1630s (Timeline of Montreal history)
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The timeline of the history of Montreal is a chronology of significant events in the history of Montreal, Canada's second-most populated city, with about 3.5 million residents in 2018, and the fourth-largest French-speaking city in the world.


Pre-Colonization

* The area known today as Montreal had been inhabited by Algonquin,
Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...
, and Iroquois for some 2,000 years, while the oldest known artifact found in Montreal proper is about 2,000 years old. * In the earliest
oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...
, the Algonquin migrated from the Atlantic coast, arriving, together with other Anicinàpek, at the "First Stopping Place" (Montréal). There, the Nation found a "turtle-shaped island" marked by ''miigis'' ( cowrie) shells. * The Iroquois, or ''Haudenosaunee'', were centred, from at least 1000 CE, in northern New York, and their influence extended into what is now southern Ontario and the Montreal area of modern Quebec. * 1142 – The
Iroquois Confederacy The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
is, from oral tradition, said to have been formed in 1142 CE. * In the modern Iroquois language, Montréal is called ''Tiohtià:ke''. Other native languages, such as Algonquin, refer to it as ''Moniang''. * The
St. Lawrence Iroquoians The St. Lawrence Iroquoians were an Iroquoian Indigenous people who existed from the 14th century to about 1580. They concentrated along the shores of the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec and Ontario, Canada, and in the American states o ...
established the village of Hochelaga at the foot of Mount Royal.


16th century

* 1535 – Jacques Cartier renames the Saint Lawrence River in honour of Saint Lawrence on August 10, the feast day of the Roman martyr. Prior to this, the Saint Lawrence River had been known by other names, including Hochelaga River and Canada River; Cartier penetrates far into the interior for the first time, via the river. * 1535 – September 19, Cartier starts his journey from Quebec City to Montreal, while in search of a passage to Asia. * 1535 – Cartier visits Hochelaga on October 2, claiming the St. Lawrence Valley for France. He becomes the first European to reach the area now known as Montréal when he enters the village of Hochelega. Cartier estimates the population to be "over a thousand". * 1535 – October 3, Cartier climbs up the mountain on the ''Île de Montréal'' and names it '' Mont Royal''; the name Montréal is generally thought to be derived from "Mont Royal", the name given to the mountain by Cartier in 1535. * 1556 – On his map of Hochelega, Italian geographer
Giovanni Battista Ramusio Giovanni Battista Ramusio (; July 20, 1485 – July 10, 1557) was an Italian geographer and travel writer. Born in Treviso, Italy, at that time in the Republic of Venice, Ramusio was the son of Paolo Ramusio, a magistrate of the Venetian ci ...
writes "''Monte Real''" to designate ''Mont Royal''. * 1580 – The
St. Lawrence Iroquoians The St. Lawrence Iroquoians were an Iroquoian Indigenous people who existed from the 14th century to about 1580. They concentrated along the shores of the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec and Ontario, Canada, and in the American states o ...
appear to have vacated the Saint Lawrence River Valley sometime prior to 1580.


17th century

* 1601 – On his map, Guillaume Le Vasseur de Beauplan writes ''Hochelaga'' for the inhabited area, and calls the hill ''Mont Royal''. * 1603 –
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
reaches the
Island of Montreal The Island of Montreal (french: Île de Montréal) is a large island in southwestern Quebec, Canada, that is the site of a number of municipalities including most of the city of Montreal and is the most populous island in Canada. It is the main ...
(''Île de Montréal'') and '' Île Perrot'', and describes ''Mont Royal'', Lake Saint-Louis and the Lachine Rapids. * 1608 – Québec City is founded by Samuel de Champlain.


1610–1629

* 1611 –
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
, in the company of a young
Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...
, whom he had taken to and brought back from France on a previous voyage, visits the ''Île de Montréal''. * 1611 – Champlain decides to establish a fur trading post at present-day Pointe-à-Callière. * 1611 – A young man named Louis drowns, thus giving his name to both the Sault-Saint-Louis and Lake Saint-Louis. * 1611 – Saint Helen's Island is named by
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
, in honour of his wife. * 1613–20 – The Compagnie des Marchands operates in New France but, in 1621, loses its rights in to the Compagnie de Montmorency, due to a breach of their contract. * 1615 –
Denis Jamet Denis Jamet, O.M.R., (or ''Denis Jamay'') (died February 26, 1625 in Montargis, France) was a French Recollect friar and Catholic priest and the first superior of the Canadian mission (1615). Jamet, Provincial Superior of the Order in the Provinc ...
and Joseph Le Caron say the first Catholic Mass on the island of Montréal."La Première messe sur île de Montréal - 24 juin 1615"

by John J. O'Gorman
* 1615 –
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
, expected at the Saint-Louis Rapids in late June, does not arrive by July 8, prompting the Aboriginals, angry, to leave, taking with them Joseph Le Caron and twelve Frenchmen. * 1615 – Les Franciscains des Recollets, an order of French missionaries, are the first to settle Canada. A century later, a
faubourg "Faubourg" () is an ancient French term historically equivalent to " fore-town" (now often termed suburb or ). The earliest form is , derived from Latin , 'out of', and Vulgar Latin (originally Germanic) , 'town' or 'fortress'. Traditionally, th ...
of Montréal adjacent to their residence in that city was called ''Faubourg des Récollets'', a name still in use today. * 1627 –
Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu (; 9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French clergyman and statesman. He was also known as ''l'Éminence rouge'', or "the Red Eminence", a term derived from the ...
replaces the ''Compagnie de Montmorency'' with the Company of One Hundred Associates (presided over by
Jean de Lauzon Jean de Lauzon or de Lauson (; 2 January 1586 – 16 February 1666) was the governor of New France from 1651 to 1657, one of the most challenging times for the new colony. He also was born into being the lord of Lirec. As a prominent lawyer in ...
). The French Crown grants the new ''Company'' a monopoly on the fur trade, and directs it to colonize the
St. Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...
Valley. * 1627 – the King of France introduces the '' seigneurial'' system to New France, and forbids settlement by anyone other than Roman Catholics.


1630–1649

* 1634 – Trois-Rivières founded by
Sieur de Laviolette The Sieur de Laviolette was the first commander of Trois-Rivières, a Canadian city in Central Quebec. Background The area of Trois-Rivières (Three Rivers), located on the St Lawrence River at the mouth of the St. Maurice River, was first explo ...
. * 1635 - Death of
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
, 25 December. * 1636 –
Jean de Lauzon Jean de Lauzon or de Lauson (; 2 January 1586 – 16 February 1666) was the governor of New France from 1651 to 1657, one of the most challenging times for the new colony. He also was born into being the lord of Lirec. As a prominent lawyer in ...
becomes the '' seigneur'' of the ''Île de Montréal''. * 1636 – Louis XIII grants the ''seigneurie'' of Madeleine to Jacques La Ferté, priest at ''Sainte Madeleine de
Châteaudun Châteaudun () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It was the site of the Battle of Châteaudun during the Franco-Prussian War. Geography Châteaudun is located about 45& ...
''. * 1639–49 – Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in use. The establishment of Montréal was part of a large missionary movement based in France. *1641 – Establishment of the ''
Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal pour la conversion des sauvages de la Nouvelle-France Lactalis is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company's former name was Besnier SA. Lactalis is the largest dairy products group in the world, and is the sec ...
''. *1641–42 – The colonists spend the winter at '' St Michel'', near Sillery. *1642 – Maisonneuve arrives on May 17; the mission is named ''Ville-Marie'' and built at ''Place Royale''. *1642 – Barthélemy Vimont, the superior of the Jesuits, leads the first mass in Ville-Marie on May 18. *1642 – The construction of Fort ''Ville-Marie'' begins around the initial hamlet as protection against Iroquois attacks. *1642 – Construction of
Fort Richelieu Fort Richelieu is a historic fort in La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu R ...
by
Charles de Montmagny Charles Jacques Huault de Montmagny (c. 1583 to 1599 – 4 July 1657) was governor of New France from 1636 to 1648. He was the first person to bear the title of Governor of New France and succeeded Samuel de Champlain, who governed the colony ...
begins on August 13 when 40 men led by Montmagny arrive. *1642 – Significant flooding on December 23. *1643 – The first Mount Royal Cross is erected on January 6. *1643 – On June 9, the first persons are killed at Montréal during an attack by Iroquois. *1643 – At the end of August, a vessel with a reinforcement commanded by Louis d'Ailleboust de Coulonge arrives at ''Ville-Marie''. *1644 – Iroquois attack on March 16 and on March 30. *1645 – The hospital is initially located within the fort. Maisonneuve grants the first concession outside the fortifications to
Jeanne Mance Jeanne Mance (November 12, 1606 – June 18, 1673) was a French nurse and settler of New France. She arrived in New France two years after the Ursuline nuns came to Quebec. Among the founders of Montreal in 1642, she established its first hospit ...
to build '' Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal''; work begins on it on October 8, 1645. *1646–53 – War with the Iroquois. *1646 –
Fort Richelieu Fort Richelieu is a historic fort in La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu R ...
is abandoned at the end of the year and burned down by the Iroquois in February 1647. *1647 – Jacques de La Ferté from the Company of One Hundred Associates grants ''La Prairie'' to the Jesuits. *1648 – The first white child is born in ''Ville Marie'', Barbe Meusnier, on November 24. *1648 – A fortified windmill is built by Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve (in the area now known as Old Montreal). *1648 – The Iroquois invade Huronia and wipe out most of the Wendat and the French missionaries living in the territory.


1650–1669

* 1650 – The first commercial brewery in New France established in Montréal by
Louis Prud'homme Louis Prud'homme (1611–1671) is remembered both as the first militia captain of Montreal and the founder of the first commercial brewery in New France in 1650. Establishment in Ville-Marie Prud'homme was one of the original settlers in Fort ...
* 1651 – On July 26, 200 Iroquois attacked the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal. * 1653 – The Great Recruitment, still better known as ''La Grande Recrue'' —
Jeanne Mance Jeanne Mance (November 12, 1606 – June 18, 1673) was a French nurse and settler of New France. She arrived in New France two years after the Ursuline nuns came to Quebec. Among the founders of Montreal in 1642, she established its first hospit ...
redirects funds donated by Duchesse d’Aiguillon for the Hôtel-Dieu hospital to
Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve Paul de Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve (15 February 1612 9 September 1676) was a French military officer and the founder of Fort Ville-Marie (modern day Montreal) in New France (Province of Quebec, Canada). Early life Maisonneuve was born in ...
for the recruitment of a hundred people; the contingent arrive at Ville-Marie on 16 November. Of the 95 who embark in
Saint-Nazaire Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean ...
, 24 are massacred by Iroquois, four drown, and one burned when his house caught fire. * 1653 – Congregation of Notre Dame founded. * 1657 – In mid-August, four priests (Gabriel de Queylus,
Gabriel Souart Abbé Gabriel Souart ( 1611 – 8 March 1691) was a Sulpicien priest and the nephew of Father Joseph Le Caron. He is most often remembered in Canadian history as the first parish priest of Montreal. Souart entered the priesthood later in life, ...
, Antoine d'Allet, and Dominique Galinier) belonging to the Society of Saint-Sulpice in Paris land in Montreal to take over from the Jesuits. * 1657 – Marguerite Bourgeoys – the town's first teacher, who would found a community of teachers, opens the first school in a former stable on 25 November. * 1658 – Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve signs a contract with
Jacques Archambault Jacques Archambault (c. 1604 – February 15, 1688) was a French colonist in Montreal. He was born in Dompierre-sur-Mer, where he was baptized. Archambault married (around 1629) Françoise Tourault, with whom he had many children. All Archambau ...
to have him dig "a well in Fort Ville-Marie in the middle of the Court or parade ground." * 1659 – Jeanne Mance brings three nuns from the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph in France to act as staff at Hotel-Dieu. * 1663 – Charlevoix earthquake struck 5:30 p.m. on 5 February. * 1663 – March, seigniorial rights to the Île de Montréal are transferred by the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal to the Sulpicians. The Sulpicians become the seigneurs of Montréal, taking over from Chomedey de Maisonneuve. * 1663 – New France made a royal province. * 1663 - Emigration of approximately 800 young
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
women (to become known as the '' filles du roi'', or King's daughters) to New France begins, under sponsorship of King Louis XIV of France, and continues through 1673. * 1665 – Fort Saint Louis (now Fort Chambly) built. * 1665 -
Carignan-Salières Regiment The Carignan-Salières Regiment was a Piedmont French military unit formed by merging two other regiments in 1659. They were led by the new Governor, Daniel de Rémy de Courcelles, and Lieutenant-General Alexandre de Prouville, Sieur de Tracy. ...
rebuilds Fort Richelieu. * 1666 – According to the
1666 census of New France The 1666 census of New France was the first census conducted in Canada (and also North America). It was organized by Jean Talon, the first Intendant of New France, between 1665 and 1666. Talon and the French Minister of the Marine Jean-Baptiste C ...
, Ville-Marie recorded 582 inhabitants. 24 of the 111 families living in Montréal had already been formed in France. A few houses, flanked by a windmill and fort, and connected by a footpath (now beneath Rue Saint-Paul), represented the beginnings of Ville-Marie. * 1666–75 – Fort Saint-Jean built. * 1667 – Almost from its inception, pelts were bartered in Montreal, which, after 1667, becomes a centre for trade. An annual market for pelts takes place in June on the common of Pointe-à-Callière. * 1668 – Maison Saint-Gabriel is bought to receive the
King's Daughters The King's Daughters (french: filles du roi or french: filles du roy, label=none in the spelling of the era) is a term used to refer to the approximately 800 young French women who immigrated to New France between 1663 and 1673 as part of a pr ...
. The current structure dates back to 1698, when it was rebuilt following a fire in 1693. * 1669 – Louis XIV ordered that men of New France between 16 and 60 years of age must perform mandatory military service; every parish would have its militia.


