MONTREAL

French Montral, city, seat of Montral region, Quebec province, southeastern Canada. It is the second most populous metropolitan area of Canada. The present city proper occupies about one-third of le de Montral (Montreal Island), the largest of the 234 islands of the Hochelaga Archipelago, one of three archipelagos near the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. The city was built around and up Mont-Royal, which rises 763 feet (233 metres) above sea level (some 660 feet above the island shores). The city proper occupies an area of 61 square miles (158 square kilometres); and several independent cities and towns constitute the 1,087-square-mile metropolitan area that covers Montreal and other islands, as well as both shores of the St. Lawrence. Montreal is the major seaport on the St. Lawrence River and Seaway, lying between the navigable waters of the open Atlantic Ocean to the east and of the Great Lakes to the west. Along with New York City and San Francisco, Montreal is one of North America's most cosmopolitan cities. It is often said to be the second largest French-speaking city in the world (after Paris), a boast that is sometimes disputed. English and French are Canada's two official languages but, in accordance with a law passed for Quebec province in 1977, the use of English in schools and in government and commercial activity is restricted. Yet, in several areas of Montreal, one must still express oneself in English to be understood fully. This phenomenon reflects decades of dominance over Montreal's economic life by the English-speaking minority. With the advent to power in 1976 of the Parti Qubcoiswhich advocates political independence from and economic association with the rest of Canadanormal tensions between French- and English-speaking communities have fluctuated. In spite of politics and unrest, Montreal remains a city of great charm, of vivacity, and of gaiety, one of the most appealing in North America, as well as one of unquestioned modernity in its physical appearance and way of life. Thus it was chosen as the site of the International World Exposition in 1967Expo 67. No great objections were raised when the event was perpetuated for the public each summer under the title Terre des Hommes (Man and His World). French Montral, city, seat of Montral region, Quebec province, southeastern Canada. It is the second most populous metropolitan area in Canada and one of its major seaports. Montreal occupies about one-third of le de Montral (Montreal Island), the largest island of the Hochelaga Archipelago, situated near the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. Montreal is built around and upon the slope of a mountain, named Mont-Royal by Jacques Cartier in 153536. The metropolitan area of the present city includes Montreal and other islands, as well as both shores of the St. Lawrence. It is the most important seaport on the St. Lawrence River and Seaway, which connects the city with both the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Great Lakes to the west. The area's climate is characterized by cold winters, with heavy snowfall from November through April, and mild summers. The corporate headquarters of most of the largest Canadian banks, railroad lines, and insurance companies are located in Montreal. It is also the home of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The city's industries include traditional activities such as soapmaking, brewing and distilling, and wood and leather fabrication; several other industries, such as petroleum refining, have been introduced. Both English and French are spoken throughout the city, which is the chief centre of French-Canadian industry and culture. Although historical Montreal (known as Vieux Montral, or Old Montreal) has been preserved, the city has changed significantly since the late 1950s. Evidence of its modernization includes an underground network of shops, restaurants, and theatres. The city is a major cultural centre, with the Place des Artsa complex of theatre and concert halls built in 1960and several museums, galleries, public libraries, and multilingual bookstores. Montreal is also one of the major centres of higher education in Canada. McGill University (1821) and Concordia University (formed in 1974 by the merger of Sir George Williams University, founded 1929, and Loyola College, founded 1899) offer mainly English-language instruction, while the University of Montreal (1878) and the University of Quebec at Montreal (1969) serve French-speaking students. The city is served by a network of highways, bus, subway, and rail lines. Airports include Montreal International (also called Dorval) and Mirabel International. Area city, 61 square miles (158 square km); metropolitan area, 1,087 square miles (2,814 square km). Pop. (1991) city, 1,017,666; metropolitan area, 3,127,242. Additional reading Firsthand accounts are the narrative journals of Jacques Cartier and Samuel De Champlain; and the Histoire du Montral of Franois Dollier De Casson (1672). Standard works include: William H. Atherton, Montreal, 3 vol. (1914); Stephen Leacock, Leacock's Montreal, rev. ed. by John Culliton (1963); Kathleen Jenkins, Montreal: Island City of the St. Lawrence (1966); Robert Rumilly, Histoire de Montral, 5 vol. (197075); and Gerald Clark, Montreal: The New Cit (1982). John Irwin Cooper, Montreal: A Brief History (1969), is a good summary although some interesting details are omitted. Also of interest is the article on Montreal in the Encyclopedia Canadiana (1977). The numerous publications of the Montreal Economic Research Bureau, including the Abridged History of Montreal, rev. and enlarged (1970), are both informative and reliable. Jean-Claude Marsan, Montreal in Evolution (1981), is a history of Montreal's architecture and urban development. Cyrille Felteau Willie J. Chevalier