The Most European City In North America, But Does That Make It Great?

[@tay-lore]

Thank you for reminding us that derived demand is meant to meet the needs of actual people, like getting to work, or getting food, or getting home, or getting footage for KZbin channels.

[@CityNerd]

I don't get near enough comments of this high a quality

[@AlbertMark-nb9zo]

Seems like derived demand itself induces demand as services, products, align to the new paradigm.

[@FloatingWeeds2]

​@@AlbertMark-nb9zothe good thing about rail based induced demand is that a single rail line can support Manhattan level traffic

[@gabrieldomocos7570]

A few reasons for Montreal's urbanist turn in recent decades: First, the closure of GM plant in Boisbriand (self-explanatory). Second, demerging of suburban municipalities after forced mergers, so only inner-ring areas are represented on city council. This helps Montreal avoid the Toronto and Ottawa problem of council being stacked with suburban councilors who only care about widening highways and facilitating parking downtown.

[@darcy_1]

That second point is really important, glad I’m not the only one who thought of that!

[@emdxemdx]

It’s hilarious to see how Waste-England blokes hate the French so much that they voted for something they absolutely hate: taxation without representation!

[@TohaBgood2]

Interesting on the demerging part. San Francisco has a similar dynamic where it never absorbed any of its suburbs. Oakland across the Bay did for a time and then stopped. And LA certainly did gobble up every suburb in its path. Consequently, SF is the second densest place on the continent with great transit and fantastic walkability. Oakland is about midpack for a California city even though it has a very nice urban core with good density. And LA has a constellation of little walkable downtowns/"Main streets" in a sea of suburbia. At least based on what happened in these California cities your theory seems to hold up very well. Seemingly, the more of the suburbs get decision power over the dense urban cores the less dense and walkable those cores become.

[@starventure]

Toronto "chased" after suburban municipalities with the hope of getting a tax grab, while thinking that the urban population would out vote the suburbs and stop any chance of a suburban demagogue getting in. This is what the end result of that dumb plan was: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Ford The moral of the story is, don't screw around with suburbs or they may end up screwing around with you. Unless you want a hillbilly in charge of your city...

[@garysimonson1135]

@@TohaBgood2 SF is a great city, but it doesn't have great rail transit.

[@ActuallyImJerome]

The Parc-Ex-Mont-Royal separation is indeed intentional. Mont-Royal is not legally a part of Montréal proper and they've been a pain in the ass as neighbours. They're building Royalmount, a sort of disguised "transit-oriented development" on the side of Décarie Highway that actually has a ton of parking garages and is expected to bring in 10k+ new cars into the city. The same classist separation also happened between Montreal-West, a rich independent city within Montreal and Ville St-Pierre, an impoverished district of the Lachine borough. It's really messed up. Actually, most cities that seceded from Montreal (Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Westmount, Beaconsfield...) are wealthy English-speaking suburban places that didn't want to pay taxes for the poorer Montreal population or join our big city green urban development. Go figure. Also, idk how true that is, but a college professor of mine once told me that most of these communities are located towards the West of the Island because most winds come from the West in Montreal. Therefore, they shoved worker housing East of the factories so they wouldn't have to inhale the toxic fumes that the working population had to endure.

[@bruceboa6384]

Everything above is true. However, the language politics of the traditional anglo communities is also very real. For almost half a century, the official policy of the Government of Quebec has been to make English a second class language, hence PFK instead of KFC.

[@terryomalley1974]

As a native of the West Island suburbs, I'd say the main reason Pointe Claire, DDO, Beaconsfield, etc., don't want to be part of the amalgamated city is because they don't want to be swallowed up by the francophone majority in the rest of the city.

[@ehjo4904]

@@bruceboa6384 Well in Rome you do as Rome do . Some even refuse to to be served in french in a french speaking society

[@ehjo4904]

@@terryomalley1974 We call it " ghetto anglais" not a place worst a mindset. People who have no interest to the language and culture of their own province.

[@pepperpillow]

@@bruceboa6384 That is not why KFC is PFK. Plenty of other brands have English names. The law does not apply to brand names, only the other signage.

[@jonathanlanglois2742]

Outdoor seating is something that existed in Montreal long before Covid. Its actually rather common in the province of Québec. Summers are short, and peoples just want to be outside during summer. Theses terrasses answer that need.

[@abchaplin]

Vive la terrasse!

[@forest_green]

When I moved here from the west coast, that's the second thing I noticed, after how much people smoke here. Terrasse culture is real.

[@295g295]

@@forest_green ...to be more like in Paris France.

[@abchaplin]

Non, @@295g295, pour mieux profiter de ses étés si courts!

[@Quietloud]

La Terrasse is a fucking Montreal INSTITUTION! I just miss smoking on them!

[@titania9541]

I love the "ruelles vertes"! They might not seem like a particularly interesting for most tourists, but they do improve the quality of life of people living near them. Like most people who grew up in Montreal, I spend my childhood playing in alley ways with all of the block's kids. There was no green alleys back then, but I'm so happy to see that kids on my block have a greener, safer area to play in. The "ruelles vertes" not only limit car traffic, they provide shade and create beautiful community gathering aeras for neighbors.

[@RJ-gu4oh]

there are some really cool ones too, like the windmill one in the Plateau

[@philpaine3068]

Montréal's "feel" was there long before any of its current urbanist projects and reforms. Those apartments with balconies date back generations, and they made every downtown street a social organism, along with the cafés, delis and dépaneurs. When I first visited the city, I found myself recognizing the names of dozens of streets, parks, and neighbourhoods because they were described in novels I had read, or immortalized in Leonard Cohen songs. Shops like St. Viateur and Schwartz's are flooded with tourists now, but they were just everyday neighbourhood institutions, owned by local families, that burned themselves into collective memory and were subsequently sentimentalized by writers and and nostalgia buffs. This isn't something that can be trumped up in single era. New Yorkers will understand how it works. When I showed the city to a friend from Prague, he said "this feels like a city" ---- something he didn't say when we were in Toronto. My mom lived almost all of her life in Ontario, but she remained a Montrealer 'til her dying day. Most Montrealers have a fierce loyalty to the city that isn't based on any calculus of its "positives and negatives". They loved it every bit as much back when it was corrupt, dirty, and overwhelmingly working class. They loved it because it belonged to them, and they belonged to it.

[@thomasdelaney5614]

Visited Montreal last fall. It was one of the most eye-opening experiences for me and my college friends who had never traveled outside of the U.S. previously. Such a great case study in real estate development and density.

[@maumor2]

Montreal is great because, unlike most American cities, it was never obsessed with incorporating any suburb that appeared on its surroundings. Many cities in the US are hijacked by representation from the suburbs that only think about how to improve their daily car commute (more parking, extra lanes to the freeway, less transit, etc)

[@PatrickLepage-s9p]

This happened by accident. The plan in the early 2000s was to merge all cities of the island to Montreal. Opposition from the suburbs led a newly elected provincial government to promise referendums to allow former cities to "demerge" from Montreal, and ro allow more power to the boroughs of the city. Unsurprisingly, the West Island suburbs left, leaving more electoral weight to the central neighborhoods. And the decentralization that followed allows boroughs to try improvements suited to their reality. Ultimately, the fact that "one island one city" plan failed made Montreal a better city.