1670–1689

* 1670s – A large orchard is planted on the side of Mount Royal during the mid-1670s. * 1670 – Hudson's Bay Company founded. * 1670–80 – Initially, trading is done in people's homes; traders soon set up stalls between Rue Saint-Paul and the Little St. Pierre River, west of the marketplace. Natives camp on the Point, numbering about 900 in 1672. * 1671 — founding of the municipality of Verdun. * 1672 – Commissioned by
François Dollier de Casson François Dollier de Casson (1636 – 27 September 1701) was born in France into a wealthy bourgeois and military family. He began his adult life in the army which he left after three years to continue his studies and become a priest. After becom ...
, superior of the Sulpicians; notary and surveyor Bénigne Basset Des Lauriers makes the first street layout in Montreal. The original plan of Old Montreal consists of 10 streets, of which three run parallel to the river–
Notre-Dame Street Notre-Dame Street (officially in french: Rue Notre-Dame) is a historic east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs parallel to the Saint Lawrence River, from Lachine to the eastern tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, ...
, Rue Saint-Paul, Saint Jacques Street –and seven extend perpendicular from the river, including Saint Pierre, Saint François Xavier, Saint Jean Baptiste, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Vincent. * 1672 – The cross is planted to designate the future location of the first Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) on June 29 and the first five stones are laid the next day. * 1672 – As a churchwarden, Pierre Gadois supervises the construction of a public well in the Place d'Armes. * 1674 – Louis Jolliet is wrecked at Sault-Saint-Louis in May. * 1676 – A Sulpician mission is founded at Mount Royal. * 1677 –
Jacques Bizard Jacques Bizard (1642 – December 5, 1692) was seigneur of île Bonaventure, later renamed île-Bizard. Born in Benaix, Neuchâtel to a Calvinist pastor, Bizard served in the Venetian army where he met Louis de Buade, better known as Comte de Fro ...
is sent to Montreal by Frontenac to investigate claims of illegal sale of alcohol to the natives. However, the leader of the smugglers, Montreal Governor
François-Marie Perrot François-Marie Perrot (; 1644 – 1691) was born in Paris and Seigneur de Sainte-Geneviève. Biography He was appointed governor of Montreal by a royal commission in 1670 and arrived in New France that year. Records do show his tenure as 1 ...
, imprisons Bizard. With the help of Frontenac, Bizard is liberated and Perrot is removed from office. * 1678 –
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (''chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours'', "Our Lady of Good Help") is a church in the district of Old Montreal in Montreal, Quebec. One of the oldest churches in Montreal, it was built in 1771 over the ruins of ...
is completed. * 1679 – Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut reaches the western end of Lake Superior in the fall of the 1679 where he concludes peace talks between the Saulteur and
Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...
nations. * 1679 – The brigantine '' Le Griffon'', commissioned by
René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle René (''born again'' or ''reborn'' in French) is a common first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is the masculine form of the name (Renée being the feminine ...
, is towed to the southern end of the
Niagara River The Niagara River () is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada (on the west) and the state of New York (state), New York in the United States (on the east) ...
, to become the first ship to sail the upper Great Lakes. * 1680 –
Kateri Tekakwitha Kateri Tekakwitha ( in Mohawk), given the name Tekakwitha, baptized as Catherine and informally known as Lily of the Mohawks (1656 – April 17, 1680), is a Catholic saint and virgin who was an Algonquin–Mohawk. Born in the Mohawk village of O ...
dies. * 1680–85 – More and more voyageurs, coureurs des bois and missionaries were exploring the regions upriver from Montreal. As the new territory opens up, part of the fur trade shifts toward the Great Lakes. Fewer and fewer natives came to Montreal, and the annual fur fair became less popular from 1680 to 1685. * 1682 – Montrealer
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (; November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687), was a 17th-century French explorer and fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, ...
travels to the mouth of the Mississippi River. * 1682 – Notre-Dame Church is completed; constructed by
François Bailly François Bailly (-1690) was a French mason, architect and official who was a prominent citizen in Montreal. Biography Born in France, he came to Canada in 1659 under contract with the Abbé Queylus. He formed partnerships first with Urbai ...
. Throughout the 18th century the city's primary landmarks are the
bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
of Notre-Dame and
Citadel hill A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. In ...
. * 1684 – The Congregation of Notre Dame convent is destroyed by a fire. * 1684–87 –
Saint-Sulpice Seminary (Montreal) The Saint-Sulpice Seminary (French:Vieux Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice) is a building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the second oldest structure in Montreal and was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980. It is located in the Vi ...
is built. * 1686 –
Treaty of Whitehall The Treaty of Whitehall (or the Treaty of American Neutrality) was signed between Louis XIV of France and James II of England on 26 November 1686 (16 November O.S.). John Mack Faragher, ''A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion ...
. * 1687–89 – A wooden palisade is erected to protect the town. * 1687 – An epidemic of typhus kills approximately 150 people in the autumn. * 1689 – On June 13, construction was begun by the Montreal Sulpicians on a 2 km canal to support their monopoly on flour-milling.
François Dollier de Casson François Dollier de Casson (1636 – 27 September 1701) was born in France into a wealthy bourgeois and military family. He began his adult life in the army which he left after three years to continue his studies and become a priest. After becom ...
asserts that such a canal ( Lachine Canal) would supply water to Montreal's mills while simultaneously facilitating westbound navigation. * 1689 – Lachine massacre.


1690s

* 1690 – February 8: Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville leads more than 160 French Canadians and 100 Indian warriors to Schenectady, New York which they attack and burn in retaliation for the Lachine Massacre. * 1690 –
The Citadel, Montreal The Citadel of Montreal was a former fortress used to defend the city. It was located at what is now rue Notre-Dame between rue Bonsecours and rue Berri. Smaller than the one in Old Quebec, the Citadel was built by the French in 1690 replacing ...
built. * 1694 – Louis Tantouin de la Touche is named subdelegate of the intendant. * 1694 – Frères Hospitaliers de la Croix et de Saint-Joseph, known after their founder as the Frères Charon, founded. * 1694 –
Louis-Hector de Callière Louis-Hector de Callière or Callières (12 November 1648 – 26 May 1703) was a French military officer, who was the governor of Montreal (1684–1699), and the 13th governor of New France from 1698 to 1703. During his tenure as governor of ...
is awarded the
cross of Saint-Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (french: Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis) is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a rewar ...
. During his years as
governor of Montreal The governor of Montreal was the highest position in Montreal in the 17th century and the 18th century. Prior to the establishment of the 1663 Sovereign Council, the governor of Montreal was appointed by the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal. The ...
, the Iroquois war has enhanced the importance of that position. * 1694 – François Vachon de Belmont completes the mission on the slopes of Mount Royal. Its circular stone fortress towers still stand on the grounds of the Grand Seminary on Sherbrooke Street. * 1695 –
Nicolas Perrot Nicolas Perrot (–1717), a French explorer, fur trader, and diplomat, was one of the first European men to travel in the Upper Mississippi Valley, in what is now Wisconsin and Minnesota. Biography Nicolas Perrot was born in France between 1641 ...
brings the Miami, Sauk, Menominee,
Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...
and
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
chiefs to Montreal at the governor's request, regarding war with the Iroquois. * 1695 – Saint-Charles-Sur-Richelieu is granted to Zacharie-François Hertel, Sieur de la Fresnière (March 1). * 1696 – Fire at Fort de la Montagne. The Hurons are transferred to Fort Lorette. * 1696 –
Jacques Le Ber Jacques Le Ber ( c. 1633 – 25 November 1706) was a merchant and seigneur in Montreal, New France. In 1686 he was ennobled by Louis XIV and took the title Jacques Le Ber de Saint-Paul de Senneville, based on his hometown of Senneville-sur-F ...
is ennobled. * 1698 – A chapel dedicated to St. Anne is founded at the south end of Murray street. Le Quartier Ste-Anne becomes infamous as a den of licentiousness, and the clergy restricts the sale of liquor around the chapel. * 1698 – Bishop Saint-Vallier, returning from France, accompanies two English gentlemen, one of them a Protestant minister, on a visit to
Jeanne Le Ber Jeanne Le Ber (4 January 1662 – 3 October 1714) was a religious recluse in New France. Family and education Jeanne Le Ber was born in Ville-Marie (Montreal), on January 4, 1662. As a daughter of Jeanne Le Moyne and Jacques Le Ber, Jeanne ...
. * 1700 – At the turn of the 18th century Montreal's population is about 1,500 souls, which gradually grows to about 7,500 in the year 1760, at the time of the British conquest. * 1700 – Gédéon de Catalogne is employed by the Sulpicians in October to dig the Lachine Canal. * 1700–31 – François Vachon de Belmont is the fifth superior of the Montreal Sulpicians.


18th century


1701–1719

* 1701 – August 4, The Great Peace of Montreal : The French and Native Americans from across the continent conclude a historic alliance, at Pointe-à-Callière. * 1705 – Montreal is now the official name for the city formerly named Ville-Marie. * 1705 – Place Royale is designated as a marketplace. * 1706 – After 1706, deforestation along the riverbank is advanced enough that the opening of a road along the lake, from La Présentation to the tip of the Île de Montréal, is decreed. * 1709 – Slavery becomes legal in New France. * 1711 – The court orders the construction of a stone wall around the city. * 1713 – Jurisdiction of the Government of Montreal begins to the west of
Maskinongé, Quebec Maskinongé is a municipality in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward ...
and Yamaska and ends at the extremity of the inhabited area, namely fort Saint-Jean, Châteauguay and Vaudreuil. * 1713 – Michel Bégon decides to erect stone fortifications. The wooden walls are replaced with stone due to the threat of British attack. * 1713 – Pointe-Claire parish is first established in the name of
St. Francis of Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...
and dedicated to
St. Joachim Joachim (; ''Yəhōyāqīm'', "he whom Yahweh has set up"; ; ) was, according to Christian tradition, the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Biblical apocryphal ...
the following year. * 1717–1744 – Stone fortifications were erected according to plans by the architect Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry. The fortifications correspond roughly to the present-day limits of Old Montreal, with Rue Berri to the east, Rue de la Commune to the south, Rue McGill to the west, and Ruelle de la Fortification to the north. * 1719 – Pointe-aux-Trembles windmill is built at the corner of
Notre-Dame Street Notre-Dame Street (officially in french: Rue Notre-Dame) is a historic east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs parallel to the Saint Lawrence River, from Lachine to the eastern tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, ...
and Third Avenue. Its three storeys make it the tallest windmill in Quebec that still stands.


1720–1739

* 1721 – The great fire. New wood constructions are prohibited inside city limits. * 1726 – A dam is built to link the river bank to the
Île de la Visitation Île de la Visitation is a small island in the Rivière des Prairies, part of the Hochelaga Archipelago, and part of the city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada. Located within the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Montréal-Nord, the island is ...
– one of the most impressive feats of civil engineering of the French regime. It remains in operation until 1960. * 1731 – Orchards covered on the Île de Montréal, on the side of the mountain and around town. From 1731 to 1781, the surface area occupied by the orchards rise from . * 1732 – Montreal earthquake at 11:00 a.m. on September 16. * 1734 – The construction of
Fort St. Frédéric A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
begins. * 1734 –
Marie-Joseph Angélique Marie-Josèphe dite Angélique (died June 21, 1734) was the name given to a Portuguese-born black slave in New France (later the province of Quebec in Canada) by her last owners. She was tried and convicted of setting fire to her owner's home, bu ...
(a slave owned by
Thérèse de Couagne Thérèse de Couagne (19 January 1697 – 26 February 1764) was a capitalist and slave owner who played an active role in the economy of New France. Thérèse de Couagne was born on 19 January 1697 in Montreal, New France. She was the daughter of ...
) is tried and convicted of setting fire to her owner's home, burning much of what is now referred to as Old Montreal. * 1737 – Inauguration of the
Chemin du Roy The Chemin du Roy (; French for "King's Highway" or "King's Road") is a historic road along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. The road begins in Repentigny and extends almost eastward towards Quebec City, its eastern terminus ...
on the North Shore (Laval) between Montréal and Quebec City. The road's construction takes 4 years and requires the construction of 13 bridges. After its completion, people can travel from one city to the other in 4 days. * 1737 –
Plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
Epidemic. * 1738 –
Marie-Marguerite d'Youville Marguerite d'Youville, SGM (; October 15, 1701 – December 23, 1771) was a French Canadian Catholic widow who founded the Order of Sisters of Charity of Montreal, commonly known as the Grey Nuns. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990, ...
founds the
Grey Nuns The Sisters of Charity of Montreal, formerly called The Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général of Montreal and more commonly known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal, is a Canadian religious institute of Roman Catholic religious sisters, founde ...
. In 1747, she becomes director of the Montreal General Hospital.


1740–1759

* 1740 – 22,000 people live under the government of ''Montréal''. The population is mostly rural, the city having a population of 4,200. * 1749 – Fort de La Présentation built. * 1749 – Pehr Kalm visits Montreal, where he is hosted by the Baron de Longueuil. Kalm notes that "some of the houses of the town are built of stone, but most are of timber, though very neatly built." * 1749 – While planning further exploration of the Saskatchewan River and points west, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye dies in Montréal on December 5. * 1749–51 – De la Visitation Church (1747 Gouin Boulevard) is built to replace the small chapel at Fort Lorette. It is the oldest church in Montreal and the only one built during the old régime still standing. The church is consecrated by
Henri-Marie Dubreil de Pontbriand Henri-Marie Dubreuil de Pontbriand ( c. January 1708 – 8 June 1760), who became the sixth bishop of Roman Catholic diocese of Quebec, was from a titled family and grew up at the Pontbriand Château (now in Ille-et-Vilaine), France. Biography He ...
in 1752. * 1754 –
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (''chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours'', "Our Lady of Good Help") is a church in the district of Old Montreal in Montreal, Quebec. One of the oldest churches in Montreal, it was built in 1771 over the ruins of ...
is destroyed by fire. * 1754 – Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel established. * 1754–63 – French and Indian War. * 1759 –
François Picquet François Picquet (; 4 December 1708 – 15 July 1781) was a French Sulpician priest who emigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1734. Early life Picquet was born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, on 4 December 1708, the son of André Picquet and Marie-Philipp ...
flees to Montreal with his Indian troops. * 1759 – Fort Lévis built. * 1759 – In August, Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Levis is sent to protect Montreal from a British advance. * 1759 - The British army defeats the French on the Plains of Abraham allowing the French to keep their language and Catholic churches and schools such as they were.


