The Life-Sized City - Montreal - S02 E06 - Full Episode

[@LucasMakes]

This is at least 5 years old. I can see St-Denis has got it's huge upgrade since then. Valerie Plante is nailing bike infrastructure.

[@nonmagicalgirl]

and they way they talk about the government, and the hopefulness at the beginning

[@tommcfadden748]

I visited Canada for the first time in 2023 and travelled around a little bit. I really enjoyed Montréal, but felt I did not have enough time in Montréal. So I returned last month to Montréal for a 11 night holiday. This time I stayed in the plateau and I enjoyed the best holiday of my life. Wow, Montréal is such a delight! I can't wait to return!!

[@meme-ok5yc]

I love Montreal, I have lived here for more than 30 years. Its hard to explain to people what it is about Montreal that people love, they just have to come and experience it for themselves. I love watching videos about my city, and people who claim to love it! I think all these changes are for the better. More bikes, less cars, more community involvement.

[@Billymays618]

Toronto has better resources than Montreal….it is a WORLD CLASS city while MONTREAL has no soul

[@shengaoren4258]

About to leave MTL next week to go back home to Calgary. Stayed here for 6 years to work after I graduated uni.. I already miss it. The city always feels so alive and you can see the joie de vivre in people that you don't see in the other anglo cities in Canada. In Toronto / Vancouver / Calgary it's always about money, status, career etc. and they wonder why they're so angry and jaded all the time.

[@floyd2222]

To be fair to Van and T.O. - those cities have always been very expensive to live in (either owning or renting). Quebec has only recently seen the runup in residential real estate costs that have always been present in Van, and more recently in Toronto. Montrealers will be feeling the pinch more now in terms of housing costs and this will really change things. It is hard to be chill and laid back when you must have 2 incomes in a family. and all the money goes to barely covering housing, daycare, food and transportation costs.

[@groovinq]

I grew up in Montreal and left after highschool but I still call it my home town. I think if you're from Montreal, you will always be a Montrealer! There is something about the city's joie de vivre which never leaves your body.

[@simongervais9302]

As an almost lifelong citizen of Montreal, I must say that some parts of this made me almost emotional! it's beautiful to see my city through loving though exterior eyes. Very good documentary! Thank you! I did learn quite a few things!

[@micheleparadis2808]

idem

[@louern123]

ok perhaps my comment was not as appropriate as yours.

[@epruno3583]

Sad part is that rent prices are following the upward canadian trend. I am lucky enough to own an unit in a densely populated, central neighborhood and for us lucky few, it is possible to do groceries, go to parks, gym, restaurants and more on foot.

[@matthausmann5260]

Montreal isn't Old Montreal or Downtown. Montreal is the neighborhoods like the Plateau, Holchelaga, and Parc Ex. Thank you for diving into the neighborhoods and understand the true Montreal.

[@jameswithoutfrontiers]

Excluding Old Montreal and Downtown from what you are are calling "true Montreal" kind of undermines one of the city's major strengths, which is it's diversity. I get that the neighborhoods you mention as "true Montreal" are probably the ones you appreciate the most, but there is something about the notion of a "true Montreal" that feels exclusionary, which doesn't jive with the welcoming, inclusive spirit for which Montreal is well-known. Like the lives of neighboring people, neighboring neighborhoods are intertwined, so it's kind of hard to imagine one neighborhood as more "true" than another, when both have grown up together.

[@raimonda6653]

I love this ! Thank you for the Visionaries and people who did it ❤

[@JoeFromCanada93]

I am from Montreal, live in Montreal, and have learned much on my city from this video. Subscribed.

[@christofat2704]

It is unique not a generic North American city like Toronto

[@zigzag00]

Always have to bring up Toronto in a Montreal video 🤣

[@joenroute9646]

@@zigzag00 may be you look to much for these comments

[@zigzag00]

@@joenroute9646 Toronto is the better city and thats why Montrealers are always comparing the two 🤷‍♂️

[@christofat2704]

​@@zigzag00 Generic! Same architecture, same language , same language same food . Toronto is the city of many interesting things but nothing special. Everything seems to be recently imported but not fully digested to give its own identity.