[@Free-g8r]

​@@PatrickLepage-s9pyup! The way I see it Projet Montréal using the Plateau as a lab in the early 2000's allowed Montrealers to see what good urbanism could be. Those practices were emulated in other boroughs and ultimately Projet Montreal won the mayor's office with Valerie Plante. Who gave us the REV. None of this would have been possible if Pointe-Claire, TMR, DDO, Westmount and Dorval were part of Montreal city council. They have held Montreal back and insisted their cars be given priority all over the island.

[@VTMP6436]

My partner and I live in Virginia and we visit Montreal multiple times a year simple because it is an awesome city and probably the best city in North America in our opinion. The feeling of actual safety and community is second to none. People seem to genuinely care about each other and their environment. The diversity of languages and people is amazing and really gives out an amazing vibe. To us, Toronto feels like NYC and Vancouver feels like Seattle. Montreal is so different in the best way possible. No place is perfect of course, but Montreal is as close as we could find so far in North America. We wish we could live there. Maybe one day. Nous aimons Montreal beaucoup! Thanks for the awesome video as always, CN!

[@sextond]

Montreal is Toronto like Boston is to NYC.

[@lorincdelmotte3425]

@@sextond I think Montreal is closer to Chicago. I've read some compare it to Philly.

[@xant8344]

Montreal is New Orleans

[@jimpaek]

@@sextond the old maire Drapeau once said : "Toronto can try to be Milan, but Montréal will always be Rome".

[@NatashaVincent]

Montreal is Montreal 🤷🏿‍♀️ Can't claim to have seen every major urban city in the world (yet) but the closest comparison was walking from the FiDi up Broadway and 5th Avenue towards Central Park, while passing open air farmers' markets, and thinking "This is kinda like Montreal but 10 times more crowded" 😢 I didn't bother to do Central Park that trip. Manhattan in July is nice but a bit overwhelming for this Montrealer lol

[@AwayGoalRule]

The “modern tourism is algorithm driven” line hit hard. I live in NY and see tourists waiting hours for a slice at some pizza place when there are dozens of other great pizza places circling it. It’s so weird. Just walk around and find a place.

[@moira4707]

I'll be honest, as a local I eat almost exclusively St-Viateur bagels and have done so for the better part of two decades now. But I go and get them at the shops NW of where that clip was taken, where you don't wait more than 5min to get yours fresh from the woodfire ovens

[@LoneHowler]

A lot of the best places I've eaten in my travels are the out of the way locations. The little hidden holes that are the locals favorite

[@AwayGoalRule]

@@LoneHowler exactly. And shhhh. 🤫 or else where will be a line 100 ppl deep. 😂

[@2aj.]

I live in NY and have a select few places I go, not all of them are good.

[@AwayGoalRule]

@@2aj. I hear ya

[@Tynami22]

I did my undergrad in Montreal at McGill University from 2015-2019. Montreal is unbeatable in North America in terms of urbanism, transportation, culture, safety, etc. I'm so glad you finally hopped over to Montreal to experience the standard that it is setting for the rest of the continent.

[@CamKnoppMusic]

@@fermatachambersoloistsBoston and Cambridge are basically just a bunch of super rich people and nerds lol. Arts/music scene is mid compared to other cities, public transportation and nightlife are done by like 1am, everything is absurdly expensive. Montreal is soooo much more interesting as far as cities go.

[@CompletedReview]

I was there at McGill 2007-2012. Such a beautiful city. I miss it often. Wish it didn't require French to really move there.

[@Yeahyeah-ic8xm]

Boston and Cambridge are really terrible on many levels that you’re casual overlooking. Ever take the transit system? Ever try to find a place to live downtown? Walked by mass and cass? Montreal is doing a much better job. They have an underground city, sensible train stations, a major new modern metro line, and new construction ongoing, not to mention the beautiful buildings that weren’t destroyed. Boston has sports, but that’s about it.

[@patrickwalsh8997]

@@fermatachambersoloistsYeah but Crime One simple mugging wipes away any of these nice "cultural" things Living next to abjectly poor ghettos Also ruins the taste of the soup

[@Dreadlock1227]

@@CompletedReviewit’s not really a requirement necessarily. Not speaking French definitely limits your opportunities, but you can get by only speaking English

[@FELiPES101]

From your clips one of the things I liked was how green so many of the streets are. It is obvious they make an effort to keep and plant trees.

[@connorspiech309]

Only in a few neighborhoods. Downtown and virtually all of the western neighborhoods are barren, stroady hellscapes

[@Free-g8r]

Montréal is very green. There are abundant public parks and urban trees tend to be quite old with large mature canopies. Of course we are suffering from the emerald ash borer wiping out thousands of our ash trees. But we still have plenty of maples, oaks, basswood and other large species all around the city.

[@rollingthunderinho]

Yes, even in Canada's most car infested landscapes trees and other plants are everywhere.

[@luckyluc2158]

You did a good job not just hanging out downtown and in the plateau ! Love that you even made it to Hochelaga.

[@CityNerd]

I really tried! Hard when you only have like 3 days

[@charliesullivan4304]

Yes, it made me realize how little of the city I've seen what I've been there.

[@gordymoore4606]

@@CityNerd This video was amazing! I want to go to Montreal now. However, I'm going to be that guy who asks why you didn't do your trip like this (and rent a bike) in Minneapolis and also St. Paul, which have similar characteristics of more interesting, pleasant to bike in, and all-around better neighborhoods and regional parks outside of downtown and meh areas like Uptown! I think you mentioned this at the end of the Twin Cities video, but I'd go so far as to argue that an urbanist tour of the Cities also requires a lot of biking around to get a real feel for the area and its good/bad attributes. I know your focus is on "what is unique" in a city, which I appreciate, but there were so many comments on that video from people from far away who were like "OMG Minneapolis is so dead and ugly," which I would agree with too if I'd seen all the footage from downtown and Uptown!! It hurt my biased heart, lol. There's so much good in St. Paul alone that wasn't touched, for example. I do appreciate your work and the way you draw attention to where improvements should be made!! Too bad Minneapolis especially is controlled by people who have awful ideas for how to "fix" downtown, and downtown St. Paul is kneecapped by state employees seemingly never coming back into the office.

[@owenbonertz1415]

CityNerd thank you for visiting! Mayor Plante has done incredible things for cycling in the city with more protected lanes to come. Now the BIXI network is getting left out in the winter instead of just from April-November like usual. Excited to see what sort of progress can be made here in 20 years.

[@CityNerd]

Yeah I heard that was happening with Bixi!

[@quinnmurph2750]

Mayor Plante is doing great things for the bike network - but nothing for the sidewalks that 100% of people use. I was surprised after moving to Montreal that, for a city 3x the population of my hometown of DC, you don't see many visually impaired people walking the city, or people in wheelchairs, both very common in DC -- even with DC's crime. Perhaps Montrealers simply have better vision and better health, but sidewalks here are a real hazard -- and not a priority for Plante, despite 100% of people using sidewalks. (Even cyclists use the sidewalks to get to/from their bikes at some point.) Montreal prioritizes public works that are "PR-friendly" rather than the works that truly need completing.

[@gordymoore4606]

Related to the above point, and CityNerd's dislike of the beg buttons in Minneapolis, they are stupid and annoying (though you don't always have to press them!) but do serve a purpose for visually impaired people at least downtown and in some more dense neighborhoods: They have speakers that tell people which street the walk sign is on for and that its safe to cross, as in "Walk sign is on to cross Hennepin...or Hennepin at X street," etc.

[@polendri4812]

Surely Quebec City is more European, if we're being pedantic about it? It even has fortified walls around an "Old Quebec" in the centre.