1760–1779

*1760 – On May 9, British ships arrive at Quebec City, forcing the French Army to Montreal. *1760 – July to September, The Montreal Campaign, a British three-pronged attack, including the Battle of the Thousand Islands, is led by General Jeffery Amherst *1760 –
Henri-Marie Dubreil de Pontbriand Henri-Marie Dubreuil de Pontbriand ( c. January 1708 – 8 June 1760), who became the sixth bishop of Roman Catholic diocese of Quebec, was from a titled family and grew up at the Pontbriand Château (now in Ille-et-Vilaine), France. Biography He ...
dies at
Saint-Sulpice Seminary (Montreal) The Saint-Sulpice Seminary (French:Vieux Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice) is a building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the second oldest structure in Montreal and was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980. It is located in the Vi ...
*1760 – The British, under Amherst, march from Lachine through Nazareth Fief (now Griffintown), through the Recollet Gate, and into the walled city of Montreal. The Articles of Capitulation of Montreal are signed on September 8, in the British camp before the city of Montréal. Most North American fighting ends with the surrender of Montréal. *1760 – On September 21, Jeffery Amherst appoints brigadier Thomas Gage as military governor of the Montreal district. *1763 – Treaty of Paris. Montreal was already the centre of the
North American Fur Trade The North American fur trade is the commercial trade in furs in North America. Various Indigenous peoples of the Americas traded furs with other tribes during the pre-Columbian era. Europeans started their participation in the North American fur ...
. *1765 – March 22 - The Stamp Act is passed. *1766 – The Stamp Act is repealed. *1774 – The British Parliament passes the Quebec Act that allows Quebec to maintain the French Civil Code as its judicial system and sanctions the freedom of religious choice, allowing the Roman Catholic Church to remain. * 1774 - Antoine Foucher (1717-1801), of Terrebonne, with various British officers, stages the first performance of a Molière play in Montreal at his home. * 1775 – Invasion of Canada (1775); Montreal capitulates to the Americans on November 13. * 1775 – August 21 – Generals
Hon Yost Schuyler Johannes Justus (Hon Yost) Schuyler (January 1, 1744 – 1810) was a Tory with patriot roots, who was used by American General Benedict Arnold to repel the British and Indian forces of Colonel Barry St. Leger and Joseph Brant from their siege of ...
and
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
, with 1,000 Americans come to Canada and invite the inhabitants to rebel. * 1775 – September 17-November 3 –
Siege of Fort St. Jean The siege of Fort St. Jean (September 17 – November 3, 1775, also called St. John, St. Johns, or St. John's, french: Siège du Fort Saint-Jean) was conducted by American Brigadier General Richard Montgomery on the town and fort of Saint-Jea ...
. * 1775 – September 25 – attempting to take Montreal,
Ethan Allen Ethan Allen ( – February 12, 1789) was an American farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, lay theologian, American Revolutionary War patriot, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of Vermont and for ...
and many of his 150 followers are captured at Longue Pointe, and are sent to England. * 1775 – October 18 – The Americans capture Chambly. * 1775 – On November 9,
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
crosses to Pointe-Saint-Charles, where he is greeted as a liberator. Smith (1907), vol 1, p. 474 * 1775 – Montreal falls without any significant fighting on November 13, as Carleton, deciding that the city was indefensible (and having suffered significant militia desertion upon the news of the fall of St. Johns), withdraws. * 1775 – November 13 – The
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
invades Montreal and appropriates royal stores.
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
is joined by
Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...
. * 1775 –
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
uses some of the captured boats to move towards Quebec City with about 300 troops on November 28, leaving about 200 in Montreal under the command of General David Wooster.
Shelton Shelton may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Shelton, North Bedfordshire, in the parish of Dean and Shelton, Bedfordshire *Lower Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire *Upper Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfor ...
, pp. 122–127
* 1776 – April 29 – American colonists Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase and the Jesuit Charles Carroll stay in Thomas Walker's house in Montreal while trying to gain support from Montrealers against the British. * 1776 – May – With only 1,765 soldiers remaining in Montreal, the colonial force is overcome by the British. * 1776 – Within four hours,
Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...
and the American forces garrisoned around Montreal abandon the city (but not before trying to burn it down), leaving it in the hands of the local militia. Carleton's fleet arrive in Montreal on June 17. Stanley, p. 131 * 1776 – May 18–27 – Battle of the Cedars. * 1777 – Opening of
Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal, also known as Shearith Israel, is a Montreal synagogue, located on St. Kevin Street in Snowdon, which is the oldest Jewish congregation in Canada. The Congregation traces its history back to 1760 ...
. * 1778 – June 3 – The first issue of the '' Gazette du Commerce et Littéraire pour la Ville et District de Montréal'' (official organ of Académie de Montréal), the first newspaper in Montreal, is printed in the Château Ramezay by Fleury Mesplet, a former employee of Benjamin Franklin. * 1779 – On June 2, the publication of the ''
Gazette Littéraire The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of ...
'' is stopped.


1780–1800

* 1783 – The
North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...
of Montreal is officially created. * 1783 – A lottery is started in Montreal to defray the cost of a new
jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
. * 1783 – Fleury Mesplet gets out of prison in September. * 1785 – Fleury Mesplet founds the newspaper ''The Montreal Gazette / Gazette de Montréal'' on August 28. * 1785 – In February, the Beaver Club is formed by members of the
North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...
. * 1785 – A dark day on October 10. Candles are lighted at noon. * 1785 – Maison Papineau (or Maison John-Campbell) is built at 440 Bonsecours Street. It will be modified in 1831 and 1965. * 1786 – John Molson founds the Molson Brewery. * 1786 –
Allen's Company of Comedians Allen's Company of Comedians was a British-Canadian theatre company, active from 1785 until 1790. They played an important pioneer role in the history of the Theatre of Canada as the first professional theatre company to perform in Canada. The Co ...
is the first professional theatre company to perform in the city. * 1787 – Prince William Henry, later William IV, arrives at Montreal on September 8. * 1787–1811 – John Reid is justice of the peace for the district of Montreal, which governs Montreal's affairs. * 1788 – ''
The Gazette The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...
'', formerly a French journal, appears in English. * 1789 –
Lord Grenville William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, (25 October 175912 January 1834) was a British Pittite Tory politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1806 to 1807, but was a supporter of the Whigs for the duration of ...
proposes that land in Upper Canada be held in free and common soccage, and that the tenure of Lower Canadian lands be optional with the inhabitants. * 1789 – May 4 – The justices of the peace, who govern Montreal's affairs, order "the price and assize of bread, for this month" to be: "the white loaf of 4lbs. at 13d., or 30 sous", etc., and that bakers of the city and suburbs do conform thereto, and mark their bread with their initials. * 1789 – Christ Church opens for service on December 20. * 1791 –
Edmund Burke Edmund Burke (; 12 January NS.html"_;"title="New_Style.html"_;"title="/nowiki>New_Style">NS">New_Style.html"_;"title="/nowiki>New_Style">NS/nowiki>_1729_–_9_July_1797)_was_an_ NS.html"_;"title="New_Style.html"_;"title="/nowiki>New_Style"> ...
supports the proposed constitution for Canada, saying that "To attempt to amalgamate two populations, composed of races of men diverse in language, laws and habitudes, is complete absurdity. Let the proposed constitution be founded on man's nature, the only solid basis for an enduring government." * 1792 – December 20 – a fortnightly mail is established between Canada and the United States. * 1792 – Opening of the first post office in Montreal on 20 December. * 1793 – Importation of slaves into Canada is prohibited on July 9. * 1799 – Mary Griffin obtains the lease to Griffintown from a business associate of Thomas McCord. * 1799 – The census of 1799 lists 9,000 inhabitants while that of 1761 lists 5,500. * 1799 – Citizens of Montreal petition to secure master's rights over slaves * 1799 – A measure respecting slavery in Lower Canada does not pass. * 1799 – Of twenty-one members of Council, in Lower Canada, six are
French Canadians French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
. * 1799 – The Court House is completed. * 1799 – January 3 – Parliament appropriates $5,000 for a new Montreal Court House. * 1800 – Alexander Skakel moves from Quebec City to Montreal and establishes the Classical and Mathematical School. This was the principal educational institution for the English-speaking population. * 1800 – Thomas Walker is elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Montreal County. * 1800 –
Thomas Porteous (merchant) Thomas Porteous (December 8, 1765 – February 2, 1830) was a merchant, seigneur and politician in Lower Canada. He represented Effingham in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1804 to 1808. Probably born in Quebec of Scottish ...
purchases the seigneury of Terrebonne.


19th century


1801–1819

* 1802 The first unofficial cavalry corps is formed in Montreal. * 1803–15 – With the Napoleonic Wars comes a demand for large amounts of squared timber for shipbuilding. Montreal is able to fulfil the demand, and this expansion of the city's economic base is reflected in a rise in population to 26,154 by the year 1825. * 1804–17 – The demolition of Montreal's fortifications takes 13 years, from 1804 to 1817. * 1805 – Thomas McCord returns to Montreal and recovers his land, which has been divided by Mary Griffin into streets and lots. The name Griffintown sticks. * 1805 –
Thomas Porteous (merchant) Thomas Porteous (December 8, 1765 – February 2, 1830) was a merchant, seigneur and politician in Lower Canada. He represented Effingham in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1804 to 1808. Probably born in Quebec of Scottish ...
opens a store at
Sainte-Thérèse-de-Blainville Blainville is a suburb of Montreal located on the North Shore in southwestern Quebec, Canada. Blainville forms part of the Thérèse-De Blainville Regional County Municipality within the Laurentides region of Quebec. The town sits at the foot of ...
, where he also produces potash. * 1807 – May – The Canadian Courant and Montreal Advertiser are first issued; owner and editor: Nahum Mower. * 1807 – The brothers James and Charles Brown begin publishing the Canadian Gazette/Gazette canadienne in July. * 1807 – An Act provides for a new market house in Montreal. * 1808 – In early 1808, sick and in debt, Edward Edwards sells the Montreal Gazette to the Browns, who the following month announce their plan to revive it. * 1808 – Importation of slaves is banned. * 1808 – July 12 – 5 privates of the 100th Regiment, Montreal, are charged with desertion and are transported as felons to New South Wales for 7 years, afterwards to serve as soldiers in that colony. * 1808-11 – A new prison is built. * 1809 – August 17 – The foundation of Nelson's Column is laid in Montreal. Installed on
Place Jacques-Cartier Place Jacques-Cartier (English: Jacques Cartier square) is a square located in Old Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is an entrance to the Old Port of Montreal. Overview In 1723, the Château Vaudreuil was built for Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Va ...
, this is the second monument to be erected in Montreal. * 1809 – November 3 – John Molson's steamboat
PS Accommodation The Canadian paddle steamer, paddlewheeler ''Accommodation'' was the first successful steamboat built entirely in North America.Marsh, John"Accommodation"in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. Volume 1, p.10. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988 Financed b ...
sails from Montreal to Quebec. It is 85 feet over all, has a 6 horse-power engine, makes the distance in 36 hours, but stops at night and reaches Quebec on the 6th. The
PS Accommodation The Canadian paddle steamer, paddlewheeler ''Accommodation'' was the first successful steamboat built entirely in North America.Marsh, John"Accommodation"in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. Volume 1, p.10. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988 Financed b ...
is the second steamboat in America and probably in the world. The fare for an adult is £2.10s.od =$10. * 1810 – John Jacob Astor founds the Pacific Fur Company. (His great-grandson, John Jacob Astor IV died on the RMS Titanic). * 1811 – Founding of the newspaper the
Montreal Herald This is a list of defunct newspapers of Quebec. 1770–1799 * ''La Gazette du commerce et littéraire pour la Ville & District de Montréal'', 1778, Montréal, Fleury Mesplet, printer, and Valentin Jautard, editor and journalist * '' La Gazette ...
by William Grey and Mungo Kay, founders, owners and publishers. * 1812 – June 18 – The United States declares war against Great Britain over territorial disputes in Canada ( War of 1812). * 1812 – July 11 – U.S. troops invade Canada. * 1814 – The Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain. * 1815 - John Molson builds the luxurious Mansion House Hotel on Rue St. Paul. * 1815 – March – Parliament votes $25,000 for Lachine Canal. * 1816 – Population of Montreal is about 16,000. * 1816 – The National School is opened. * 1816 – May 14 – Thomas A. Turner and
Robert Armour Robert Armour (June 13, 1781 – April 16, 1857) was a Canadian businessman and publisher. Born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, he immigrated to Montreal in 1798. He ran a merchandising business unsuccessfully, misspending public funds. In 1816 he join ...
, Esq., are appointed commissioners for the improvement of internal navigation between Montreal and Lachine, under the Provincial Act 48 George III, c. 19. * 1816-18 –
John Coape Sherbrooke General Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, (29 April 1764 – 14 February 1830) was a British soldier and colonial administrator. After serving in the British army in Nova Scotia, the Netherlands, India, the Mediterranean (including Sicily), and Spa ...
is the Governor General of British North America; Sherbrooke Street and the town of Sherbrooke later named after him. * 1817 – The
Bank of Montreal The Bank of Montreal (BMO; french: Banque de Montréal, link=no) is a Canadian multinational investment bank and financial services company. The bank was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1817 as Montreal Bank; while its head office remains in ...
begins operations in June. Mary Griffin's husband, Robert, is the first clerk. * 1817 – Guy Street is named on August 30 for
Étienne Guy Étienne Guy (February 16, 1774 – December 29, 1820) was a surveyor and political figure in Lower Canada. He was born in Montreal in 1774, the son of Pierre Guy, studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël and then spent over a year at the Col ...
, a notary who gave the city the land for the street. * 1818 – Saint Helen's Island was purchased by the British government.
Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène The Saint Helen Island Fort (french: Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène), a historic site on Saint Helen's Island in the city of Montreal, Quebec, was constructed in the early 1820s as an arsenal in the defensive chain of forts built to protect Canad ...
was built on the island as defences for the city, in consequence of the War of 1812. * 1819 – Darkness at noon on November 9.