[@zigzag00]

@@christofat2704 Bro you're just copy and pasting the same comment 🤷‍♂️ Boston is just as if not more interesting than Montreal if you're going to compare North American cities lol

[@jimaldon]

Luc Ferrandez is an absolute legend

[@Marie-AndreeChagnon]

I'm a Montrealer and learned so much! I live near the airport where there are no allies but we hold a neighbourhood get together every summer, pot luck style and last Christmas had a christmas decoration bragging rights contest. Community is definitely an important part of our culture.

[@JulieDeuxFois]

Vous vivez en banlieue, pas à Montréal, madame!

[@danielbougie8890]

Old episode that I keep coming back! My Home.

[@maudelemelin9026]

Super interesting, and with awesome interviewees. Thanks for sharing!

[@fayeburke]

I miss you everyday! I will be back. Yul is a vibe.

[@robertruffo2134]

This is world class content a huge cut above most of KZbin. Well done my friend. You deserve to become a huge hit.

[@Krommandant]

Montréal has had a huge popularity boom from KZbin in the last few years. Being a resident, we would have hoped to remain a bit less known, the housing crisis is insane 😂.

[@quinnmurph2750]

It's quite shocking to see the scenes in the Village then versus now. Will never understand why the City decided to kill the yearly installation of the suspended balls over Ste-Catherine, one of the most successful urban-art interventions of recent times.

[@roselynew4364]

Without its long winter , Montreal would be the best city of the world

[@cb8663]

Chicago would

[@guillaumestcyr89]

If only we could embrace it and do something great with it, plan according to it and not just do things for its short summer. Let's look at Finland!

[@alxd5068]

the long winter is the reason why in SUMMER, Montreal becomes such a majestic place to be in!!

[@MrAlen6e]

But them it would be the Vancouver of Canada with everyone moving there.

[@MrBreaknet]

Long winters are awesome for skating and dating :0)

[@zlanaya]

Thanks for making this production

[@ShaneMoorhead]

Montreal is unique in the world of urban landscapes....thanks for this video

[@LifeSizedCity]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@miriamzajfman4305]

I do live in Montreal for over 50 years ( Downtown ,Snowden , N,D.G. Westmont ) .I had not seen all the projects that you showed to us - yet there is a Great Need for them !

[@EnzoDellacorte]

you're obviously looking at the wrong places

[@miriamzajfman4305]

@@EnzoDellacorteThese places shows up one year and disappear the next ! Like the one on my street ( Queen Mary ) They painted colorful stripes on one part of the street ,fenced with huge flower pots benches ,tables - Gorgeous ! People could ; relax , chat , read , eat ect. This year only strips remained . Explanation given to us " homelessness , vandalism " P.S. On the weekend you can not go to the bank to withdraw money from the machine - LOCKED ( the same reason ) That is Montreal Today

[@nevakos24]

What an awesome city, I can't wait to visit!

[@danmancas2724]

Nice. It would be interesting to make a similar one but for the other part of the year, during long winter.

[@jdmitaine]

May the creative innovation of it's citizens continue to the betterment of the city, with basic needs met, it can thrive in great communities.... helping eachother is key

[@LIVYAPPLE]

😍 this was once my home long ago.. I miss it so much.. Je me souviens 🫶🏼🇨🇦❄️🦫⚜️

[@annatoth790]

Enjoying this video! This is the 2nd time that I watched this, the first time I was just listening while I got some shut eye on my sofa, and for a moment I thought I was hearing Anthony Bourdain, who else thinks they sound the same?

[@jackechan1311]

A great episode the first time. Also a great one this time!

[@Kyogre9600]

I lived in the suburb all my life (Longueuil). I wish it was more like that here. What Luc said about things that people don't know they need spoke to me a lot. I always wander around the city and image some unused or underused spaces as these kind of living spaces. I see the potential. It kinda frustrate me but I know the situation in Montreal before these changes wasn't very pink also.