[@clayton97330]

Came here to say this, but you're first, so I'll second it.

[@chacmool2581]

Yeap... Plus the colonial cities of Mexico surely vie for that too.

[@jtsholtod.79]

Absolutely. Perhaps not as much of an urbanist's target city, but definitely more European than Montréal.

[@roshanramesh2634]

But I don't think so, some parts of Quebec city looks more European than Montreal they are compact walkable and bikable but if you look at Quebec city metropolitan area, there are a lot of sprawling suburbia with low density detached homes. Those area look more like typical north America.

[@fernbedek6302]

Once it gets the tram line it will have a shot at it.

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

Love seeing this video. I'm a Utah resident and civil engineer who has been to Montreal several times. Repeated phenomenal trips there, contrasted with the "car sewer" aspects of Utah and the western US in general, has militarized me to do my part to kill stroads, question road widenings and expanded parking... and generally try to make things look more like Montreal. Montreal has the only subway/metro I've ever been on, but I've always found it amazing and convenient. I haven't been back in almost five years though, and I'm curious how much has changed--it appears the change has been for the better.

[@eldermoose7938]

Nice, I just got back from Montreal about 3 weeks ago. It's a great place along with Chicago these are the cities that really made me realize that my city may kinda be shit. My favorite part of Montreal was just being able to take a walk at 2 am and nobody thought it was weird no cops stopped me no weird looks it was just an average Tuesday and people were still out.

[@CS.94]

Those last few lines about walking at night apply to all major Canadian cities. To not feel that way is odd to me, as a Canadian. The US is the only country I’ve ever felt uneasy in while walking late at night.

[@thierrydumais1]

10 years ago the Mayor of Plateau borough, Luc Fernandez was laughed at when he implemented traffic calming zone. We would hear and read in the news about shop owner complaining about parking space being remove. How the mayor was resposable of the destruction of the economy. Now every boroughs fallow his lead. Even Laval and Longueuil suburbs are fallowing in. . Luc Fernandez was a game changer for Montreal.

[@TalwinderDhillonTravels]

Yep That’s where it all started

[@ThreeRunHomer]

Clearly we need a video about the best mini-golf on urban streets, and why there should be more. ⛳️

[@RMTransit]

Poutine ain't my favorite either for what it's worth

[@bruceboa6384]

It's nice as a treat when it's done right. IOW, don't get it at McD's.

[@danadian100]

Quality poutine is supposed to maintain the crispiness of the fries, and the squeakiness of the cheese. The sauce needs to be in the right proportion for this to happen. If the result is a fries and cheese soup, the poutine is not good. Keep trying different places until you have one you will end up craving for lunch and dinner.

[@dez7800]

Same, I only like it when drunk at 3am after a night out... My girlfriend loves it though...

[@APJTA]

One thing to note is that a lot of these measures are pretty recent. De la Gauchetière and Prince-Arthur have been year-round pedestrian streets for a very long time, but other pedestrian street initiatives are only a couple of years old. The bike networks have been around for a while but the REV was the result of a specific push to make biking safer on big streets, especially around viaducts like the one on St Denis and des Carrières. A cyclist died under that viaduct in 2014. The protected cycle path was built in 2020.

[@kenevinparent2314]

As people have pointed out, these Terasses have been super common for decades. The first sunny of the year, it could be 12c, it doesn't matter, these terrasses get swarmed by people in short-sleeves, camisoles, skirts and shorts. Bodies crave feeling the warmth of the sun throughout our long winters. You see this in NYC too, it doesn't have to be that warm in March or April for people to be out in their summer clothes.

[@otsoko66]

yup! just about every first sunny day of the spring, I have stood in line outside waiting for a spot on the terasse when there are lots of empty tables inside. This goes back to the 1980s for me.

[@nicholaslofa8867]

I was there a couple months ago and it was my first real trip out of the us. I definitely felt what you mentioned in the beginning-it’s so similar to US cities, but just seems to be doing things much…better. It ofc has issues (suburbs have tons of stroads, pretty big homeless population) but is also building like crazy, investing in good transit and pedestrian/bike infrastructure, and taking the metro is a genuinely pleasant experience. It’s a great model for what our cities can be much closer to within a few decades if we get our shit together.

[@YoungThos]

The Town of Mount Royal is actually a "streetcar suburb" of sorts, built by the railway that dug the tunnel under Mount Royal so that their commuter rail line would have customers. The design of the town was inspired by the "city beautiful" movement, with a bunch of radial boulevards converging right in the middle (where there is still a train station, soon to be part of the REM).

[@Free-g8r]

Lol TMR residents fought tooth and nail to not have the REM go through their wealthy utopia. Some residents even suggested burying all the tracks underground or rerouting around the neighbourhood entirely. Either option would have added billions to the project's budget.

[@SonsOfSevenless]

@@Free-g8r they have taken away 30,000 commuters transportation for 4 years at the minimum. people are rightfully angry. the deux montagnes train line shouldn't have been hijacked by the REM. the branch to brossard is the only one that makes sense, and happens to be something that was planned almost 30 years ago, and frankensteined to the REM. the REM de l'est was definitely planned on a napkin, with worse results than the pink line

[@mother_tucker]

Ironic

[@andrewweitzman4006]

I grew up in TMR. Thing is, there are subtle differences in geography and street layout. The crescents and cul de sac are more towards the east towards Park Ex. Closer to the center and the western edge--where I lived near Kindersley--there is more of a grid street plan with smaller lots. It is far more walkable, with access to the 165 to get out of the town.

[@m.e.3862]

The streets around the town square also have missing middle housing. Low rise apartments. At least it's a little different than most north american exclusive enclaves

[@charlesbaran1106]

I've been to Montreal five times, but the last was in 1978! Now that our son has moved to Plattsburgh NY, about an hour south, we look forward to visiting often. I'll replay this CityNerd installment beforehand.

[@autumnmoonfire3944]

Someone from near me!

[@alexandrehenri-bhargava2741]

I lived in MTL 1996-2009. When I got there in 96 and I would ride my bike to University, people would look at me weird. When I left at 2009, it had already become the most breakable city in North America. Cities can change! Also - Bixi is awesome. It is absolutely fantastic for one-way trips, and lots of my local friends use it regularly. For tourists it’s phenomenal.

[@markrichards6863]

I love Montreal, my favorite North American city. I actually prefer it to most European cities. Food is great. People are friendly. Parks are stunning. The weather, well nobody is perfect.

[@augth]

What are your favourite European cities?

[@neofils]

For someone who have lived in Europe , I think the parks in Montréal are pratical but not beautiful .

[@kiosk5595]

Even though I can’t in good conscience say Montreal is a better city than Paris, I can wholeheartedly say I enjoyed Montreal more. So much cleaner, and most importantly so much nicer. The Canadian politeness and the desire to help non-natives speak their language is infinitely preferable to the French disdain for anyone butchering their native tongue. The food is great indeed and I love how much indie art there is everywhere

[@neofils]

@@kiosk5595 french are polite too. But not in the Canadian way. In France to be polite is to show respect and have some formalities. In Canada is to be friendly and causal. Just a cultural gap.

[@kiosk5595]

@@neofils That’s completely valid. Then I have a preference for Canadian politeness over French politeness

[@PaigeMTL]

Wow, you really hit the pavement! We were wondering where you headed off to each day. Maybe next year you can hit up Laval.