1820–1839

* 1821 – The
Earl of Dalhousie Earl of Dalhousie, in the County of Midlothian, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, held by the Chief of Clan Ramsay. History The family descends from Sir George Ramsay, who represented Kincardineshire in the Scottish Parliament in 1617. ...
presents Dalhousie Square to Montreal * 1821 – March 31 – McGill University established by Royal Charter. * 1821 – Beginning of Lachine Canal excavations on July 17. * 1821 – The British garrison starts the construction of the
Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène The Saint Helen Island Fort (french: Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène), a historic site on Saint Helen's Island in the city of Montreal, Quebec, was constructed in the early 1820s as an arsenal in the defensive chain of forts built to protect Canad ...
. It is completed in 1823 and partially rebuilt in 1863 after a fire as a preventive measure against an eventual American attack. * 1822 – The first iron bridge is erected on March 8. * 1822 – May 1 – The Montreal General Hospital building is completed. * 1822 – In September, a whale (42 feet 8 inches in length, 6 feet across the back, and 7 feet deep) finds its way up the Saint Lawrence River. * 1824 –
Recollet The Recollects (french: Récollets) were a French reform branch of the Friars Minor, a Franciscan order. Denoted by their gray habits and pointed hoods, the Recollects took vows of poverty and devoted their lives to prayer, penance, and spirit ...
Convent opens as a school for Irish children. * 1824 – First Saint Patrick's Day Parade organized on March 17. * 1824 – Construction on the new Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) begins, designed by New York architect James O'Donnell, an Irish Protestant. * 1825 – The Lachine Canal is opened, and new industries spring up in the St. Antoine ward area as a direct outcome of the easier transport of goods. Shipping immediately increases and, along with the destruction of the city walls, Montreal comes to be an economic, rather than military, city. Gradually, the city's harbour facilities expand. In 1830 the wharves are rudimentary and stretched for only a short distance along De la Commune Street. * 1825 – First permanent theatre building in Montreal, Theatre Royal, is built by John Molson to attract bigger names to the city, which lacked such a venue. It costs the magnate $30,000. The building is demolished in 1844 and the site was used for the
Bonsecours Market Bonsecours Market (french: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of ...
. Another venue, also called Theatre Royal, was built not far away in Old Montreal; this building, too, no longer exists. * 1826–37 and 1842–99 – La Minerve published. * 1827 – Fleming windmill (13, avenue Strathyre) built. * 1829 – Most of Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) is now completed. Work continues for more than a decade on the two bell towers. A new skyline begins to develop. * 1830 – The Montreal harbour is officially incorporated. * 1831 – Alexis de Tocqueville visits Montreal in August–September. * 1832 – Charter of incorporation for the city of Montreal (27,000 inhabitants). * 1832 – Exchange Coffee House opens. * 1832 – Thousands of deaths by
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
in Montreal. * 1832–34 – Sainte-Anne Market built. * 1833 – Jacques Viger becomes the first mayor, elected by city councillors. * 1833 –
Coat of arms of Montreal The first coat of arms of Montreal was designed by Jacques Viger (mayor), Jacques Viger, the first mayor of Montreal, and adopted in 1833 by the city councillors. Modifications were made some one hundred five years later and adopted on 21 March ...
adopted. * 1833 – February 6 – General fast to pray for the end of the cholera epidemic. * 1833 – August 18 – First Trans-Atlantic steamship SS Royal William steams from Pictou, Nova Scotia. * 1834 – August 1 – Slavery comes to an end in all British territories, including British North America. * 1834 – Hundreds of deaths from
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
in Montreal. * 1836 – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal is made distinct from the diocese of Quebec on May 13, 1836. * 1836 – Montreal is lighted by the Montreal Gas Light Co. * 1836 – On July 21, the first railway line in British North America, the
Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad The Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad (C&SL) was a historic railway in Lower Canada, the first Canadian public railway and one of the first railways built in British North America. Origin The C&SL was financed by Montreal entrepreneur and br ...
connects La Prairie with
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu () is a city in eastern Montérégie in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec, about southeast of Montreal. It is situated on the west bank of the Richelieu River at the northernmost naviga ...
. * 1836 – Pied-du-Courant Prison opens. * 1837 – Britain refuses to grant more home rule in Canada, which leads to the Rebellions of 1837. * 1837 – On the November 6, a trifling skirmish between two political parties in the Place d'Armes begins the Lower Canada Rebellion. * 1838 – Coal gas street lighting is introduced. * 1838 – The
Old Montreal Custom House The Old Custom House (french: links=no, Ancienne-Douane) is a building in what is now Old Montreal, which served as Montreal's first custom house. The building was completed in 1836, designed by Montreal architect John Ostell in the Palladian rev ...
is completed * 1838 – The "Lord Sydenham" steamboat runs the Lachine Rapids. * 1838 – Montreal rebel leader Robert Nelson reads a declaration of independence to a crowd at
Napierville Napierville is a municipality in the Jardins de Napierville Regional County Municipality in Quebec, Canada, situated in the Montérégie administrative region. The population as of the 2021 Canadian Census was 4,020. It is the location of the ...
. * 1838 – November 3 – Second rebellion in Canada. * 1838 – December 21 – Execution of the rebels
Joseph-Narcisse Cardinal Joseph-Narcisse Cardinal (February 8, 1808 – December 21, 1838) was a notary and political figure in Lower Canada. He was the first person executed for taking part in the Lower Canada Rebellion. He was born in Saint-Constant in 1808, the son ...
and
Joseph Duquet Joseph Duquet (September 18, 1815 – December 21, 1838) was a notary in Lower Canada. He was executed for his part in the Lower Canada Rebellion. He was born in Châteauguay, Lower Canada in 1815. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Montré ...
, at Pied-du-Courant Prison. * 1839 – February 15 – Chevalier DeLorimier,
Charles Hindelang Charles Hindelang (March 29, 1810 – February 15, 1839) was a French-born military man who fought for the independence of Lower Canada (present-day Quebec). For these actions, he was hanged by the British authorities. Born in Paris, he also ha ...
, and others who joined the Rebellion are executed at Pied-du-Courant Prison. * 1839 – September 26 – Canadian rebels are transported to New South Wales.


1840–1859

* 1840 – The Act of Union combines Lower Canada and Upper Canada. * 1840 – August 19 – Lachine Rapids first navigated in a steamboat. * 1841 – There are now at least 6,500 Irish Catholics in Montreal. Most of the immigrants to Montreal settle in Griffintown, particularly in the area west of McGill Street (Montreal). In this district, the area between the Lachine Railroad and the Lachine Canal becomes a slum. Much like the French slums of Hochelaga Maisonneuve to the east. * 1841 – West Bell Tower of Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal), called "Perseverance" and housing the 10,900 kg bell "Le Gros Bourdon" / "Jean-Baptiste", completed. * 1842 – In May, Charles Dickens appears at Theatre Royal, in Montreal, surrounded by local talent. While Dickens is in Montreal he produces, directs and acts in three plays. * 1843 – The Cornwall Canal and the Chambly Canal are opened. * 1843 – Survey of the boundary between the U.S. and Canada is begun. * 1843 –
Montreal Police Service Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-p ...
established on March 15. * 1843 – The first labour strike in Canada occurs. The Lachine Canal was widened in the 1840s under conditions of bitter conflict between contractors and Irish labourers. * 1843 – After completion of the East Bell Tower of Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal), called "Temperance" and housing a ten-bell carillon, Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) is finally completed. * 1843 – Superior Joseph-Vincent Quiblier authorizes construction of St. Patrick's Church for the city's English-speaking Roman Catholics. * 1843 – Foundation of the religious congregation of the Sisters of Providence by Émilie Gamelin. * 1843 – Foundation of the religious congregation Saints-Noms-de-Jésus-et-de-Marie. * 1844 – Government moves from
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
to Montreal. * 1844 – The seat of the government of
Canada East Canada East (french: links=no, Canada-Est) was the northeastern portion of the United Province of Canada. Lord Durham's Report investigating the causes of the Upper and Lower Canada Rebellions recommended merging those two colonies. The new ...
and Canada West is moved from
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
to Montréal. * 1844 – Église Sainte-Geneviève (Montréal) completed. * 1845 –
Ottawa Hotel, Montreal The Ottawa Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was built in 1845 at 50 Saint Jacques Street by George Hall. It is a 19th-century example of an attempt to build a skyscraper. Hall had previously owned a hotel by the same name located at the corner o ...
built. * 1845 – Morgan's store opens. * 1846 – Foundation of the Montreal City and District Savings Bank, now known as the
Laurentian Bank The Laurentian Bank of Canada (LBC; french: Banque Laurentienne du Canada, link=no) is a Schedule I banks, Schedule 1 bank that operates primarily in the province of Quebec, with commercial and business banking offices located in Ontario, Alberta ...
. * 1847 – The
Montreal Telegraph Company The Montreal Telegraph Company was the first significant telegraph company in Canada. In 1847, early telegraph pioneer Orrin S. Wood was recruited to be president of the company, which rapidly established telegraph lines to Toronto and Quebec City ...
founded. In 1850, the year prior to
Hugh Allan Sir Hugh Allan (September 29, 1810 – December 9, 1882) was a Scottish-Canadian shipping magnate, financier and capitalist. By the time of his death, the Allan Shipping Line had become the largest privately owned shipping empire in the wor ...
's presidency, Montreal Telegraph Co operated merely 500 miles of line, all in the province of Canada. * 1847 – Telegraph service between Montréal and Toronto, between Montréal and Quebec City, and between Montréal and New York City established. * 1847 –
Bonsecours Market Bonsecours Market (french: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of ...
opened. It housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878. * 1847 – The railway from Montreal to Lachine is opened. * 1847 – Desbarats & Derbyshire (Georges-Édouard Desbarats and Stewart Derbyshire) start a glass factory at Vaudreuil. * 1847 – The first mass is celebrated in St. Patrick's Basilica on St. Patrick's Day, March 17. * 1847 – September 1 –
Lord Elgin Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the h ...
visits the
fever shed A pest house, plague house, pesthouse or fever shed was a type of building used for persons afflicted with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox or typhus. Often used for forcible quarantine, many towns and cities had one ...
s at
Windmill Point Goose Village (French: "Village-aux-Oies") was a neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its official but less commonly used name was Victoriatown, after the adjacent Victoria Bridge, Montreal, Victoria Bridge. The neighbourhood was built ...
. * 1847 – October 23 – 65 immigrants die in a week at Windmill Point. * 1847 – November 1–9, 634 deaths of mostly Irish immigrants since January 1. * 1847 – November – Death of
John Easton Mills John Easton Mills (October 14, 1796 – November 12, 1847) served briefly as mayor of Montreal, Quebec. In March 1846, Montreal city council deadlocked on the choice of a mayor. Mills had ten votes, and incumbent mayor James Ferrier had ni ...
, mayor of Montreal, as he tends the sick in the fever sheds * 1847–48 – In all, between 3,500 and 6,000 Irish immigrants die of the
Typhus epidemic of 1847 The typhus epidemic of 1847 was an outbreak of epidemic typhus caused by a massive Irish emigration in 1847, during the Great Famine, aboard crowded and disease-ridden "coffin ships". Canada In Canada, more than 20,000 people died from 1847 to ...
at Windmill Point. * 1848 – January 2 – Wellington and Commissioners streets flooded. * 1848 – July 5 – Run on the Savings Bank, Montreal, followed by re-deposit. * 1848 – Foundation of the religious congregation of Sisters of Mercy. * 1849 –
Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal The burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal was an important event in pre-Confederation Canadian history and occurred on the night of April 25, 1849, in Montreal, the then-capital of the Province of Canada. It is considered a crucial mo ...
. * 1849 – Beauharnois Canal is opened. * 1849 – April 25 – For sanctioning the Rebellion Losses Bill,
Lord Elgin Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the h ...
is mobbed and the Parliament House in Montreal is burned. Parliament will now sit alternately in Quebec and Toronto. * 1850 –
Anglican Diocese of Montreal The Diocese of Montreal is a diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada of the Anglican Church of Canada, in turn a province of the Anglican Communion. The diocese comprises the encompassing the City and Island of Montreal, the Laurentide ...
established. * 1850 – Opening of the Ann Street School. * 1850 – Beginning of the dredging of the St. Lawrence to allow seagoing ships to reach to Montreal. * 1851 – Grand Trunk Railway Company formed. * 1851 – November 19 – First YMCA on the continent opened in Montreal. * 1851–53 – Église Saint-Pierre-Apôtre de Montréal built. * 1852 –
Laval University Laval means ''The Valley'' in old French and is the name of: People * House of Laval, a French noble family originating from the town of Laval, Mayenne * Laval (surname) Places Belgium * Laval, a village in the municipality of Sainte-Ode, Luxemb ...
is opened. * 1852 – July 8 – Beginning of
Great Fire of 1852 The Great Fire of 1852 was a fire in Montreal that began on July 8, 1852, and left as many as 10,000 people homeless (at a time when the city's population was only 57,000) and destroyed almost half of the city's housing. The fire occurred at a tim ...
, which burns 11,000 houses in Montreal; 20% of the eastern side of the city is devastated. * 1853 – The first screw steamer up the Saint Lawrence River arrives from Liverpool. Canadian Steam Navigation Company runs regular services from Liverpool and Glasgow to Quebec City and Montreal, twice a month in summer and once a month in winter. * 1853 – May 23 – First charter for steamers from Montreal to Great Britain. * 1853 – June 9 –
Alessandro Gavazzi Alessandro Gavazzi (21 March 18099 January 1889) was an Italian preacher and patriot. He at first became a monk (1825), and attached himself to the Barnabites at Naples, where he afterwards (1829) acted as professor of rhetoric. He left the chur ...
's anticlerical speeches at Montreal's First Congregational Church (Zion Church) spark riots that kill 40 people. * 1853 – June 18 – The Grand Trunk Railway opens to
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
.
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
becomes the primary ice-free winter seaport for Canadian exports. * 1853 – July 22 – Pier No.1 of the
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
is begun. * 1853 – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce built. * 1854 – Villa Maria founded. * 1854 – July – Six Nations Indians offer to fight the Queen's enemies anywhere * 1854 – July 20 – The first stone of the
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
across the
St. Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...
is laid. * 1854 – August 2 – First coffer-dam of
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
ready for masonry. * 1854 – October 16 – Twenty-one vessels in port at Montreal. * 1854 – St. Ann's Church is consecrated, becoming the centre of Griffintown life; it opens on December 8 ( Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and was designed by
John Ostell John Ostell (7 August 1813 – 6 April 1892) architect, surveyor and manufacturer, was born in London, England and emigrated to Canada in 1834, where he apprenticed himself to a Montreal surveyor André Trudeau to learn French methods of surve ...
. The Sulpicians donated the land for the church and provided the Irish-born pastors: Father Michael O'Brien, Father Michael O'Farrell and Father James Hogan (priest 1867–1884). Some residents of Griffintown claim that St. Ann's ("down the hill") was actually more of a center for the Irish in Montreal than St. Patrick's Basilica, Montreal's ("up the hill") was, since most of the city's Irish lived in Griffintown. It will be demolished in 1970. * 1854 –
Cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
kills more than 1,000 citizens. * 1854 –
Canada Steamship Lines Inc. Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) is a shipping company with headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The business has been operating for well over a century and a half. Beginnings CSL had humble beginnings in Canada East in 1845, operating river boa ...
established. * 1855 – The
Redpath Sugar Redpath Sugar Ltd. (french: Sucre Redpath Ltée) is a Canadian sugar refining company that was established in 1854 and the first refining cane sugar in Montreal, Quebec. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario (with an additional packaging plant in Bel ...
Refinery opens. * 1855 –
Hugh Allan Sir Hugh Allan (September 29, 1810 – December 9, 1882) was a Scottish-Canadian shipping magnate, financier and capitalist. By the time of his death, the Allan Shipping Line had become the largest privately owned shipping empire in the wor ...
and Andrew Allan establish the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company, with four steamships fortnightly. * 1855 – October 19 – G.T. Railway is open to Brockville. * 1856 – Montreal's Water Works made ready for use * 1856 – The
Allan Allan may refer to: People * Allan (name), a given name and surname, including list of people and characters with this name * Allan (footballer, born 1984) (Allan Barreto da Silva), Brazilian football striker * Allan (footballer, born 1989) ...
's four steamships, between Montreal and Liverpool bring 3,031 passengers, Westward (average voyage 13 days). * 1856 – September 16 – Balloon ascension from Griffintown, in the "Canada" * 1856 – The Grand Trunk Railway begins through passenger service between Montreal and Toronto on October 27 with great celebrations being held in
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
to celebrate this accomplishment. * 1856 – December 10 – Burning of Christ Church Cathedral (Montreal). * 1857 – June 13–26 ocean steamships at Montreal today * 1857 – June 26 – Fire on board the steamer "Montreal" en route from Quebec to Montreal – 253 lives lost, including
Stephen C. Phillips Stephen Clarendon Phillips (November 4, 1801 – June 26, 1857) was a Representative from Massachusetts. Phillips was born in Salem, Massachusetts, to Stephen and Dorcas (Woodbridge) Phillips. He was a descendant of Rev. George Phillips of Wate ...
. * 1857 – September 7 – 500 of the 39th Regiment leave Montreal, possibly for the Crimea. * 1857 – Saint-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End Church completed. * 1857 – The lower part of Griffintown entirely submerged by river flooding. * 1857–2000 – Seagram opens. The former Seagram headquarters in Montreal now belongs to McGill University under the name
Martlet House Martlet House (formerly Seagram House) is a Scottish baronial style building at 1430 Peel Street in Downtown Montreal, Quebec. The building was completed in 1928 by architect , with additions in 1931, 1947 and 1955. Previously the Montreal headq ...
. * 1858 – Formation of
the Royal Canadian Regiment , colors = , identification_symbol_2 = Maple Leaf (2nd Bn pipes and drums) , identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol_4 = The RCR , identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation , mar ...
. * 1858 – January 27 – The Queen names Ottawa the seat of government * 1858 – February 20 – In Griffintown, beds stand in three feet of water * 1858 – Riots and street fights run rampant through Griffintown on election day when
D'Arcy McGee Thomas D'Arcy McGee (13 April 18257 April 1868) was an Irish-Canadian politician, Catholic spokesman, journalist, poet, and a Father of Canadian Confederation. The young McGee was an Irish Catholic who opposed British rule in Ireland, and was ...
is chosen to represent the Montreal West riding, including Griffintown, in the federal government. * 1859 – Mgr Ignace Bourget condemns the
Institut canadien de Montréal The Institut canadien de Montréal (English; Canadian Institute of Montreal) was founded on 17 December 1844, by a group of 200 young liberal professionals in Montreal, Canada East, Province of Canada. The Institute provided a public library and d ...
, excommunicating its members, and on July 7, 1869, Rome adds the institute's ''Annuaire'' for the year 1868 to the Catholic Church's
Index of prohibited books The ''Index Librorum Prohibitorum'' ("List of Prohibited Books") was a list of publications deemed heretical or contrary to morality by the Sacred Congregation of the Index (a former Dicastery of the Roman Curia), and Catholics were forbidden ...
. * 1859 – December 12 – The
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
opens. * 1859 – December 17 – The first passenger train passes through the
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
. * 1859 – The Black Rock is erected by canal workers on Bridge St. to honour the Windmill Point victims of cholera. * 1859 – Foundation of the
National Bank of Canada The National Bank of Canada (french: Banque Nationale du Canada) is the sixth largest commercial bank in Canada. It is headquartered in Montreal, and has branches in most Canadian provinces and 2.4 million personal clients. National Bank is the ...
.


