Known as the second-most populous city in Canada, Montreal is the financial center of the province of Quebec. It is also Quebec’s principal metropolis. It is the fourth-largest French-speaking city in the world. Montreal’s motto in Latin is “Concordia Salus” which translates to “well-being through harmony.” Montreal has been dubbed the “Paris of North America,” “The City of Saints,” and “The City of a Hundred Steeples.” Montreal’s population is 1,762,949, according to a 2021 census.

See the fact file below for more information on Montreal, or you can download our 27-page Montreal worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TOPONYMY

• Montreal was founded by French settlers who came from La Flèche in the Loire valley in 1642.
• The settlers named the town “Ville-Marie” or “City of Mary” in honor of the Virgin Mary.
• The early settlement of Ville-Marie was built around a three-head hill named Mount Royal.
• From the name Mount Royal, the name evolved into Montreal, as réal was an interchangeable variant of royal in the 16th century.
• In modern French, it was called Mont Royal.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

• Montreal covers approximately 75% (on the central and eastern parts) of Montreal Island, the biggest of the Hochelaga Archipelago, a group of islands at the confluence of the Ottawa and Saint Lawrence rivers.
• Montreal can be found in the southwest of Quebec province, about 167 kilometers east of the federal capital, Ottawa, and 275 kilometers southwest of the provincial capital, Quebec City.
• The city of Laval borders Montreal to the north; to the south, there is the city of Longueuil; to the east is suburban Repentigny, and to the west are West Island municipalities.
• Montreal has a humid continental or hemiboreal climate, with warm and humid summer seasons, while winter is characterized by icy or chilly weather with snow.

HISTORY

• It has been reported that indigenous peoples settled in the area now known as Montreal over 8,000 years ago.
• Hochelaga was a 16-century fortified village that was set up by the indigenous inhabitants before they came into contact with Europeans.
• In 1535, Jacques Cartier became the first European to arrive in the area of Montreal and enter the Hochelaga village.
• Cartier named the mountain on the Island of Montreal “Mont Royal.”
• Seventy years later, in 1603, French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived on the Island of Montreal, but the Hochelaga village was already gone.
• Champlain set up a fur trading post at present-day Pointe-à-Callière on the island.
• In 1642, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve led a mission called Ville-Marie to establish the first colony in the area.
• Maisonneuve became the first governor of Ville-Marie.
• By 1685, there were about 600 colonists in Ville-Marie, and the settlement thrived on the fur trade and served as a base for exploration. 
• The French and Iroquois Wars posed a threat to Ville-Marie until a peace treaty was signed in 1701.
• In 1705 the name Montreal was used in reference to the area.
• Montreal became a preferred destination in New France when the settlement was under French rule.
• In 1760, French authorities surrendered Montreal to British rule.
• For a brief time in 1775, American Revolutionists briefly seized Montreal.
• In 1792, a Presbyterian missionary established St. Gabriel’s, the first Protestant church in the city.
• Montreal was incorporated and granted city status in 1832.
• French-speaking people made up the majority of Montreal’s population until the 1830s, when the migration of English speakers from the British Isles peaked until the mid-1860s.
• Montreal served as the capital city of the United Provinces of Canada from 1844 to 1849.
• The city’s growth found its momentum with the opening of the Lachine Canal and the construction of the Victoria Bridge.
• The Lachine Canal, which functioned as a link between the port of Montreal and continental markets, resulted in rapid industrialization.
• In 1852, Montreal had 58,000 inhabitants, and by 1860, Montreal was the largest city in British North America.
• The city also grew to become the cultural and economic center of Canada. 
• Scottish immigrants made major contributions to the city, from building national railroads to founding important institutions such as McGill University and the Royal Victoria Hospital.
• Montreal shifted back to becoming a mainly French-speaking city due to the annexation of neighboring towns between 1883 and 1918.
• When the Great Depression took place in Canada in the 1930s, Montreal suffered unemployment problems.
• Many French Montrealers protested against mandatory conscription during World War I and II, resulting in the Conscription Crisis of 1917, followed by another in 1944. 
• When the U.S. was under prohibition, a practice when alcohol was legally prohibited, Montreal became a destination for Americans in search of liquor.
• By 1951, Montreal had reached over one million in population.
• The 1960s saw continual growth in Montreal with the building of a new metro system called the Montreal Metro, the construction of Canada’s tallest skyscrapers, the expansion of Montreal’s harbor, and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
• Montreal hosted the World’s Fair of 1967, famously known as Expo 67, and the 1967 Summer Olympics, the first Olympics in Canada.
• Quebec nationalism took flight in the 1970s, which led to numerous institutions in Montreal moving their headquarters to Toronto.
• On January 1, 2002, Montreal was integrated with the 27 neighboring municipalities on the Island of Montreal.
• During the 21st century, Montreal flourished in terms of its economic and cultural landscape.

HISTORICAL SITES AND LANDMARKS

• The Pointe-à-Callière is a national archaeological and historic site where a fur trading post was once established.
• Old Montreal and the Old Port of Montreal are must-visit places for those interested in seeing structures tracing back to the period of New France.
• Close to the city center, the green space of Mont-Royal offers a breathtaking view of Montreal.
• Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal’s oldest church, is an incredible structure with an intricate interior designed by Victor Bourgeau.
• Known as Canada’s oldest museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (or Musée des Beaux-arts De Montréal) is home to extensive collections of sculpture, paintings, artifacts, and new media.
• A housing complex called Habitat 67 was specifically amended for Expo 67.
• Built in 1962, Place Ville Marie was once the world’s third-tallest skyscraper outside of the United States. 
• Tourists can take lovely tours around the banks of the Lachine Canal National Historic Site.
• McGill University, located in Montreal, ranks as the second-best in Canada, following the University of Toronto.

Montreal Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Montreal across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Montreal, the second-most populous city in Canada.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

• Montreal, Quebec Facts
• City Overview
• Mont-Real Statements
• Sites To See
• Historical Sequence
• History Sketch
• Montreal, According To
• Image Story
• People To Remember
• Trivia Trip
• The Ultimate Mon-Tour

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Montreal famous for?

Montreal is famous for its bagels and poutine, but it’s also well-known for hosting the 1967 World’s Fair. Then, in 1976, Montreal became the first city in Canada to host the Olympics. The city has a lot more to offer than that, though. For example, Mount Royal Park is an excellent example of Frederick Law Olmsted’s fantastic design skills. 

Why is Montreal called Sin city?

It may come as a surprise, but during the Prohibition era, Montreal earned its moniker of ‘Sin City’ due to Americans traveling across the border in search of reprieve from their country’s ban. However, the city has since kept its free-spirited identity and evolved into an erotic destination with over 40 exotic theatres within downtown Montreal.

What is the coldest month in Montreal?

For three months, starting on December 4 and ending on March 12, Montréal weather is dominated by cold temperatures with an average daily high of 34°F or lower. January is the chilliest month; its typical low temperature drops to 10°F while the highest reaches 24°F.

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