[@Free-g8r]

Curé Labelle is the most beautiful stroad in Canada. Definitely worth a visit

[@jonathand9377]

C'est une vidéo que je regarderais. :) En feras-tu une?

[@alexseguin5245]

@@Free-g8r About time they turn Curé-Labelle in an actual street, as it should be!

[@IHateStroads]

Montreal is a W. Decently affordable compared to Toronto and Vancouver, fairly good transit and housing options, still drivable, great parks, nice mix of old and new, and it’s not in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been there a handful of times and still want to go back soon.

[@robojimtv]

A lot of missing middle construction too which is nice

[@caseyirwin404]

Is it still drivable? Some of the closed streets he mentioned were pretty arterial; Ste-Catherine is a one way compliment to de Maisonneuve. I imagine though that's it's still drivable compared to Toronto, where the drivers don't seem to know how to work the gas pedal and the steering wheel together at once

[@jeanschyso]

​@@caseyirwin404 Yeah you can drive. You better be prepared with a parking spot in mind, but you can drive. Sure, just take Sherbrooke or Notre Dame which eventually turns into Ville-Marie, and you got most places already covered for east-west travel. Then you got Berri, St-Denis, Papineau, Christophe-Colomb and many other streets that you can take to reach highway 40 from north-south. There are PLENTY of arteries still available. Still, I always tell everyone visiting that if they come from a side that has good transit options, they shouldn't need to bring a car in the city. As drivable as it is, you'll get a lot of traffic.

[@forest_green]

​@@caseyirwin404I've got to say my father in law goes crazy whenever he drives from his home in the suburbs of Québec City to our home near the parc olympique. It's going to be harder and harder to drive around town if you're not living in the city. The city is way more accessible through public transit.

[@caseyirwin404]

@@jeanschyso I take the metro any chance I can get. But then again I'm a subway nut. Any city I visit, the first place I go is down into the ditch. Montreal has roughly the same amount of stations and mileage as Toronto, but somehow has configured it into 3 east-west lines and 2 north-south lines, all interchanging with one another, plus a shuttle to Longueil. The Lionel-Groulx transfer is tops! And now there's a new train to the South Shore with more to come

[@mowattokonitz9709]

Moving here next week! From a small town too, I love my new city

[@LimitedWard]

The photos of you all together are exactly as awkward as I imagined it, and I'm 100% here for it!

[@mlu007]

Never realized how liveable Montreal was until I travelled to Houston. My hotel was located on a stroad. I needed to buy something from a pharmacy located 660ft away. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the stroad. There was no way for me safely cross the stroad. I had to drive there.

[@Milnoc]

Within that same 660 feet in Montreal, you could have your home, metro station, grocery store, liquor store, drugstore, bar, and "dépanneur" all within easy reach!

[@bettyparker3317]

I had to laugh. My major stroad problems were in Texas, the worst outside Houston. A couple hotels were in an “island” surrounded by stroads. I could see-almost throw a rock to-stores I wanted to visit all around me. It was just impossible to get there on foot.

[@iymenabdella1774]

One point I feel was missed (esp during summer season) is the number of LIVE (mostly free) events that go on throughout the city. The main benefit of the interconnected metro and bike paths is to get between all these festivals wherever you live in the city. Great video and cant wait to see more

[@josephs.7417]

I was just in montreal this past weekend for a bachelor party, and besides the bars, the culture and atmosphere was intoxicating. it was weird seeing so many people of all walks of life out and about, at all hours of the day. it seemed like at every block there was a park for the people, the missing middle housing didnt feel overcrowded compared to how townhomes are designed in the US. the metro was very quick and efficient, with development everywhere you look. makes me really wonder what the H is going on in the US, coming back home, everything feels dilapidated, no new construction or development, it was a stark contrast.

[@PeloquinDavid]

You're not wrong about the very substantial investments in urban (and other) infrastructure in Canada relative to the US - especially in the last few decades (since the mid- to late 90s, say). Some of us suspect we may have taken things a bit too far in this regard... Canada had a "fiscal crisis" back in the early 90s (one that seems quaint now, what with the late-2000s financial crisis and the recent Covid mess) and we tightened our belts a lot. But when strong growth returned and our budget deficits gave way to surpluses, most of our governments (especially the municipal sector) responded by investing in infrastructure rather than just cutting taxes (though we did do some of that too). Where the US has gone wrong in my estimation is that "tax cuts for the sake of tax cuts" have taken over completely and people have been fooled into thinking you can have public amenities and not have to pay for them through taxes. As a result, the US is gradually running down much of its historically high per capita stock of public sector assets through neglect. And it shows... (By the way, I self-identify as a proper Canadian Tory - a conservative who feels he has absolutely NOTHING in common with those radical revolutionaries south of the border who run down the country's institutions and have the gall to claim they're "conservatives"...

[@Hexagonian]

once the bars close at 3am, i find it gets creepily quiet and restrictive. The only things that are open are A&Ws, some Tim Hortons and a few afterhours concentrated in the Gay Village.

[@michaelvickers4437]

​@@PeloquinDavidProvinces governed by conservative parties, led by Doug Ford in Ontario, are going their best to drive Canada to be tax cut hellholes like the US.

[@mozar5175]

I was born in Montreal 60 years ago already. Living in Nun’s Island, a small island just south west of downtown. Nun’s island is an arrondissement of Montreal together with Verdun, where Wellington street is located. I use my electric assisted bike to go pretty much everywhere in the city. Wellington street is 6 km (4 miles) from home. Downtown is 10 km (6 miles) using the bike trails. Montréal is improving and getting better with time. We certainly have issues like every city in the world. I have visited many cities in Europe, Asia, the US, etc. Montreal is a fun city to live in. It is full of trees, parks, cafés, restaurants, etc. The new REM is amazing, I can’t wait for all the new stations to open. I have just subscribed to your channel and will view your other videos about other cities. One thing I need to say, although Montreal has some wealthy neighborhoods, it remains somewhat affordable compared to other major cities.

[@bryanCJC2105]

I loved Montreal! It felt like going to Europe but just 2 hours from Chicago. I found Montreal a lot more interesting and fun than Toronto and makes an especially good weekend trip from Chicago. Chicago is already a great city and closes some streets on summer weekends, but a "summer streets" program like Montreal's would be amazingly popular.

[@h.b.7104]

Toronto is similar to Chicago but superior (less crime, more diverse, better food).

[@sunny74763]

@@h.b.7104forgot about the housing crisis and unaffordabilty

[@autograndeunlimited]

Toronto is way more fun and interesting than Montreal

[@elgros]

chicago is way better than Toronto and Montreal. Less crime maybe but most crime in Chicago are in very specific areas of southside and west. Diverse I am not so sure. Food it depends but solid options in both cities@@h.b.7104

[@laurentdion9070]

lol you wish@@autograndeunlimited

[@parkmannate4154]

Well, youve now hit my personal dream living scenario of winters in Valencia and summers in Montreal

[@northamericanvanlines]

as a resident of montreal, i am in love with valencia. what a gem, and yes, a great winter escape.

[@NatashaVincent]

My son would cosign this pairing too, if only for the food options and great football ⚽

[@Frangolinobio]

Great video CityNerd! I came here in 2008 (from Brazil) to do a master degree and never left. Felt in love with the city. I love the new mayor, she is really pushing hard on the active/public transportation infrastructure. In the 15 years I've been here I never had a need to buy a car, I go everywhere by bike or public transit. In the rare occasions I need to use a car, I use Communuato, a car sharing service or I rent a car. I live right next to Wellington street. Indeed it's very cool in the summer when it's closed to cars. :)

[@abcdeshole]

Schwartz’s has had that lineup outside since way before there were algorithms, believe me.

