Buy a House in Saint Laurent

Geography

Saint Laurent is one of the largest and most diverse boroughs of the City of Montreal. Located at the center of the Island of Montreal, Saint Laurent was originally an individual city that was combined with Montreal proper during the municipal mergers of 2002. In 2004 when the merger referendum was up for renewal, residents who wanted to demerge lost the vote on a technicality of eligible voters, even though 75% voted to re-establish Saint Laurent as its own community.

Demographics

Originally founded as the Parish of Saint Laurent, the borough is home to a diverse population and hosts French, Romanian, Asian, Irish, Lebanese, Arab, Italian, Greek, and English communities. There are currently around 65,000 residents in the district.

Cultures 

The borough of Saint Laurent places a large importance on cultural development, and intellectual and artistic landmarks abound in the area. For example, one of the borough's two districts, Norman-McLaren, is named for a member of the National Film Board of Canada though to be one of the pioneers of the industry. The famous Saint-Laurent Museum of Art is also located in the borough on the campus of the French college, Cegep de Saint Laurent. Saint Laurent is also home to an English speaking college, Vanier College.

Recreations 

Like many areas in Montreal, Saint Laurent offers much in the way of outdoor recreation and shopping. There are several dedicated green spaces throughout the district, as well as bike paths, running routes, and golf ranges. The shopping center of the borough, Decarie Boulevard, has been renovated over the past few years and is now home to many upscale shops, designer boutiques, and lavish cafes.

Saint Laurent claims a piece of Canadian history as the location of the first strip mall in Canada; the Norgate Shopping Center was built in the district in 1949 and is still used. Also of note, Saint Laurent is the birthplace of Raymond Bourque, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and widely considered one of the best, if not the best, players in the NHL.

Economy and Transportation 

While there is a strong residential community in Saint Laurent, it is also a bustling commercial center. There is a high number of communications, pharmaceutical, and aeronautical businesses located in the borough, and the Technoparc Saint Laurent is one of the largest industrial parks in North America. To accommodate the high traffic in the area, the district holds two metro stations, three commuter train stations, and four autoroutes. Also, a part of the Trudeau International Airport is located in Saint Laurent.