Montreal West, Quebec, is a charming on-island suburb nestled in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the Island of Montreal. This small, close-knit community is primarily composed of single-family dwellings, with a significant portion of the population speaking English as their primary language at home. The town's main street, Westminster Avenue, intersects with Sherbrooke Street, a major artery spanning most of the Island of Montreal.
The town of Montreal West was established in 1897 when it separated from the Village Municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Ouest. At that time, it was home to 50 houses and a population of 350 persons. The town hall, built in 1910, stands as a testament to its rich history.
In 2002, Montreal West, along with the neighbouring suburbs of Côte-Saint-Luc and Hampstead, was merged into the City of Montreal as part of the 2002–2006 municipal reorganization. However, following a change of government and a 2004 referendum, Montreal West was reconstituted as an independent city on January 1, 2006.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Montreal West had a population of 5,115 living in 1,943 of its 2,031 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 1.3% from its 2016 population of 5,050.
The town is home to three medium-sized churches: Montreal West United Church, St. Philip's Anglican Church, and Montreal West Presbyterian Church. The Montreal West United Church also rents space to a Pentecostal service, and St. Philip's Anglican Church rents space to the New Life Korean Presbyterian Church.
Canada Day is the largest community event of the year in Montreal West. Residents organize a parade that mainly runs down Westminster and ends at Strathern Park. The parade features floats from local organizations and clubs, as well as those created by residents.
Following the parade, residents gather at Strathern Park for a giant picnic/BBQ, with children's games and activities taking place at the park and nearby Percival Park. The day concludes with a fireworks display at Hodgson Field.
Every year on June 23, the day before the actual holiday, Montreal West hosts a picnic at Davies Park. The event features music performed by Québécois musicians and concludes with a large bonfire in the centre of the park.
The Garbage Bowl is a yearly tradition held every January 1 since 1950. Men from Montreal West separate into two teams and play a football game in the frigid weather. Proceeds from donations, food, and commemorative pins go to charity.
Montreal West boasts a large number of neighbourhood parks and public spaces, including Dave Reid Park, Davies Park, George Booth Park, Hodgson Park, John A. Simms Park, Kirkpatrick Park, Memorial Park, Percival Park, Ronald Park, Roy D. Locke Park, Rugby Park, Sheraton Park, Strathearn Park, and Toe Blake Park. The town also has an indoor ice skating rink, clay tennis courts, and a public swimming pool.
The core business area of Montreal West is located on Westminster Avenue between Sherbrooke and Curzon. Until 2010, it consisted exclusively of small, non-franchised businesses. However, in a controversial decision, the Pharmaprix drugstore chain was allowed to open a large outlet on the corner of Westminster and Sherbrooke Street.
Montreal West is serviced by six Société de transport de Montréal bus lines, each connecting to a corresponding Montreal Metro station or to the Montreal West Train Station. Trains that run through this station connect passengers to downtown Montreal and three different routes heading away from the city. Future plans also include the Pink Line (Montreal Metro) connecting in the Montreal West region.