[@surenperera9288]

I cant believe my favourite youtuber was walking in my street and I didn't know till now. Glad you like MTL!

[@brianokamoto193]

I love Montreal and I’d like to move there but the winters scare me, the Expos are long gone, and my French is lame. Great episode Citynerd! I love your content.

[@leopoldleoleo]

For what it's worth I found Montreal's winter to be less bad than expected, and better than the pacific northwest's constant rain.

[@charliebrackenbury6115]

@@leopoldleoleoI second this, winter is “harsh” but it’s also got charm with the snow, as opposed to other Canadian cities which can get a lot of rain and sleet

[@DanielRWomack]

I don't mind the winters so much and I'd love to see MLB return to Montreal even if under a new name but my French est tres mal and until that improves dramatically (and I can earn a proper visa to earn residency status) I'll have to be content with visiting as often as budget allows.

[@APJTA]

Bear in mind that I've lived in Sudbury, Ontario, but I really don't find Montreal winters all that tough. Last winter was pretty soft. We only had one really cold weekend. Otherwise, it was -10 Celsius the whole time. A good coat, scarf and toque were enough to be comfortable.

[@MrLiguinii]

The winters are great if you are not driving and for the Expos...yeah that is sad.

[@karmacandor]

Hello. I have watched your videos for a few weeks now (tier list was eye opening!) and subscribed yesterday. I appreciate your objective, data driven analyses with the occasional deadpan zinger. Montreal is a place I am considering relocating to (from the sub F tier Orlando) and am happy you made this video.

[@MrSuperpage1]

As someone who has a ruelle verte right behind my backyard, I can say that you have to live next to one to appreciate it. It builds a community between neighbour's, and creates a traffic free space for people to talk, play hockey, walk around. It's kind of a replacement to small suburban neighborhoods, but inside a big city.

[@aerob1033]

It occurs to me that underground beneath your downtown is actually a great place to put your corporate shopping mall stuff, your big chain brands, like what you find on Chicago's "Mag Mile". Out of sight, out of mind for anybody who isn't interested in that stuff, and people who are can still seek it out. In a way, that could actually *improve* the above-ground streetscape by preserving it for local businesses.

[@patrickwalsh8997]

Montreal's undergournd city Exist only in Tourist's imagination And some forign urbanists It is as relevant as a Donut hole Itr's just there out of plain necessity No fuss no fanfare

[@NatashaVincent]

​@@patrickwalsh8997speak for yourself because it's a helpful reprieve in extreme weather. The AC is on during the summer and you can escape the snow in the winter. My only wish is that more grocery stores were connected to it. IGA near Place Des Arts is all I can think of.

[@neofils]

" Quite of loving you " .That's a big compliment from your behalf .

[@JeanClaudeNoel]

I read recently that half of the people that have French as mother tongue are also fluent in English, in the province. Obviously, I am one of those. Transit (Bus, Metro, REM (Réseau Express Regional)) on the island (Montréal is an island) portion of the system is now free for people 65 and over. I am 66. I love New York. I consider New York to be Montreal South and Montréal to be New York North. The exchange between the US dollard and the Canadian dollar is excellent. Montréal is unique in North America and I think you would find it relaxing. If you come to Montreal, you should also visit Québec City.

[@caseyirwin404]

Very much like NYC in the way it moves and in the vibe. And the only two places in N. America where you can't turn right on a red light. I refer to it as a miniature New York, complete with bridges and tunnels

[@LeadTrumpet1]

Montreal really is like a smaller NYC, down to the island part and the obsession with bagels. Montreal feels very at home to me because of how familiar it feels. It’s just very convenient that it’s a straight ride up I-87 to Autoroute 15.

[@WhiskyCanuck]

The outdoor seating (terasses) during the summer for bars & restaurants goes back decades & is a long-standing Montreal tradition. Winters suck, so people take every chance to stay outside when the weather supports it.

[@ericross631]

I'm glad you like Montréal. Like New York City, it is a great place to live because of the large number of middle density, mixed use, walk-able, transit-oriented neighborhoods. They were all built pre-1930 (working-class industrial neighborhoods around ports and rail yards, streetcar suburbs elsewhere). After WWII Canada adopted exactly the same kinds of planning and building codes as the US did, leading to exactly the same kinds of car-centric suburban sprawl (West Island, Laval, Rive Sud). While many of Montréal's pre-war neighborhoods suffered from post-war expressways, deindustrialization, etc., there were few of the "urban renewal" projects that devastated similar neighborhoods in the US (and no redlining). Middle density, walk-able, transit-oriented, mixed use, neighborhood life has continued to thrive in these neighborhoods from their origins till today, even as their economic and demographic characteristics have completely changed.

[@WoWJilluck]

One cool function of the city that wasn't mentioned is the location of the Mount Royal park relative to both the downtown area and the heavily populated areas. Similar to Central Park, the access to mountain differs from neighborhood to neighborhood and ties a lot of the city's feel together when you live there. New York probably does it better, but you get a spread of activities, hiking trails (with incline), tourist points (cross and the viewpoint), and biking areas all with access from almost any quadrant of town.

[@MNi_86]

You'll be pleased to know the architect of NY's Central Park (Frederick Law Olmsted) was also involved in the design of Mont Royal park.

[@WhiskyCanuck]

I believe CityNerd discussed it in his video of top urban parks in North America.

[@Free-g8r]

The incline makes it pretty daunting to access it from anywhere other than the Parc/Tamtams entrance. All the other access points are way up steep hills (e.g. Peel!)

[@patrickwalsh8997]

@@Free-g8r Try the stairs at the end of Laurier Avenue Through the beautiful Protestant cemetary Onto the Parc des Castors and the belvedere

[@NatashaVincent]

​@@Free-g8rThe Peel entrance is my fav (and may be the fastest way to get to the touristy lookout everyone puts on their social media posts). Besides, I love that this particular entrance into the mountain gives you the option to do a winding walk/roll or boot it with the dozens of stairways... especially the last one, which I fondly call "The Satanic Stairs" ➡️ the last 255 steps you need to get to the lookout 😭 Amazing exercise!

[@thenexthobby]

Urbanist KZbinrs from Canada, mostly into trains you say? So, they're not just bikes?

[@candycigadddict]

I see what you did there

[@thenexthobby]

Oh the urbanity!

[@bruceboa6384]

I see what you did there!

[@vokasimid5330]

Chef's kiss

[@JimBones1990]

Someone in need of Rail Mass Transit

[@markegli]

Much like PFK vs KFC, in Quebec stop signs say ARRÊT but in France they say STOP 😂

[@Zelda-sr6ro]

Nothing better than watching a video about your city from your favourite urbanist youtuber!

[@fatviscount6562]

You should add links to Canadian transit channels, most notably Oh the Urbanity, to video description or as a top pinned comment.

[@jarekweckwerth1390]

My goodness the dryness. The decorative tile comment just totally made my day, or maybe the week even. Thank you!

[@MilesinTransit]

Love you too, Ray!

[@NoTimeForNoodles]

So when's the CityNerd collab (or when is Ray gonna go to Boston?)

[@EricaGamet]

Miles! I yelled "hi" when I saw your name pop up in the video. Always enjoy watching your vids. Agree with NoTimeForNoodles that we need a collab.