[@richardmtl]

21:00 it translates to "Village at the foot of the current"

[@johnderosa3648]

I’m from Mass and have been coming here for 20 years, it’s such a cool city….def one of my favorites on earth

[@mike-PlatinumAudio]

Amazing video :) After almost 40 years here, everyday, I discover more of Montreal. Today, right from my home watching this. Bravo!

[@LiveInItalyMagazine]

Love this! Thanks for another great video Mikael.🙌

[@LifeSizedCity]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ehjo4904]

The culture the language and the mindset make it unique

[@TechnocracyUnveiled]

I moved to Montreal when I was 18 and lived in many great cities throughout the years like Toronto, LA, Austin, Las Vegas, but we keep coming back here and decided to settle for good now. I felt in love with the simple complexity of the city, where everyone can be whatever they want and people, instead of not caring, they just care for you to be comfortable being yourself. Of course there is corruption and bad stuff like all metropolis, but there's far more positive stuff here to leave. I have tried to leave and live in so many places but there's always something missing that I find here when I come back.

[@marcotheriault4149]

Thank you for letting me re-visit my hometown, culture and safe spaces to grow, belong and care,.

[@9grand]

Ma ville préférée d'Amérique du Nord

[@ManuelCarrasco-J3]

Beautiful rendition. Well done. Thank you.

[@WalkWithMeMontreal]

Perfect 👍🏼

[@cool2rule2]

Lived in Montreal for 10 years. Truly a world-class city.

[@Sonzoul1]

I like to way you are expressing and I will watch your other videos. Very interesting tone and professional.

[@louern123]

Montrealer here for 59 years and as much as I love that you love Montreal. I just want people to know that the culture of Montreal is super Unique: It’s not Canadian culture, It’s not American culture, It’s not European culture, and it’s not Quebec culture. When I retire, I am going to make videos like this analyzing the culture in different neighbourhoods.

[@ericross631]

Thank you David Hannah for all the terrific urban geography lessons when I was your student.

[@idkthetime]

What a fantastic overview of the city and it's locals.

[@showcaseSampa]

I've been to Montreal three times . Love the take.

[@JediMasterZao]

Oh wow I grew up in that backstreet on rue Sicard!

[@ponfed]

My dear friend lives near there and I'm there all the time. And I can tell you that things have changed, some for the better, some for the worst. But at heart, that part of Viauville is very much the same charming, frustrating and interesting place that I knew when I was younger. Gentrification is there, but you better believe there is pushback, and pushback to the pushback.. it's still has the same heart.

[@dnipllr4057]

I'm a native montrealer and find your video very accurate. Salut!

[@lizlivesfood]

❤❤❤ fantastic!

[@citoyenhicks2866]

I Love Montreal ! Great city with a vibrant culture open to the world.

[@pierrelong6283]

beautiful, very inspiring!

[@rbenjamin1429]

Wonderful video, thank you! I love Montreal! 🥰

[@Krommandant]

Ça donne des idées!

[@paolocruz8392]

Livable cities are the physical medium that the digital social medium lacks. Digital socmed is essentially a bulletin board most often the physical venues to convene to are missing. I can only be envious of places who have learned the great value of community.

[@mozar5175]

I am a 61 yo retired male. I live on a small island just south west of the city center, it is a borough of Montreal. I don’t need to commute anymore and I am a big user of bike lanes in the city. I have to admit that I still haven’t seen a better place to ride the bike almost everywhere in the city. There are beautiful parks, cafés, pedestrian streets during the summer, etc. It makes Montreal so unique that I hesitate to go anywhere else on vacation from May to October. This said, there is always room for improvement.

[@Bubble-GuyEh]

Yo you live on Dorval Island..sweet..I miss Dorval 😞

[@mozar5175]

@@Bubble-GuyEh Nun’n Island

[@micheleparadis2808]

Ah. Moi aussi j'habite à l'Ile des Soeurs

[@Bubble-GuyEh]

​@@mozar5175 lol that's not south west..that's south..you do realize the West Island is part of Montréal 🧐

[@hdufort]

The alleys (ruelles) were already celebrated in the kids show Passe-partout in the 1980s. The alleys are usually straight with an access at both ends. In recent years, citizens have started "greening up" these back alleys. Most already have mature trees providing shade anyway. After greening the alleys and restricting vehicle circulation, citizens have now taken to the front streets. We're seeing more and more citizens planting gardens on sidewalk strips (between the sidewalk and the street). In urban Montréal, most low/medium density buildings have very little in terms of front yard. Typically between 1.50 and 3 meters. So spilling towards the street is a good strategy. I've seen planters with vegetables growing on Berri street. Well this is new!

