Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension

Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension is a borough (arrondissement) in the city of Montreal, Quebec. It had a population of 143,853 according to the 2016 Census and a land area of 16.5 km2.

The borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension was created on January 1, 2002, following the municipal reorganization of Montreal. The borough includes the neighbourhoods of Villeray, Saint-Michel, and Parc-Extension.

History
Until the late Nineteenth century, the area that today comprises the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension was predominantly rural and dotted with farms. The inauguration of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1878 and the arrival of electric streetcars in 1892 permitted the growth of Villeray. It was also in this era that the Italian immigrant community chose the neighbourhood as their preferred location.

In the early Twentieth century, Park Extension became industrialized, and a dozen quarries opened which led to the economic development of the area. Beginning in the 1940s, the exploitation of the Miron and Francon quarries attracted workers to Saint Michel and Park Extension.

Construction of the Metropolitan Expressway was completed in 1959. It cut the area in two, but also attracted multiple industries, which opened along the expressway. In less than twenty years, the population of Saint Michel increased from 6,000 to 68,000 inhabitants.

Jobs derived from competing industries along with the efficient transportation infrastructure resulted in strong demographic growth. The growth of the manufacturing sector, notably the textile industry, were incentives for new immigrants to settle in the borough.

The borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension was created on January 1, 2002, following the municipal reorganization of Montreal. The borough includes three neighbourhoods that were part of Montreal before the reorganization:Villeray, Saint-Michel, and Park Extension. The Saint-Michel neighbourhood was formerly an independent city known as Saint-Michel-de-Laval which was annexed to Montreal in 1968. Villeray was once also an autonomous municipality but has been part of the city of Montreal since 1905. Parc Extension left the parish of St-Laurent to join the city of Montreal in 1910.

Geography
Located in north central Montreal, the pipe-shaped borough is bordered by Ahuntsic-Cartierville to the northwest, Montreal North to the northeast, Saint Leonard to the east, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie to the southeast, Outremont to the southwest, and Mount Royal to the west.

Saint-Michel is the easternmost neighbourhood of the borough, Park Extension is the westernmost neighbourhood and Villeray is in the centre.

Municipal
The current borough mayor is Laurence Lavigne Lalonde of Projet Montréal.

The borough is divided into four districts located in three different neighborhoods. The districts bear the same name as their respective neighborhood with the exception of François-Perreault which is part of the Saint-Michel and Villeray neighborhoods.


 * Saint-Michel
 * François-Perreault
 * Park Extension
 * Villeray

Federal and provincial
The borough is divided among the following federal ridings:


 * Papineau
 * Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel

It is divided among the following provincial electoral districts:


 * Laurier-Dorion
 * Viau

Demographics
The 2016 census found that 88% of the population only spoke one language at home. The five most common of these languages were French (57%), English (10%), Spanish (5.9%), Arabic (3.25%) and Vietnamese (2.9%). According to 2016 census, 48% of residents grew up learning a language other than French and English. Of these other languages, the most common are Spanish (8.5%), Arabic (6.35%), Creole languages (4.23%), Italian (4.1%) and Greek (3.25%).

Features
It is served by the Orange and Blue lines of the Montreal Metro. It is traversed and partly delimited by Autoroute 40 (Metropolitan Aut.) and Autoroute 19 (Papineau Ave.)

Transit stations

 * Crémazie
 * Jarry
 * Jean-Talon
 * Acadie
 * Parc metro and train station
 * De Castelnau
 * Fabre
 * D’Iberville
 * Saint-Michel

A future unnamed station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro will be built in the borough transferring with the Pie-IX BRT.

Attractions
Attractions in the area include the old Park Avenue train station (now containing Parc Metro station and near the Parc commuter train station), Jarry Park, and TOHU, La Cité des arts du cirque (including the Cirque du Soleil and the École nationale du cirque). The former Miron and Francon quarries are also located here.

The former studios of CTV Montreal, TQS, CFCF radio & CFQR-FM (now CKBE-FM) were located in the Parc Extension section of the borough. Today, the borough hall is at the former studios of those stations on 405 Ogilvy Avenue.

Education
The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) operates French-language public schools.

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) operates English-language schools.

The Montreal Public Libraries Network operates the Le Prévost, Parc-Extension, and Saint-Michel libraries.