1860–1879

* 1860 –
Victoria Square, Montreal Victoria Square (french: Square Victoria) is a town square and public space in the Quartier International de Montréal (also called the International Quarter) area of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at the intersection of Beaver Hall Hill and ...
opens. * 1860 – February 20 – The wreck of the
Allan Line The Allan Shipping Line was started in 1819, by Alexander Allan (ship-owner), Captain Alexander Allan of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, trading and transporting between Scotland and Montreal, a route which quickly became synonymous with the Allan Line. By th ...
steamship
SS Hungarian SS ''Hungarian'' was a transatlantic steamship of the Canadian Allan Line that was launched in 1858, completed in 1859, and sank in 1860. William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton, Scotland launched her on September 25, 1858. She was powered by a ...
with a number of Montrealers on board. * 1860 – May – Crystal Palace built for the Montreal Industrial Exhibition of 1860. * 1860 – August 25 – The Prince of Wales visits Montreal. * 1860 – August 25 – Opening of the Victoria Railway Bridge. * 1860 – November 27 – Opening of the Christ Church Cathedral (Montreal). * 1861 – The street horsecar is introduced as public transportation on 27 November. It was operated by Montreal City Passenger Railway Company 1861–1886. * 1861 – Griffintown again flooded. * 1861 – January – British troops ordered to Canada. * 1861 – January 18 – A meeting in Montreal, respecting extradition of
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
, a slave charged with murder, is addressed by Hon. Messrs. * 1861 – February –
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
not to be surrendered without instructions from England. * 1861 – April 15 – Great inundation at Montreal. * 1861 – June 13 – Prince Alfred visits Montreal. * 1861 – June 6 – Formation of the Canada Presbyterian Church by fusion of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian body. * 1861 – December – Six steamers chartered to bring troops to Canada. * 1861 –
St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church (Montreal) St. John the Evangelist is a parish of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal in the Anglican Church of Canada in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, founded by Father Edmund Wood in 1861; its church is well known in Montreal as the "Red Roof Church", which was ...
founded. * 1862 – The Montreal Corn Exchange Association is organized. * 1862 – Montreal Sailor's Institute founded. * 1862 – Ocean steamers trading to Montreal have increased from 5,545 tons in 1854, to 62,912; other ocean vessels from 58,416 to 195,348 tons. * 1862 – January – Military companies are organizing throughout Canada. * 1862 – January 4 –
Victoria Bridge Victoria Bridge may be a reference to: Bridges ;Australia * Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, a road bridge across the Brisbane River in Brisbane * Victoria Bridge, Devonport a road ridge across the Mersey River in Devonport, Tasmania * Victoria Bridge, M ...
is guarded to prevent its destruction, threatened from the USA. * 1862 – April 2 – By-law to establish a Montreal Fire Department. * 1862 – May 20 – The Montreal Water Works are commenced. * 1863 – Bounties for USA recruits and substitutes often reach $2,000, inducing kidnapping and contraventions of the British Foreign Enlistment Act, for which heavy bail is exacted. * 1863 – Fire Alarm established on January 19. * 1863 – May 12 – Protestant House of Refuge in Montreal incorporated. * 1863 – Art Association of Montreal incorporated. * 1864 – The Montreal City Passenger Railway Company has 10 miles of track, $240,000 paid capital and carries 1,485,725 passengers at 5 cents each. * 1864 – In October, delegates from across British North America developed the terms for Confederation at a three-week conference in Quebec City. After the Quebec Conference, there remained the task of selling Confederation to the citizens. * 1864 – November 10 – Continued examination of raiders at Montreal. * 1865 – The Parliament of Upper Canada and Lower Canada favors Confederation. * 1865 – The Montreal Board of Trade Building erected in 1855 is burned. * 1865 – July 11–14 – Convention at Detroit to promote a new Reciprocity treaty. Montrealers attend, but only to give desired information. The Convention passes resolutions favouring a new Reciprocity treaty. * 1865 – December 3 –
Church of the Gesu Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...
opened. It was built and designed by Irish architect Patrick Keely. * 1866 – Molson Bank Building, Montreal built. * 1866 – The Montreal Glass Co., at Hudson, makes chimneys, bottles and insulators. * 1866 – March 13 – The Prince of Wales Regiment and Battery of Artillery leave Montreal to repel Fenian invaders. * 1866 – March 17 – The Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty terminates * 1866 – July 18 – The 47th Regiment reaches Montreal from
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
. * 1866 – First successful transatlantic telegraph cable is laid. * 1867 –
Canada East Canada East (french: links=no, Canada-Est) was the northeastern portion of the United Province of Canada. Lord Durham's Report investigating the causes of the Upper and Lower Canada Rebellions recommended merging those two colonies. The new ...
becomes the Province of Quebec. * 1867 – March – Cornerstone of St. Patrick's Hall, Montreal, laid * 1867 – July 1 – The Dominion of Canada is formed by the confederation of several provinces. * 1868 –
Thomas D'Arcy McGee Thomas D'Arcy McGee (13 April 18257 April 1868) was an Irish-Canadian politician, Catholic spokesman, journalist, poet, and a Father of Canadian Confederation. The young McGee was an Irish Catholic who opposed British rule in Ireland, and w ...
is
assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
by pistol shot in April. He is given a state funeral in
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
and interred in the
Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery (french: Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges) is a rural cemetery located in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montreal, Quebec, Canada which was founded in 1854. The entrance and the grounds run a ...
.
Patrick J. Whelan Patrick James Whelan (c. 1840 – 11 February 1869) was a suspected Fenian supporter executed following the 1868 assassination of Irish journalist and politician Thomas D'Arcy McGee. He maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, but ...
, a Fenian sympathizer, is accused, tried, convicted, and hanged for the crime. * 1869 –
First transcontinental railroad North America's first transcontinental railroad (known originally as the "Pacific Railroad" and later as the " Overland Route") was a continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail netwo ...
completed on May 10. * 1869 – Red River Rebellion. * 1869 –
Collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur Collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur is a subsidized, private French language co-education secondary school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur shares its name with the University of Notre Dame, which was also founded by ...
established. * 1869 – Montreal Star founded. * 1870 – Second Fenian Raid * 1872 – Montreal Exchange created. * 1872 – Montreal Royals founded. * 1872–78 – Montreal City Hall is built. * 1872 – November 21, Lord Dufferin, the Governor-General, formally presents the statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Square to the city. * 1873–82 – Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes de Montréal built. * 1874 – Saint Helen's Island becomes a fashionable park. * 1874 – Shaughnessy House built for
Duncan McIntyre Duncan MacIntyre or Duncan McIntyre may refer to: * Duncan Ban MacIntyre (1724–1812), Scottish Gaelic poet * Duncan MacIntyre (New Zealand politician) (1915–2001), New Zealand politician * Duncan McIntyre (businessman) (1834–1894), Canadian b ...
by architect William T. Thomas. McIntyre sells it to
William Van Horne Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, (February 3, 1843September 11, 1915) is most famous for overseeing the construction of the first Canadian transcontinental railway, a project that was completed in 1885, in under half the projected time. He succe ...
who in turn sells it to
Thomas Shaughnessy Thomas George Shaughnessy, 1st Baron Shaughnessy, (6 October 1853 – 10 December 1923) was an American-Canadian railway administrator who rose from modest beginnings as a clerk and bookkeeper for the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad (a prede ...
. The house is declared a national historic site in 1974 and is now part of the Canadian Centre for Architecture. * 1875 – September 2 – The Guibord case occasions some ill feeling in Montreal, but by the energetic action of Dr.
William Hales Hingston Sir William Hales Hingston (29 June 1829 – 19 February 1907) was a Canadian physician, politician, banker, and Senator. Biography Born in Hinchinbrooke near Huntingdon, Quebec, he received his MDCM from McGill University in 1851. ...
, the Mayor, there are no riots. * 1875 – Hockey, in the form known today, is first played in Montreal in 1875, according to rules devised by James George Aylwin Creighton, a McGill University student. * 1875 – June 15 – Formation of the
Presbyterian Church in Canada The Presbyterian Church in Canada (french: Église presbytérienne du Canada) is a Presbyterian denomination, serving in Canada under this name since 1875. The United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939. According to ...
. * 1875 –
Montreal Academy of Music The Academy of Music (fr: Académie de musique), sometimes referred to as the Montreal Academy of Music, was a theatre and concert hall in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that opened in 1875 and was demolished in 1910. History The Academy of Music was bui ...
inaugurated. * 1875 – Montreal and New York City are now linked by train. * 1876 – Dorchester Square opened. * 1876 – Place du Canada opened. * 1876 – Inauguration of Mount Royal Park on May 24. * 1877 –
Thomas George Roddick Sir Thomas George Roddick (July 31, 1846 – February 20, 1923) was a Canadian surgeon, medical administrator, politician, and founder of the Medical Council of Canada born in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland He is known for his work in helping ...
introduces Lister's antiseptic methods to the Montreal General Hospital. * 1877 – The first telephone conversation in Quebec. * 1878 – Université de Montréal is established. * 1878 – Windsor Hotel completed. * 1876 – Mount Royal Park opened. * 1879 – Mary Gallagher is murdered by jealous rival Susan Kennedy on June 27. It is a sensational story. It's said Gallagher's ghost returns every seven years to haunt Griffintown. * 1879 – In a strange turn of events, Michael Flanagan, cleared of all charges regarding the death of Mary Gallagher, is loading barges in the Wellington Basin when he falls and drowns on December 5, the very same day Susan Kennedy was supposed to be hanged.


