Island of Montreal voted to de-merge from the mega Montreal Quebec City recently created and to regain their respective municipal status.

Bernard Landry, Quebec Prime Minister - 2001-2003

Jean Charest, Quebec Prime Minister - 2003-2012

The decision made by prime minister Bernard Landry (PQ) in 2002 was partially reversed by prime minister Jean Charest (PLQ) and, this time, the Island of Montreal became one City of Montreal divided into 19 boroughs and 15 other reconstituted cities.

The de-mergers came into effect in 2006. Consequently, some of the previously independent cities regained most of their independence, but they did not regain all the powers they had before the merger of 2002.

History Montreal Quebec Information Details

Nowadays, the City of Montreal has the upper hand over the entire Island of Montreal officially called the Montreal Urban Agglomeration. Many municipal powers are now under the Montreal Agglomeration Council presided by the mayor of the City of Montreal, accompanied by 30 other elected officials.

The Island of Montreal in 2006 - Wikipedia

The debate regarding a municipal amalgamation, a new dissolution or the continuation of the Island of Montreal as it is now could resurface any day. Many History Montreal Quebec and geography information are still discussed by some.

The possibility of merging boroughs and cities, of reducing the number of elected officials and of adjusting boundaries is still open to discussion. Citizens and elected officials still argue.

Some claim that the de-merged cities are satisfied with their situation and that their finances are better managed. Others believe that municipal mergers are a failure and that the benefits did not materialize. According to some, citizens are, in economical information and comparisons, better served in small municipalities.

New Montreal Map

The possible reunification of Outremont and Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, of Anjou and Outremont, of Anjou and Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles, of Anjou and Saint-Leonard, of Saint-Leonard and Montreal-Nord are often mentioned.

Also mentioned is the potential merger of LaSalle and Lachine as well as the annexation of the western part of Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles to Montreal-Nord to simplify service delivery.

Let's just say that the controversy is still present and the debate is far from being over. History Montreal Quebec, geography information and controversies about mergers and de-mergers of not so so long ago could very well start all over again.

A History Montreal Quebec that begins with the discovery by French explorers of the Iroquoian Hochelaga village in the sixteenth century and a geography and history that both continue to evolve.