[@PaulHo]

Found myself having to cross the street as a pedestrian in Vegas last week. It was like reliving your older videos. What a ride!

[@Droidman1231]

I had never really thought much about Montreal until I started watching a lot of Oh the Urbanity! videos and saw how cool the city looked. I took a solo trip up there (and Quebec City) in October 2022 and fell in love! I lived in Europe (France actually haha) for 3 months so have a decent sense of a "European" city and Montreal is so unique, because it's definitely more "european" than other cities in North American but very much still it's own thing. I went through a phase were I wanted to move there, but dealing with visas (I'm American), and having to learn french well enough to pass the test and speak it at work(I'm good at many things, but language acquisition, especially one as hard a French, is not one of them; I'll stick to Spanish haha), and the lower salaries ultimately deterred me. I'm still looking forward to going back though!

[@noseboop4354]

Consider moving to Mexico.

[@9grand]

Salary is a very American minset . Think about your quality of life instead of your std of living . Universal healthcare, cheap education , sense of security . That is why Canada has a highest life expectancy to the states by 4 yrs

[@laurentdion9070]

And quebec the highest life expectancy of all provinces ;) @@9grand

[@kinkiesse7736]

Washington, DC is also very European as Montreal as they were both French inspired cities. Washington, DC has even a much better subway system.

[@kinkiesse7736]

@@9grand Life expectancy is slightly higher in the US because of higher crime rate in the US, which then skews the average number of life expectancy. Overall, medical technology is better in the US as many Canadian patients who cannot be treated in Canada are transferred to US hospitals. Covid vaccines used in Canada also came from the US ! Furthermore, to pay for your expensive social programs, Canada has to shortcut its defense spending obligations with NATO (2% of GDP) while relying on US defense protection. That's not fair to Americans and as matter of fact, it's very selfish of Canadians. Canadians are lucky Americans see them as little brothers and thus look the other way.

[@welpppppppppppppp]

i love your criteria for analyzing a city! i'm a torontonian and i find mtl much nicer in terms of its transit and walkability plus the lower middle density rental prices are a comfort. i'm visiting edmonton right now and am just struck by how Small it is. there is some nice pedestrian and bike infrastructure in trendy areas (strathcona, highlands) but an attempt to walk to a local yarn shop took me and my mom 40 mins down an industrial stroad that was a punishing trip without a car in a combo of summer heat and wildfire haze. have been loving how Nice everyone is though. Quebs usually are a bit condescending to anglos and everyone in toronto has had the light leave their eyes at this point. it would be great if the YEG public transit was more reliable!

[@williamdixon4936]

Toronto's Bike Share has been really helpful for my transportation needs as a local. At $120 a year, you're looking at 10 years of riding before the break even of purchasing a new bike, and I don't have to worry about theft, storage or maintenance. It's also a lot more pleasant of a trip than a bus ride (thankfully there are decent-ish bikelanes between all my normal destinations). I don't worry about if I'll be able to find a bike to start my trip, or an empty station to finish, the app shows me the way and there are usually multiple options a 5min walk away. Especially if you're living in the busy downtown, where there's lots of stations, bike lanes and bike thefts, Bike Share feels like a no brainier.

[@noseboop4354]

Or you could buy a normal bike at Canadian Tire for $200 and not overpay a thousand bucks in rentals over 10 years.

[@ozgirl45]

I’m so glad that you visited my hometown! I moved here 50 years ago and have lived through the sometimes brutal winters and political turmoil and it has all been worth it. My kids moved to the US but still love to come back on visits. You made a wonderful review! A couple of points, however: 1. The REM that has just started is only the beginning of a larger network under construction and even now helps the need for commuters from the South Shore of the river to get to downtown. It’s better than polluting buses. 2. The outdoor restaurants (“terrasses”) have been a very long time feature of Montreal. We have a climate that from November through March makes indoor dining the only option but once Spring arrives the terrasses are set up again. It’s a central part of the Montreal summer. 3. Um, speak “actual French”? Ouch.

[@rkma]

Yeah, I know CityNerd's humor tends to the dry side, but that felt teetotaler-in-Vegas dry.

[@alexseguin5245]

@@rkma Haha, it's a running joke between us and the French, so it's all good!

[@neofils]

"actual french " lol. As if the Americas, people do speak R.P english

[@mathildesm954]

"Actual French" had me clicking off the video 😅 It's always English-speaking folks who can't even begin to pronounce my language who seem to have high-horse opinions about what counts as French. Si je parle pas français, mais dites-moi donc quelle langue je parle? By that same logic, Americans don't speak "actual English". Funnily enough, 40-50% of modern English is derived or directly taken from French...

[@bruceh4180]

​@@mathildesm954having a bitter attitude without a sense of humor: I guess you are "real French".To be fair, consider it a compliment that so little can be found to critique. Differing English has been covered endlessly, and in the USA we are more concerned with the ever expanding coverage of Spanish. Take care

[@chrisfarmer6893]

The anime fans remind me, last time I visited Leipzig there was a goth convention going on. So the train station was bustling with people wearing lace-covered black ball gowns and that kind of thing. It was nice though, gives the city some personality when you can see different types of people around.

[@brighton_dude]

Really enjoyable and interesting video thank you. I've always thought Montreal looks like a beautiful city in North America but I've never been. I actually live in the UK. Very interesting to learn about the cycles lanes, which I'd really appreciate, as well as the transit system and the more European style housing.

[@reilandeubank]

Even though I've only spent around 3 hours in Montreal, its nice to finally see a city visit on your channel for somewhere I've been. I loved Montreal/Quebec and I'm glad you did too!

[@Notorious_MIG]

Regarding the Bike share - I think there's a lot of advantages to using your own bike for commuting. You don't have to worry about maintenance or theft. They also give you the option to ride one way and then use a different mode to get back home - great for a night out or if you're meeting others. It is pretty tricky to buy a single trip (at least in Toronto), but its great if you have a membership and the app/card.

There are also a number of Bixi users who have their own bike, and use both, depending on the situation.

[@fmapls]

Outdoor cafe seating in Montreal is an essential part of its culture, and has been forever. Other cities may have done it during COVID, but we’ve been doing it for centuries. They’re called “terrasses”, (tay-rass) (more or less) and with our short summers we cannot live without them.

[@kinkiesse7736]

Borrowed from Paris street culture though..

[@fmapls]

14:46 Parc Extension has recently gentrified, so your observation that it’s no longer a rough part of town is apt. TMR was expressly built as a wealthy enclave with limited connections to its surroundings. It maintains its isolation and “property values” rigorously. In Montreal “TMR” pretty much equals “snob”.

[@shauncameron8390]

I thought that was Westmount.

[@mrg0th1er83]

The Ruelles Vertes are great for people who live there. Not so much for tourists. Since people on the second or 3rd floor don't have a backyard of their own, the alleyway becomes a collective backyard (kids play there and some even do neighborhood diner parties). If you need more space then you can walk to the nearest public park (there are many all over the city and you can eat and drink there).

[@Somesomesame337]

It’s a beautiful city, surprising to see it in North America. Quebec has always fascinated me and the pre war suburbs are exciting. But hey, since Atlanta rarely if ever makes any of your top 10 lists, can you do a proper analysis of transit (or lack of it) in the metro Atlanta area? Thanks

[@patrickwalsh8997]

Be interesting to find out the average income of bus and subway riders in each city I think it would be very relevant

[@mbarker]

Yes Bixi is the original North American on demand bike service with those same bikes eventually arriving in London, NYC, SF and Vancouver. As for those street patios, some pre-date the pandemic. 10-15 years ago most of St-Catherine would be car free for the summer, and many bars and restaurants would have patios. What makes (made) Montreal the best city in North America (or at least Canada) is or was the affordability-it's still better than toronto or Vancouver but not what it used to be. If only they could get rid of winter!