1880–1900

* 1881 –
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...
visits in November, remarks that "this is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window." * 1882 – Redpath Museum established. * 1882 – Opening of the Montreal- Sorel railway. * 1882 – Montreal has its first electric lighting. * 1883 – First winter carnival in Montreal. * 1883–1985 –
Montreal Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...
opens. * 1883–84 – Dalhousie train station is built. * 1884–1933 – Montreal Hockey Club established. * 1884 – First issue of the newspaper La Presse. * 1884–1920 – Mount Royal Funicular Railway brings sightseers to the top of Mount Royal. * 1885 – Last Spike (Canadian Pacific Railway) on November 7. * 1885 – The Fraser-Hickson Library opened. * 1885 – Saint-Joachim de Pointe-Claire completed. * 1885 – A smallpox epidemic in February kills 3,164 Montrealers (out of over 150,000 inhabitants). * 1885–86 – Massive flooding and fires recorded in Griffintown. * 1886 – First
Trans Canada Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trans (festival), a former festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * ''Trans'' (film ...
train departure on June 28. * 1886 – On July 4, the first scheduled
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
transcontinental passenger train reaches Vancouver, after travelling for five days, 19 hours. * 1886 – Worst flooding recorded – also two major fires. * 1886 – Dominion Bridge Company founded. * 1887–1889 –
Windsor Station (Montreal) Windsor Station (french: Gare Windsor) is a former railway station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It used to be the city's Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station, and served as the headquarters of CPR from 1889 to 1996. It is bordered by Avenue de ...
built. * 1888 –
Lafontaine Park La Fontaine Park (french: Parc La Fontaine) is a urban park located in the borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Named in honour of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, The park's features include two linked ponds with a foun ...
created. * 1888 – Mont-Saint-Louis College is founded. * 1889 –
Saint James United Church (Montreal) , image = Église St James Mtl.jpg , imagesize = , imagealt = , caption = St. James United Church on Saint Catherine Street in Downtown Montreal. , pushpin map = Montrea ...
built in June. * 1890 – Sanctuaire du Saint-Sacrement built. * 1891–94 –
Monument-National The Monument-National is a historic Canadian theatre located at 1182 Saint Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, Quebec. With a capacity of over 1,600 seats, the venue was erected between 1891 and 1894 and was originally the cultural centre of the Sain ...
built. * 1892 – April 3 –
Bonsecours Market Bonsecours Market (french: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of ...
sustains its fourth serious fire. The uninsured loss is $20,000. * 1892 – The era of public transportation in Montreal begins with the inauguration of the electric tram. The trams constitute a practical way to get from one end of the city to the other, especially for workers. * 1893 – Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal established. * 1893 – The Montreal Hockey Club is the first hockey team to win the newly donated
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
. * 1893 – Jacques Cartier Monument unveiled. * 1894 –
Pioneers Monument Obelisk (Montreal) The Pioneers' Monument Obelisk is a monument in Old Montreal. Overview The granite obelisk commemorates the founding of Fort Ville-Marie, later to become Montreal close to this spot on May 17, 1642. The monument was erected by the Sociét ...
unveiled on May 17. * 1894 – Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral consecrated. * 1895 – The monument in memory of
Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve Paul de Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve (15 February 1612 9 September 1676) was a French military officer and the founder of Fort Ville-Marie (modern day Montreal) in New France (Province of Quebec, Canada). Early life Maisonneuve was born in ...
, by artist
Louis-Philippe Hébert Louis-Philippe Hébert (1850–1917) was a Canadian sculptor. He is considered one of the best sculptors of his generation. Career Hébert was the son of Théophile Hébert, a farmer, and Julie Bourgeois of Ste-Sophie de Mégantic, Quebec. At ag ...
, was unveiled on July 1 on Place d'Armes. * 1896 – Motion pictures are first shown in Canada for the first time at the Palace Theatre at 972 St. Lawrence, corner Viger, on June 27. * 1897 – ''Lion of Belfort'' (Montreal) unveiled on May 24. * 1897 – A survey of living conditions is conducted by Mr. Herbert Brown Ames. He points out the discrepancy in living conditions between wealthy areas of Montreal ('the upper city') and the areas inhabited by the working class ('the city below the hill'): "The sanitary accommodation of 'the city below the hill' is a disgrace to any nineteenth century city on this or any other continent. I presume there is hardly a house in all the upper city without modern plumbing, and yet in the lower city not less than half the homes have indoor water-closet privileges. In Griffintown only one home in four is suitably equipped, beyond the canal (in Pointe-Saint-Charles) it is but little better. Our city by-law prohibits the erection of further out-door closets, but it contains no provision for eradicating those already in use." * 1897 – Canadian Car and Foundry's history goes back to 1897, but the main company is established in 1909 from an amalgamation of several companies and later becomes part of Hawker Siddeley Canada through the purchase of
Avro Canada Avro Canada was a Canadian aircraft manufacturing company. It was founded in 1945 as an aircraft plant and within 13 years became the third-largest company in Canada, one of the largest 100 companies in the world, and directly employing over 5 ...
in the late 1950s. * 1898 –
Place Viger Place Viger was both a grand hotel and railway station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, constructed in 1898 and named after Jacques Viger, the first Mayor of the city. Although combined stations and hotels were common in the United Kingdom in the la ...
constructed. * 1898 –
Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal The Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal is a district general hospital in the Cartierville neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, bordering on Saint-Laurent. It is one of the largest teaching hospitals affiliated with the Université de M ...
founded on June 1. * 1898–1903 – Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church built. * 1899 – The Montreal Shamrocks win the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
. * 1899 – Incorporation of Loyola College on March 10. * 1899 – October 30 – The First Canadian Contingent of the Boer War sets sail to South Africa on the SS Sardinian of the
Allan Line The Allan Shipping Line was started in 1819, by Alexander Allan (ship-owner), Captain Alexander Allan of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, trading and transporting between Scotland and Montreal, a route which quickly became synonymous with the Allan Line. By th ...
, bearing Canada's initial quota of fighting men, including the men of "E Company" of Montreal. * 1899 – In the afternoon of November 21, Montrealers see their first car. At the wheel of this first steam-powered automobile is Ucal-Henri Dandurand, accompanied by Mayor Raymond Préfontaine. They descend steep Côte du Beaver Hall without difficulty and climb back up through the streets in the same fashion. * 1899 – Construction of a dam in the Old Port of Montreal: there will be no more flooding. * 1900 – The Montreal Shamrocks win the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
.


20th century


1901–1919

* 1901 – Montreal Light, Heat & Power established. * 1901 – The city counted 1033 men and 4 women in the Chinese community. Clustered together along
Saint Laurent Boulevard Saint Laurent Boulevard, also known as Saint Lawrence Boulevard (officially in french: boulevard Saint-Laurent), is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A commercial artery and cultural heritage site, the street runs north–south through ...
and De la Gauchetière Street, various Chinese establishments also serve as living quarters for the first Chinese Montrealers and, from the end of the 19th century onwards, constitute a distinctive neighbourhood:
Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
. * 1901–1903 – Église Saint-Léon de Westmount built. * 1903 – Monument to Ignace Bourget is unveiled in front of Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral on June 24. Sculptor
Louis-Philippe Hébert Louis-Philippe Hébert (1850–1917) was a Canadian sculptor. He is considered one of the best sculptors of his generation. Career Hébert was the son of Théophile Hébert, a farmer, and Julie Bourgeois of Ste-Sophie de Mégantic, Quebec. At ag ...
. * 1903 – General strike by the tram employees of Montreal on February 6. * 1904 – Montreal Children's Hospital founded. * 1904 – During the
federal election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...
,
Léo-Ernest Ouimet Léo-Ernest Ouimet (March 16, 1877 - March 2, 1972) was a Canadian film pioneer. He was a theater operator, filmmaker, producer, and distributor. Early life Ouimet was born on March 16, 1877 in Laval, Quebec. He planned a career in electrical ...
uses his kinetoscope to project election results on to the front wall of the newspaper La Patrie. * 1906 – Opening of the first cinema in Montreal. The Ouimetoscope is inaugurated on January 1. * 1906 –
Dominion Park Dominion Park was an amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, situated between Notre-Dame Street (near Haig Avenue) and the Saint Lawrence River in the early twentieth century. The park opened on June 2, 1906 and was shuttered in 1937, survivin ...
opens. * 1906 – First demonstration of a zeppelin in Montreal. * 1906 –
Dominion Car and Foundry Dominion Car and Foundry was a railcar maker based in Montreal and later merged to form Canadian Car and Foundry in 1909. DCF's history dates back before the company's formal incorporation in 1906. In 1902 Simplex Railway and Appliance Company of ...
incorporated. * 1907 – Boer War Memorial unveiled on May 24. * 1907 – Inauguration of Blue Bonnets Horse Race track on June 14. * 1907 – Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine founded. * 1907 – Canadian Express built. * 1909 – March 17 - Runaway train crashes into
Windsor Station (Montreal) Windsor Station (french: Gare Windsor) is a former railway station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It used to be the city's Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station, and served as the headquarters of CPR from 1889 to 1996. It is bordered by Avenue de ...
. * 1909 – December 4 – Montreal Canadiens are founded * 1909 –
Jubilee Arena The Jubilee Arena also known as Jubilee Rink and l'Aréna Jubilee was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was located at the area bounded by rue Alphonse-D. Roy Street (then known as rue Malborough) and rue Ste. Catherine Est. ...
opens. * 1909 – Jeanne Mance Monument unveiled on September 2. * 1909 –
Canada Car Company Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F), also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry" or more familiarly as "Can Car", was a manufacturer of buses, railway rolling stock, forestry equipment, and later aircraft for the Canadian market. CC&F history g ...
merges with several other companies to form Canadian Car and Foundry. * 1909–56 – The
Montreal and Southern Counties Railway The Montreal and Southern Counties Railway Company (often abbreviated M&SCRC or M&SC) was an electric interurban streetcar line that served communities between Montreal and Granby from 1909 until 1956. A second branch served the city of Longueu ...
is an interurban streetcar line that ran between Montréal and Granby. * 1910 – Great Eucharistic Congress in Montreal on September 6. * 1911 – Église Saint-Viateur d'Outremont built. * 1912 – April 15 – The sinking of the steamship Titanic with a number of Montrealers on board. * 1912 – September 3 – Jack Haney on "The first Trans-Canada Auto trip" (Halifax: August 27, 1912, to Victoria: October 17, 1912) arrives in Montreal. * 1912 – December 31 – Ritz-Carlton Montreal opens. * 1912 – Saint Helen's Island Lighthouse built. It is located below the
Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène The Saint Helen Island Fort (french: Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène), a historic site on Saint Helen's Island in the city of Montreal, Quebec, was constructed in the early 1820s as an arsenal in the defensive chain of forts built to protect Canad ...
at the west side of the island in Montreal harbor. * 1912–14 – Maisonneuve Market is built. This Beaux-Arts building is the crowning achievement of architect Marius Dufresne. * 1913 – Establishment of a permanent Yiddish theatre troupe in Montreal. * 1914 – May 29 – The sinking of the steamship
RMS Empress of Ireland RMS ''Empress of Ireland'' was a British-built ocean liner that sank near the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River in Canada following a collision in thick fog with the Norwegian Collier (ship), collier in the early hours of 29 May 1914. Althoug ...
with a number of Montrealers on board. * 1914 – Jewish Public Library (Montreal) founded. * 1914 – The Edward VII Monument is unveiled in Phillips Square on October 1. * 1914 – Foundation of the Catholic Working Federation of Montreal. * 1915 – May 7 – The sinking of the
RMS Lusitania RMS ''Lusitania'' (named after the Roman province in Western Europe corresponding to modern Portugal) was a British ocean liner that was launched by the Cunard Line in 1906 and that held the Blue Riband appellation for the fastest Atlanti ...
with a number of Montrealers on board. * 1915 – Inauguration of new custom house at 105 McGill Street (Montreal). * 1916 – March 1 – Fire burns the Grand Trunk Railway Station. * 1917 –
Conscription Crisis of 1917 The Conscription Crisis of 1917 (french: Crise de la conscription de 1917) was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I. It was mainly caused by disagreement on whether men should be conscripted to fight in the war, but also b ...
: riots break out in the streets of Montréal. * 1918 – Province of Quebec puts Montreal under its direct control. * 1918 – The Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau is established. * 1918 – Mount Royal Tunnel completed. First train under the mountain on October 21; it transports soldiers leaving for Sevastopol in Russia. * 1918 –
Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...
created. * 1919 – CINW (originally XWA) Montreal is the first radio station to broadcast regular programming, on December 1. * 1919 – Montreal Bagel Bakery on
Saint Laurent Boulevard Saint Laurent Boulevard, also known as Saint Lawrence Boulevard (officially in french: boulevard Saint-Laurent), is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A commercial artery and cultural heritage site, the street runs north–south through ...
opened by Isadore Shlafman, introducing the Montreal-style bagel. The bakery moved in the 1950s to become
Fairmount Bagel Fairmount Bagel is a Montreal-style bagel bakery in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the Mile End neighbourhood of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. The first location opened on September 7, 1919 on Saint-Laurent Boulevard by Isadore Shlafman. The curren ...
. * 1919 –
Church of the Madonna della Difesa The Church of the Madonna della Difesa ( it, Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa, french: Église de Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense) is a Catholic church in the neighbourhood of Little Italy in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built by Italian immigrant ...
inaugurated. * 1919 – The Montreal Clock Tower cornerstone is laid by the Prince of Wales, on October 31. It is completed in 1922. * 1919 – On November 22, the city's first regular bus service is launched on St-Étienne Street, better known as Bridge St.


1920–1939

* 1920 – The Prohibition movement in the United States turns Montreal night life into a haven for Americans looking for
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
. * 1922 –
CKAC CKAC is a French-language radio station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Owned by Cogeco, the station operates as a commercial traffic information service branded as ''Radio Circulation 730''. Its studios are located at Place Bonaventure in ...
radio makes its first broadcast September 22. This is the world's first commercial station broadcasting in French. * 1923 – The congregation Notre-Dame de Montréal is founded by
Marie Lacoste Gérin-Lajoie Marie Lacoste Gérin-Lajoie (19 October 1867 – 1 November 1945) was a Canadian feminist. She was a professor at the Université de Montréal, and a self-taught legal expert (her father and husband were both lawyers, and she had access to their b ...
. * 1923–83 –
Belmont Park, Montreal Belmont Park (French: ''Parc Belmont'') was an amusement park that operated between 1923 and 1983 in the Montreal neighborhood of Cartierville in Quebec, Canada. Located on the banks of Riviere des Prairies, Belmont Park was best known for its ...
begins operations. * 1924 – An illuminated Mount Royal cross is installed by the
Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society (french: Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste) is an institution in Quebec dedicated to the protection of Quebec francophone interests and to the promotion of Quebec sovereignism. It is known as the oldest patriotic assoc ...
. * 1924 – Samuel Bronfman sets up shop as a distributor, founding the Distillers Corporation in Montréal, specializing in cheap whiskey, and takes advantage of
prohibition in the United States In the United States from 1920 to 1933, a Constitution of the United States, nationwide constitutional law prohibition, prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol industry was curtai ...
. Distillers Corporation acquires Joseph E. Seagram & Sons of Waterloo, Ontario from the heirs of Joseph Seagram in 1928. * 1924–25 – Saint-Ambroise Church built. * 1925 – June 10 – Canada's Methodist churches, Congregational churches, and a large portion of its Presbyterian churches join to form the United Church of Canada. * 1925 – Power Corporation of Canada founded. * 1926 –
Montreal Curb Market/Canadian Stock Exchange The Montreal Exchange (MX; french: Bourse de Montréal), formerly the Montreal Stock Exchange (MSE), is a derivatives exchange, located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that trades futures contracts and options on equities, indices, currencies, ETFs, ...
created. * 1926 – The Patriotes Monument was unveiled on June 24 (
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (french: Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste, la Saint-Jean, Fête nationale du Québec), also known in English as ''St John the Baptist Day'', is a holiday celebrated on June 24 in the Canadian province of Quebec Que ...
); it is the work of Alfred Laliberté. On each of its three faces a carved bronze medallion represents
Chevalier de Lorimier Chevalier may refer to: Honours Belgium * a rank in the Belgian Order of the Crown * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold * a rank in the Belgian Order of Leopold II * a title in the Belgian nobility France * a rank in the French Legion d'h ...
, Louis-Joseph Papineau, and Wolfred Nelson. The monument is in Place des Patriotes, in front of the former Pied-du-Courant Prison. * 1926 –
Queen Marie of Romania Marie (born Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was the last Queen of Romania as the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania, King Ferdinand I. Marie was born into the British royal family. Her parent ...
becomes the first reigning monarch to visit Montreal * 1927 – Collège André-Grasset is founded by the Sulpicians. * 1927 – Laurier Palace Theatre fire. * 1927 – The era of Montreal's first skyscrapers begins: Old Royal Bank Building, Montreal, the Sun Life Building, Aldred Building, etc. Until 1927, legislation prevented builders from putting up structures over ten stories high. * 1928 –
Saint-Hubert Airport Saint-Hubert Airfield is a public use airfield located near Saint-Hubert, Belgium, Luxembourg, Wallonia, Belgium. It is the second highest aerodrome in Belgium at above sea level. It has four grass runways, in two parallel pairs, almost perpen ...
built. * 1928 –
Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf , motto_translation = I chose the path of truth , established = , type = Private secondary school and Collegiate , religious_affiliation = Non-denominational, formerly Jesuit , endowment = , dean ...
established. * 1929 –
Collège de Maisonneuve Collège de Maisonneuve (or Cégep de Maisonneuve) is a francophone public pre-university and technical college located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Partnerships The College is affiliated with the ACCC, and CCAA. History In 1967, several in ...
established. * 1930 – Cabaret Frolics opens. * 1930 – Jacques Cartier Bridge opens on May 14 as the Harbour Bridge; it will be renamed for Jacques Cartier in 1934. * 1930 –
Lachapelle Bridge Lachapelle Bridge, in French Pont Lachapelle, (1930 and 1975) Also known as Cartierville Bridge. This bridge spans the Rivière des Prairies between the Montreal borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and the Laval (Île Jésus) neighbourhood of Ch ...
opens on May 24. * 1930 – The foundation of the monument of Jean Vauquelin (1728–1772) – defender of
Louisbourg Louisbourg is an unincorporated community and former town in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. History The French military founded the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1713 and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, ...
and Quebec City – is laid in Montreal; sculptor Paul-Eugène Benet. * 1930 – Beginning of commercial flights from Montreal. * 1930 – Robert Burns Memorial unveiled on October 18. * 1930–78 – Montréal-Matin published. * 1931 – Canada's first television station, VE9EC, begins broadcasting in Montréal. VE9EC is owned jointly by radio station
CKAC CKAC is a French-language radio station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Owned by Cogeco, the station operates as a commercial traffic information service branded as ''Radio Circulation 730''. Its studios are located at Place Bonaventure in ...
and the newspaper '' La Presse''. * 1931 – Montreal Botanical Garden founded. * 1932 –
Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul The Church of Saint Andrew and St Paul is a Presbyterian Church in Canada, Presbyterian church (building), church in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 3415 Redpath Street, on the corner of Sherbrooke Street (Quebec Route 138, Ro ...
opens. * 1933 – Jean-Talon Market and
Atwater Market Atwater Market (''Marché Atwater'') is a market hall located in the Saint-Henri area of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened in 1933. The interior market is home to many butchers and the Première Moisson bakery and restaurant. The outside mar ...
open. * 1933 –
CBME-FM CBME-FM is an English-language Canadian radio station located in Montreal, Quebec. Owned and operated by the government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, it broadcasts on 88.5 MHz using a directional antenna with an average effective radia ...
launched. * 1933 –
Montreal Children's Theatre The Montreal Children's Theatre (MCT) is a children's theatre company in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1933 by Dorothy Davis and Violet Walters, the school is still in operation as of 2021. Walters and Davis started MCT "not necessarily to create ...
founded. * 1934 – Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital founded. * 1934 – Montreal Neurological Institute founded. * 1934 – Honoré Mercier Bridge completed in summer. * 1936 – Air Canada founded on August 11 as Trans-Canada Airlines. * 1937 –
Snowdon Theatre The Snowdon Theatre was a Streamline Moderne style cinema in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, located on Decarie Boulevard in the neighbourhood of Snowdon. For 45 years it operated as a movie theater for films. After the theater closed, it was re-purpo ...
opens in February. * 1937 – Pie-IX Bridge opens. * 1937 – CBF radio launched. * 1938–39 – Saint-Jean-Berchmans Church built. * 1939–45 – World War II –
Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène The Saint Helen Island Fort (french: Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène), a historic site on Saint Helen's Island in the city of Montreal, Quebec, was constructed in the early 1820s as an arsenal in the defensive chain of forts built to protect Canad ...
serves to contain 250 prisoners of war, considered Nazi supporters, fascists or deserters. * 1939 –
Collège International Marie de France In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...
founded. * 1939 – Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge built. * 1939 – The
Flag of Montreal First displayed in May 1935, Montreal based its flag on the city's coat of arms. It was revised in May 1939 and again in September 2017. The flag's proportions are 1:2 in a symmetric cross. Symbolism The flag consists of a red symmetric cros ...
is first displayed in May, and is based on the city's coat of arms. * 1939–44 – During World War II, Mayor Camillien Houde protests against
conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
and urges Montrealers to disobey the federal government's orders.
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
is furious over Houde's insubordination and holds him in a prison camp until 1944, when the government is forced to institute conscription (see Conscription Crisis of 1944). * 1939–45 – Canadian Power Boat Company operated.


1940–1959

* 1941 – Opening of the
Dorval International Airport Dorval () is an Greater Montreal, on-island suburban City (Quebec), city on the island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. In 2016, the Canadian Census indicated that the population increased by 4.2% to 18,980. Although the city has the ...
on September 1. * 1941–51 – Montreal's population grows by 20% and Toronto's by 25%. * 1942 – 300th anniversary of Montreal's founding. * 1943 –
Central Station (Montreal) Montreal Central Station (french: Gare centrale de Montréal) is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Nearly 11 million rail passengers use the station every year, making it the second-bu ...
opens. * 1943 –
Recluse Sisters {{Unreferenced, date=November 2022 The Recluse Sisters (RM) are a Roman Catholic community of Religious Sisters who were founded in 1943, in Alberta, Canada, by Rita Renaud, Jeannette Roy and the Reverend Father Louis-Marie Parent, OMI, as Les Rec ...
are founded in Alberta. Their inspiration is
Jeanne Le Ber Jeanne Le Ber (4 January 1662 – 3 October 1714) was a religious recluse in New France. Family and education Jeanne Le Ber was born in Ville-Marie (Montreal), on January 4, 1662. As a daughter of Jeanne Le Moyne and Jacques Le Ber, Jeanne ...
. * 1944 –
Hydro-Québec Hydro-Québec is a public utility that manages the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the Canadian province of Quebec, as well as the export of power to portions of the Northeast United States. It was established by the ...
founded on April 14 as the Quebec Hydroelectric Commission by nationalizing
Montreal Light, Heat and Power Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pe ...
. * 1944 – A RAF Liberator Bomber, fully loaded for a flight to England, crashes into a row of houses in Griffintown on April 25. 15 to 20 fatalities noted. * 1945 – Radio Canada International launched. * 1945 –
CJAD CJAD (800 AM) is a commercial radio station operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station has an English language news/talk radio format and identifies itself on-air as ''CJAD 800''. Owned and operated by Bell Media, it has a daytime power ...
's first broadcast. * 1947 – International Civil Aviation Organization established in April. * 1947 –
CAE Inc. CAE Inc. (formerly Canadian Aviation Electronics) is a Canadian manufacturer of simulation technologies, modelling technologies and training services to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, healthcare specialists, and defence customers. CAE was fou ...
founded as Canadian Aviation Electronics. * 1948 – Lachine Museum founded. * 1949 –
Norgate shopping centre This is a list of small shopping centres in the island of Montreal. Baie d'Urfé Plaza Baie d'Urfé Plaza Baie d'Urfé is a small strip mall located in Baie d'Urfé, Quebec, Canada on 90 Morgan Street across from Quebec Autoroute 20. The shopp ...
built. * 1949 – Iron Ore Company of Canada founded. * 1940s –
Gibeau Orange Julep The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant (also known colloquially as OJ or The Big Orange or The Julep) is a roadside attraction and fast food restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The building is in the shape of an orange, three stories high, with a ...
first built - original orange-shaped building will be torn down for the construction of the Decarie autoroute and rebuilt in 1965. * 1951 – Congregation Shaare Zedek founded. * 1951 –
Station Centrale d'Autobus Montreal Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle stat ...
built. * 1951 –
St-Hubert St-Hubert BBQ Ltd is a chain of Canadian casual dining restaurants best known for its rotisserie chicken. St-Hubert is most popular in Quebec, and in other French-Canadian areas such as Eastern Ontario and New Brunswick. St-Hubert is the 16t ...
opened. * 1951–52 – Saint-Sixte Church built. * 1951–61 – Montreal's population grows by 35% and Toronto's by 45%. * 1952 – Bus service replaces streetcars on Boulevard St-Laurent. Gradually, trams began to be replaced by buses. * 1954 – Greater Montreal Real Estate Board founded. * 1954 – Dic Ann's Hamburgers founded. * 1954 – Saint-Arsène Church built. * 1955 – March 17 – Richard Riot on Saint Catherine Street following the suspension of
Maurice Richard Joseph Henri Maurice "Rocket" Richard (; ; August 4, 1921 – May 27, 2000) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens. He was the first player in NHL hist ...
. * 1955 –
Gaz Métro GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (russian: ГАЗ or Го́рьковский автомоби́льный заво́д, , Gorky Automobile Plant) is a Russian automotive manufacturer located in Nizhny Novgorod, formerly known as Gorky (Го ...
founded as the Corporation de gaz naturel du Québec. * 1955 – Many buildings are demolished as Dorchester Street is widened into a boulevard. * 1957 – The lowest temperature ever recorded was on January 15. * 1958 –
Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre The Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre, a branch of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts, was founded in Montreal in 1958 by Dora Wasserman (June 1919– December 2003), a Ukrainian actress, playwright, and theatre director. The first play was ''T ...
founded. * 1958 – Queen Elizabeth Hotel completed. * 1959 – Inauguration of the Saint Lawrence Seaway on June 26. * 1959 – On August 30, having completed its route along the Papineau-Rosemont line, the last streetcar entered the station at 4:50 p.m., ending 67 years of tram service in the city. * 1959 – LaSalle College established.