[@kjh23gk]

Fake London?

[@yohann2768]

Winter is the part of the life here. But sooner or later, climate change is goinf to change that.

[@NashVil]

@@yohann2768 stupid observation.... media myopia u believe this BS

[@lichi1244eva]

We've driven from NYC to Montreal multiple times - we rarely use our car once we arrive. It's one of our favorite North American cities. Thanks to this video, there are other places I want to check out on our next visit!

[@andrewfusco7824]

My favorite city in North America, if not the world, hands down. There’s a certain joie de vivre that permeates into a collectivist mindset that is extremely hard to find in most American cities. In terms of urbanism, Quebecers are risk takers and it shows. From greenways to REM, Montreal puts cities like San Francisco and my NIMBY paradise hometown of Berkeley, CA to absolute shame. Vive Montréal!

[@Laogeodritt]

You mentioned Montréal and Québec together in how they define themselves as separately from NA and Canada. I'd mention that, while that is very true of Québec at a political and culture level, Montréal itself further separates itself from Québec-a lot like how NYC or London are very much their own cultural bubble relative to the surroundings. Montréal in particular considers itself as very culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse, which is contrasted to a much higher proportion of francophone white Québécois in many other regions (certainly not all, and certainly not totalising, but it's a demographic, cultural and political division that pretty classically fits North American urban-rural differences). Glad you got to explore our city so thoroughly, and got to experience the many instances of bustling summer pedestrian-only spaces! It's always nice to get a thoughtful outside perspective-living somewhere for long enough, you can start taking the good for granted and only see the bad, especially with a pandemic, economic downturn and housing crisis really amplifying the problems.

[@kho2333]

Glad you enjoyed the docked bike share bikes. I'm a big fan of these for a few reasons: 1. I can use it when I'm in the city and my bike isn't with me (e.g. I take the train in for work, want to cut a walk short, etc.) 2. Having the bikes parked at docks looks so much better than dockless bikes littering the streets and blocking access. 3. It's not my bike! If I leave my bike out for hours (especially overnight) I'm running a risk that it will get stolen. And the cost really isn't too bad if you use it a bit, even as a traveler. I was just in Chicago and used the Divvy bikes for $16/day. Was it super cheap? No, but it was 100% worth it to be able to see double/triple per day without totally exhausting myself.

[@alexh2065]

Happy that you visited and enjoyed Laurier avenue. I live very close to it and I always use it as an example of a perfect street in terms of the commercial to residential space ratio, I believe right now there's only one commercial space on the street that isn't occupied or in transition from old to new tenant. And funny you mention that it could probably benefit from being car-free cause I wrote a letter a few weeks ago to local officials asking for this and I know it's something a lot more people are pushing for. Anyway hope you enjoyed our city!

[@karltodd2324]

Great video. I'm going to defend the (first branch of the) REM a bit here and say it's not a vanity project for trainspotters. Pre-pandemic transit between the south shore and downtown was heavy. The gare centrale was packed with commuters, both from suburban trains and buses feeding people into downtown and the métro. Work from home (or télétravail, as we call it here) has had massive consequences on the transit system as a whole. I wish you had experienced our city pre-pandemic.

[@hbbstn]

With a subdued level of enthusiasm, the pictures still manage to present it as a wonderful place to live.

[@sergpico]

Long time viewer, leaving for Montreal tomorrow. Haven’t even watched the video yet but I’m so excited for this content right now!!

[@Krommandant]

Thanks for visiting! As an ex TMR resident, I confirm the gates were once locked on Halloween. It only happened once and was the doing of a zealous employee, shortly terminated after news got out to local media. It made national news on Halloween night, outrage. Maybe 20 years ago or more? We are very sorry this incident still lingers as an urban legend, it's still a great reminder to love thy neighbour.

[@bobsykes]

I love the wrap up part of this video. That says so much about this city and everything I like in an urban place. These touring productions are great!

[@ccudmore]

This video was posted about 30 seconds after my son drove out of my driveway to move to Montreal. Looking forward to going to visit. Also it could be argued that Quebec City is more European than Montreal.

[@shday1]

It is, just much smaller.

[@Free-g8r]

Québec City is a car infested suburban wasteland as soon as you leave the core old city

[@kjh23gk]

@@shday1 It's the same size as quite a few capital cities of Europe (Dublin, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Athens, Edinburgh, etc).

[@dbrandesky]

Regarding beg buttons: I work in traffic signal controls and definitely agree that the concept of having to push a button to cross a street is ridiculous. However the new buttons that talk and have tactile feedback (typically referred to as APS buttons) serve a purpose even if the button push is not required to ask for service. These buttons can be pressed for one second to play a recording indicating what street one is about to cross, which is crucial for the accessibility of those with vision issues. That’s also why the buttons are being put on short poles next to each crosswalk, as this makes the placement consistent from intersection to intersection.

[@Mr00Ted]

I think treating timmies like a cheesecake factory is the most scathing thing you've ever done! (to the cheesecake factory)

[@aerolynx33]

Montreal is really a great city for democratizing urbanism and making missing middle accessible to all. Though I’m a relative newcomer, here are some of my thoughts on the video: -Downtown is not really very nice, at least the eastern end. While nowhere near as troubled by drugs and petty crime as many other north american cities, it’s full of soulless chain stores, a dearth of decent dining options and is cut off quite suddenly by rene levesque blvd. It starts to get better past Peel and especially near Concordia, but by then it gets hemmed in by an elevated freeway. -Transit is amazing in its coverage of central areas, but it seems to be designed to cover the greatest area possible instead of offering the most efficient routes. The REM should allow for more coverage to the gaps and suburbs and more express trips, and better surface transit (bus lanes or trams) should help. -Bixi is amazing and well taken care of, but there simply isn’t enough of it. It might seem like there are a lot, especially in the central areas, but some stations need to be refilled multiple times at peak periods and outlying areas have sparse coverage (and none in Brossard, where the new REM goes). There simple needs to be more - in NYC they just keep expanding, and usage goes way up. -While you had no reason to go there, the suburbs are really, really weird. Montmorency metro has spurred absolutely TOWERING condos surrounded by stroads, parking lots and restaurants that close even before Rocket games finish. Along the water in Brossard there are a bunch of new condos, despite there being no decent transit in the area. The suburbs still have a ton of duplexes, essentially two single family homes like siamese twins (try selling that to americans who want to “not be able to hear their neighbors flush their toilets”, even though it offers all the same stuff at a bit more density). Most bougie suburbs abut, or like Mount Royal, are almost completely surrounded by industry and highways. Laval is the center of all these bizarre choices, and has largely been developed only in the last 50 years. It is now full of highways, parking moonscapes and new culdesacs encroaching on natural areas and farms. I’ve really fallen in love with this city, and I think that it provides a lot of great examples of innovative and practical solutions to north american urban problems. Hopefully other cities start to learn from it, especially the rest of canada which doesn’t see any middle ground between 2 stories and 20.