1960–1979

* 1960 –
Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, Westmount (french: Synagogue Emanu-El-Beth Sholom de Westmount) is a Reform synagogue in Westmount, Quebec. It is the oldest “Liberal” or “Reform” synagogue in Canada, incorporated on March 30, 1883 (the B ...
completed. * 1961–71 – Montreal's population grows by 20% and Toronto's by 25%. * 1962 – Montreal's first tunnel between Place Ville-Marie and Central Station. * 1962 – Hydro-Quebec building completed. * 1962 –
Pont Viau The Viau Bridge (officially in french: Pont Viau; formerly called the Ahuntsic Bridge, french: Pont Ahuntsic) was built in 1930, rebuilt in 1962 and widened in 1993. The bridge spans the Rivière des Prairies between the Montreal borough of Ahun ...
opened. * 1962 – Champlain Bridge, Montreal opens on June 29. * 1963 – TVA (TV network) launched. * 1963 – Place des Arts opens. * 1964–67 –
Place Bonaventure Place Bonaventure is an office, exhibition, and hotel complex in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, adjacent to the city's Central Station. At in size, Place Bonaventure was the second largest commercial building in the world at the time of its ...
constructed. * 1965 – Lakeshore General Hospital founded. * 1965 – Île Notre-Dame created. * 1965 – Herzing College founded. * 1966 –
Montreal Planetarium The Montreal Planetarium (french: Planétarium de Montréal), formerly the Dow Planetarium (french: Planétarium Dow), is a decommissioned public planetarium located at Chaboillez Square just South-East of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It c ...
inaugurated on April 1. * 1966 – Inauguration of Montreal subway on October 14. * 1966 – Montreal Aquarium built. * 1967 –
Casino de Montréal The Montreal Casino (french: Casino de Montréal) is a casino on the Notre Dame Island in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, and is the largest casino in Canada. It is located in Jean-Drapeau Park, across from Montreal’s Old Por ...
built as the French pavilion at Expo 67. * 1967 – Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel opens on March 11. * 1967 – La Ronde (amusement park) opens in April. * 1967 – Montreal Biosphère opens as the U.S. pavilion at Expo 67. * 1967 – Charles de Gaulle's Vive le Québec libre speech delivered on July 24. * 1967 –
Saint Joseph's Oratory Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal (french: Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located at 3800 Queen Mary Road in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood on Mount Royal's Westmount Summit in ...
completed. * 1967 – Institut de pastorale des Dominicains established. * 1967 – Habitat 67 built as part of Expo 67. * 1967 –
Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne The Collège Bois-de-Boulogne is a French-language public college located on Bois de Boulogne Street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It has an enrollment of approximately 2,700 students in 7 pre-university and technical programmes and 4400 participan ...
founded. * 1967 – Expo 67. * 1967 – Collège Ahuntsic established. * 1969 – On February 13, the Montreal Stock Exchange is attacked by the
Front de libération du Québec The (FLQ) was a Marxist–Leninist and Quebec separatist guerrilla group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadia ...
with a massive bomb that wounded 38 people. * 1969 – Papineau-Leblanc Bridge opens. * 1969 – Université du Québec à Montréal founded. * 1969 – Sir George Williams Computer Riot. * 1969 – Concordia University Television founded. * 1969 – October 7 - Murray-Hill riot. Illegal 16-hours strike of the Montreal police, bringing chaos in the city. * 1970 – St. Ann's Church ( Griffintown) is torn down. * 1970 – The Lachine Canal is closed to shipping. * 1970 – October Crisis. * 1971 – Festival du Nouveau Cinéma founded. * 1971 – Montreal receives the biggest snowfall recorded for a year: . * 1972 –
Blue Bird Café fire The Blue Bird Café fire was a nightclub fire on September 1, 1972, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In all, 37 people were killed as a result of arson. The fire was the worst in Montreal since 1927, when 77 people perished in the Laurier Palace The ...
kills 37; deliberately set by patrons angry they were not admitted to the Wagon Wheel Bar upstairs for being too drunk. * 1972 – Armed robbers steal 18 paintings, including a Rembrandt, along with 38 pieces of jewellery, from the Museum of Fine Arts in Canada's largest art theft, and indeed largest theft of private property, ever; with the exception of one returned during ransom negotiations, none of the missing works has ever been found nor the thieves publicly identified * 1974 – Birth of
Concordia University Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
from a merger of Sir George Williams and Loyola College. * 1975 – Télé-Québec first airs on January 19. * 1975 – The highest temperature ever recorded was on August 1. * 1975 – Montréal-Mirabel International Airport opened on October 4. * 1975 – Montreal Canadiens face the Russian Red Army team on December 31. * 1976 –
Montreal Biodome The Montreal Biodome (french: Biodôme de Montréal) is a facility located at Olympic Park in the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that allows visitors to walk through replicas of four ecosystems found ...
built as the velodrome for the
1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...
. * 1976 –
Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...
. * 1976 –
Château Dufresne The Château Dufresne (also known as the ''Dufresne House'') is a historic building in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It currently functions as a historic house museum. History Built from 1915 to 1918, ...
declared a historic monument. * 1976 – Montréal is surpassed in population by Toronto. (See Toronto-Montreal rivalry). * 1977 – Montreal World Film Festival founded. * 1978 – The Canadian Grand Prix moves to its current home on Île Notre-Dame in Montreal. * 1979 – Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre established. * 1979 – First Montreal International Marathon on August 25.


1980–1999

* 1980 –
Opéra de Montréal LOpéra de Montréal is an opera company in Montreal, Canada. It performs at the Place des Arts theatre complex in downtown Montreal, in the borough of Ville-Marie. It was founded in 1980 as a company focused on productions in French. History ...
founded. * 1980 – Montreal International Jazz Festival founded. * 1982 – Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir founded. * 1982 –
Gray Line Montreal Gray Line Montreal, although a member of the Coach Canada family, is an independently managed operation, that also formerly carried the brand of Stagecoach Montréal. They run a fleet of coaches and double-decker buses in and around Montreal, unde ...
founded. * 1983 –
Centre d'histoire de Montréal The Centre d'histoire de Montréal is a museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 335 Place d'Youville in Old Montreal, in the borough of Ville-Marie. The museum is dedicated to the history of Montreal. History The centre is housed i ...
opened. * 1983 –
I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra I Musici de Montréal is a Canadian chamber orchestra, founded in 1984 by cellist and conductor Yuli Turovsky. About I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra has been sharing its passion for classical music for over 35 years. The 15 exceptional m ...
founded. * 1984 – A bomb planted by
Thomas Bernard Brigham Thomas Bernard Clark BrighamLeger, Kathryn. Canadian Press, "Meeting with a stranger sheds light on 'Pope' letter, September 5, 1984 (September 3, 1919 – February 14, 1993) was an American convicted of planting a bomb in Central Station in Montre ...
in Central Station kills three French tourists and injures several dozen others on September 3. * 1984 – On September 11, Pope John Paul II participates in a youth rally with about 55,000 people in attendance at the Olympic Stadium. * 1984 –
Frank "Dunie" Ryan Frank Peter "Dunie" Ryan Jr. (10 June 1942 – 13 November 1984) was a Canadian gangster and the leader of the West End Gang, a Montreal-based criminal organization. Criminal career Hoodlum Ryan was born of Irish descent in a poor neighborhood ...
, leader of the West End Gang, assassinated on November 13. * 1984 – Cirque du Soleil founded. * 1984 –
Île de la Visitation Île de la Visitation is a small island in the Rivière des Prairies, part of the Hochelaga Archipelago, and part of the city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada. Located within the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Montréal-Nord, the island is ...
opens as a park and historic site. * 1987 – The first Montreal Museums Day. * 1987 – Montreal deluge: more than 100 mm of rain in 2 hours transforms the sunken Decarie autoroute expressway into a river. * 1987 –
Promenades de la Cathédrale An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cl ...
constructed. * 1987 – Montreal Protocol enters into force. * 1989 – École Polytechnique massacre occurs on December 6.
Marc Lépine Marc Lépine (; born October 26, 1964 – December 6, 1989) was a Canadian antifeminist mass murderer from Montreal, Quebec, who, in 1989, murdered fourteen women, and wounded ten women and four menNote: Many sources state thirteen were wounded ...
murders fourteen women and wounds ten other women and four men. * 1989 –
Canadian Space Agency The Canadian Space Agency (CSA; french: Agence spatiale canadienne, ASC) is the national space agency of Canada, established in 1990 by the ''Canadian Space Agency Act''. The president is Lisa Campbell, who took the position on September 3, 2020 ...
formed on December 14. * 1990 – Oka Crisis. * 1992 –
1000 de La Gauchetière 1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the downtown core. It is Montreal's second tallest building. It rises to the maximum height approved by t ...
built; it is Montreal's highest skyscraper. * 1992 –
Concordia University massacre The Concordia University massacre was a school shooting on August 24, 1992 in which Valery I. Fabrikant, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, killed four colleagues and wounded a staff member at Concordia University in Montreal, Qu ...
on August 24.
Valery Fabrikant ) , occupation = Associate professor of mechanical engineering , birth_date = , birth_place = Minsk, Soviet Union (now Belarus) , nationality = Belarusian-Canadian , date = 24 August 1992 , time = 2:30 p.m. ( UTC-4) , targets ...
kills four people. * 1992 – World Trade Centre Montreal completed. * 1992 – Aéroports de Montréal founded. * 1992 – Lion de la Feuillée (Montreal), Lion de la Feuillée was donated by the city of Lyon on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of Montreal. * 1993 –
Casino de Montréal The Montreal Casino (french: Casino de Montréal) is a casino on the Notre Dame Island in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, and is the largest casino in Canada. It is located in Jean-Drapeau Park, across from Montreal’s Old Por ...
opened. * 1995 – Unity Rally, Unity rally held in advance of the 1995 Quebec referendum, Quebec independence referendum. * 1996 – Fantasia Festival founded. * 1997 – McGill University Health Centre founded. * 1998 – Record-setting North American ice storm of 1998 afflicts Montreal and other parts of Quebec. * 1999 – Montreal Convention is adopted by the ICAO. * 1999 – Montreal Economic Institute established. * 1999 – World Anti-Doping Agency set up on November 10.


21st century


2001–2019

* 2001 – Reorganization of Montreal. * 2001 – According to Statistics Canada, in 2001, the city of Montreal has 1,583,590 inhabitants. * 2001 - Six Flags acquires La Ronde. * 2002 – Montreal is Montreal Merger, merged with the 27 surrounding municipalities on the Île de Montréal on January 1. The merger creates a unified city covering the entire Île de Montréal. * 2002 – Official reopening of the Lachine Canal exclusively for pleasure boating, May 17. * 2002 – Concordia University Netanyahu riot, September 9. * 2004 – Several former municipalities, totalling 13% of the population of Île de Montréal, vote to Montreal Merger, leave the newly unified city in separate referendums in June. * 2004 – Passenger operations through Montréal-Mirabel International Airport cease on October 31. * 2005 – Montreal hosts the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, FINA World Aquatic Championships * 2006 – The Montreal Merger, demerger becomes effective January 1. Fifteen municipalities remain on the island. * 2006 – 2006 World Outgames take place from July 26 to August 5. * 2006 – Declaration of Montreal on July 29. * 2006 – Dawson College shooting on September 13. Kimveer Gill kills one student and wounds nineteen others before being winged by a police sniper and committing suicide. * 2006 – De la Concorde overpass collapse on September 30. * 2007 – Montreal is host to a series of preliminary games of the FIFA U-20 World Cup * 2009 – BIXI Montréal, BIXI launched in May. * 2011 – 2011 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts theft. On two occasions in September and October, a thief steals a small antiquity from the museum * 2011 – Montreal_Symphony_House, La maison symphonique opens in September. * 2012 – Charbonneau Commission begins examining corruption in Montreal civic governance and collusion among major engineering and construction firms bidding for municipal contracts. * 2012 – Gérald Tremblay steps down as mayor in November after allegations of serious irregularities in party financing. Michael Applebaum becomes interim mayor until municipal elections in November 2013 * 2013 – Michael Applebaum is arrested and indicted with 14 charges including fraud and corruption. He steps down. City councillors elect Laurent Blanchard to serve as mayor for the four months remaining before the municipal elections. * 2013 – Denis Coderre elected mayor of Montreal * 2015 – Some matches of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, FIFA Women's World Cup are held in Montreal at the Olympic stadium. * 2017 – Montreal celebrated its Montreal 375th anniversary, 375th anniversary * 2017 – Valérie Plante, Montreal's 45th and first female mayor, 2017 Montreal municipal election, elected.


See also

* History of Montreal * List of governors of Montreal * Old Port of Montreal * Port of Montreal * List of years in Canada * Timeline of Quebec history


References


External links


Historic FAQ - Centre d'Histoire de Montréal

Web sites on the History of Montreal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montreal History, Timeline Of History of Montreal, Timelines of cities in Canada, Montreal Timelines of Quebec history