[@AaronFlora1]

Montreal is looking great! Would love to see a video focused on the cities with the best (maybe classify best as most useable for transport?) bike networks in North America. Dayton Ohio, my hometown, has the largest off-road network in the US and it is pretty stellar, but rarely do I see anyone use it for transport. Your video could help the city make better decisions about the road and transit budget to make Dayton more bike commuter friendly. If Montreal can do it, with significantly worse weather, surely Dayton can too

[@cdw2468]

fellow daytonian! i also thought of our bike network and the ways it could be improved. Protected bike lanes down brown/warren, among other things like improved frequencies of buses (45 min???) could make a world of difference

[@Anglerbe]

Yeah "best cities for bike commuting" or something to that effect is probably my most wanted topic

[@CapitulationTrader]

Loved the unexpected home team dunk at the end. You are one dry, funny, and imo, pleasant fellow. Cheers

[@ratedpz9461]

I was in Montreal in april 2018 and enjoyed it tremendously. I especially liked the impressive bike system, particularly on the Lachine canal. I used to the subway and walked everywhere, but I wish I had gone when the new walkthrough trains were operational. It gives me an excuse to go back though. I also tried the best lobster roll I’d ever had at a farmers market near Lionel-Groulx Station, which surprised me. On a side note, I hope Miles sees this!

[@PAUL-ob7mh]

This "farmer market" is Marché Atwater. I was there yesterday and I had also the best lobster roll I'd ever had. 😃😃

[@ratedpz9461]

@@PAUL-ob7mh That’s great to hear! Thanks for the info

[@edwardlepine]

@@PAUL-ob7mh Do you by any chance remember the stall's name? Merci!

[@PAUL-ob7mh]

@@edwardlepine Yes of course! The stall is called: Lucille's (or the next one?).

[@tomfurie2996]

I think the best point you made (13:05ish) is that the “temporary” car free streets and those with outdoor seating enduring post-pandemic are concrete foreshadowing of what will, or could be coming. If it’s drawing people now, it should continue to draw people in the future. I see this today in Downers Grove, Illinois. A commuter village West of Chicago. I would bet that 90% of the outdoor seating set up during the pandemic, in the street, is still there today in the Summer of 2024. And thriving. Oh, I keep forgetting to thank you for your content and your over-the-top humor.

[@Absolute_Zero7]

I think the fact that you didn't bring up Exo even once this whole video is the biggest condemnation that system could get. That being said I feel like you missed the point about talking about transit. Sure maybe you don't have places to get to on the REM, however when dissecting a city its worth bringing up how the transit network integrates into getting around the city for people who might not live Downtown. For instance you mentioned how the Metro doesn't have that much coverage (something similar could be said about the Toronto Subway), but its very useful to point out how both networks do a lot with a little. Instead of building out a ton of LRT in all directions, they have built a few handful of large subway lines and then feed those subways with frequent bus networks (not sure about Montreal, but in Toronto they can come as frequent as every 2-5m on major streets!). If you want, feel free to search up "York Mills Station" in Toronto, feel free to look at the land use, and be awed when I tell you that station gets more riders than any station on WMATA.

[@essendossev362]

After living in Montreal for 8 years, I recently moved out of the city in part because I was sick of being displaced every year. It's worth talking about Loi 31 which is removing lease transfers, one of the main contributors to keeping rent prices (relatively) affordable. Not that landlords haven't been finding ways around it - kicking tenants out to ostensibly do renovations, only to turn around and double the price without having changed a thing. Or claiming they're moving in only to.. relist it at double the price.

[@davidgill2520]

Thanks for visiting my city. Born and raised here having grown up through politics over language and the creation of a distinct society. French is a must here but with all that I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Montreal has experience great events over the years ie the Olympics in 1976, the world’s fair in 1967 and we have a Formula One event every year. We have our beloved Montreal Canadians hockey team which has the most Stanley Cups. They keeps us warm in the winter. I equate Montreal with Boston as a city. It’s not perfect but we are a hard working bunch.

[@davidgill2520]

You forgot to mention that you can bring your dog on the Metro (underground transit) with a mussel on the owner I mean on the dog. Also like the bike sharing Biki there is a car sharing program in the city. Kids and families are opting for this service than purchasing one. We try to be progressive like in Quebec if you’re 65 years old an ambulance in free and winter tires are mandatory from the end of October to the end of march.

[@philpaine3068]

I remember way back during the Separatist era, when Anglo-Montrealers talked about how the city was going to hell in a hand-basket, and how terrible the future would be if Quebec separated from Canada. "So I guess you're planning to move to Toronto," I would say to them (impishly). The look of horror on their faces when I said this was hilarious. I might as well have suggested that they eat a turd sandwich. A Montrealer is a Montrealer.

[@davidgill2520]

Hello, I don't want to talk about politics but a lot of people suffered because of the possible separation. A lot of business left anyways I love Montreal my parents who immigrated from england in 1958 stayed. They put their kids in french school and learned the language. You know what, we are still part of Canada which is a good thing. Quebec today has so much control of their destiny being in a federation. Let's not go into it...this video should not be about politics. @@philpaine3068

[@danielkosciuszko9788]

As a New Yorker, I can say that MTL is actually a very close second but I love MTL more because of its culture. If I was a Canadian I’d move to MTL. New Yorkers are too busy to enjoy life the way Québécois enjoy city life. Especially in the winter

[@barryrobbins7694]

9:23 One advantage to the docked bikes is the flexibility of extending metro transit at the beginning and/or end of a trip.

[@Free-g8r]

Also bike theft is a real problem in Montreal. Many people will choose Bixi instead of leaving their personal bikes parked for extended periods. I'm one of those people

[@barryrobbins7694]

@@Free-g8r Yes, it’s always good to have a “beater bike” when leaving a bike locked for extended periods of time.

[@northamericanvanlines]

undocked bike systems are pretty chaotic too. the advantage of bixi is that there are dedicated docks on the street in place of parking. montreal largely lacks grassy verges separating sidewalks from the road itself, so the massive volume of bikes parked on the sidewalks would be unbearable.

[@forkast]

the "sweet" at 6:56 was so unexpectedly not monotone that was so cool

[@jeanbolduc5818]

Montreal is the candadian capital of culture, history, design, creativity, food and festivals .... Montreal is a walkable city and like New York alive and built on an island 10 times the size of Manathan ..... multiculturel, safe , and green ... UNESCO city of design and unique .... a mix of New York , Paris and London .

[@ghostassoc]

So tired of your comments everywhere. Yeah we get it Jean. Its becoming annoying now.

[@francoisbouchard9488]

Thanks for making this interesting vlog about my native city. My family moved back to north-eastern Ontario two years after my birth, and I grew up, up there. But Montreal has a special place in my heart. I'm seriously considering moving there for retirement... Only hesitating because of the brutal winters. Have gone soft since relocating to California more than 10 years ago 🙂

[@Coltoid]

I’m so jealous you met Paige Saunders.

[@warw]

Right! He's great!

[@MichaelBrooks-w5d]

I moved to Montreal two years ago, having lived in various places around the US. I love love love Montréal, even the winters (and I walk everywhere, even in the winter). Wonderfully walkable, strong communities in the quartiers, an outdoor culture, and a contrarian culture. C’est magnifique!

[@averyshaw2142]

Boston desperately needs to pedestrianize streets. Hanover Street in the North End and Newbury street are to incredibly easy choices to make but they refuse to do it. Glad Montreal is moving in the right direction

[@odo324]

It's a good feeling to see you're already subscribed to everyone recommended/called-out on an urbanest-channel. 😉

[@evanc8057]

I love the 70s aesthetic of their metro system