[@neofils]

The people want the city so great

[@mitchellbernard5626]

I just discovered this channel by happenstance. Quite frankly, I could live without the Bourdain 'schtick" but the themes are both more important and Mikael Colville-Andersen is much better informed than the endless number of 'influencers' producing shallow food & travel videos about places about which they know nothing, where they don't speak the language. This series, is global in its inclination but without ultimately being about America (a la Bourdain). as some sort of default global standard. It's definitley worth exploring!

[@NatalieChickee]

That’s something I love because I moved Montreal from Detroit and even though Detroit is you know has some issues the streets are tore up just like Montreal it’s amazing so driving down the street I feel a little like home ha ha

[@JeSuisHulk]

sadly cheap rent is over in Montreal what used to be 600$ is about 1600$ today.

[@sasha-01]

The production value doesn't equate the sub count. Moneh Moneh :)

[@PierreDufour-vs1wh]

Reality check: this video is from a a unicorn view of a city that is dramatically sinking. Homeless people all over, drug addicts and beggars taking control not to mention gang violence, drug injection sites right in front of primary schools. In winter the city will clean the bike paths before cleaning the streets and sidewalk (the hell with older people like me 78 +) appartments neglected by owners waiting for you to move then do some minor renovations and hike the price to way over what a family can afford and need to be self deported, immigrants taking control asking for the law of their countries to be applicable here while they take advantage of our social services and do not want to learn French, this is Montreal what is supposed to be a French city. Better stop there my blood pressure is going up

[@98Enzio]

Interesting show but you focus mainly on the Plateau and while it is a defining trait of Montreal, you neglect how the REM is changing the city and connecting a car dependent West Island into the rest of the city. Contrary to what this documentary shows, Montreal does not look like the Plateau and that neighborhood is among the most expensive so people can't really afford to live there and thus move further away from the city core (Riviere des Prairies, Lachine, Verdun are among some destinations). Lastly, more and more locals, including me, are becoming frustrated with the use of bike paths all over while roads lie in neglect, it seems like these bike paths are smacked just to reach quotes since you have an increasing density of bike paths in residential sectors such as NDG that are taking away parking spots, even when the bike paths were not necessary as there is another one just a street down.

[@Kyogre9600]

I agree with the first part of your comment. I disagree about bike lanes though.

[@98Enzio]

@@Kyogre9600 How come?

[@lucwaide7131]

This was originally aired in 2018… the REM wasn’t even built yet

[@mattu909]

Excellent video!!! Keep up the good work.

[@Pierrekira]

Easy answer : the french touch make it great

[@brucedao2360]

What year was that documentary shot?

[@FirstLast-et3sw]

How old is this video? Luc hasn’t been a mayor for a very long time. He’s a radio host now.

[@louismajor4394]

Makes sense. Rents are far from cheap nowadays

[@Liaframmm]

Why is the video quality so low? 720p isn't ok in 2024.

[@pauljm4159]

Go Val go!

[@act_sion]

Enfin Montréal.

[@LifeSizedCity]

Toujours Montréal

[@cordelldev]

Hell ya Varukers t-shirt @ 33:21!

[@MarioSeoane]

To me is like a teenager girlfriend I will always remember with love from highschool but I would never return with her as an adult. Happy life here in the cow city of Canada.

[@matthewshelley5475]

winter is too long bike lanes only work, 6 months maybe

[@Billymays618]

Montreal is a poor city with outdated buildings, bad transit and road infastructure, homeless people and crime and rude people

[@samyarabi9033]

yeah i guess you compare to beverly hills ? because go to lets say a big city in africa and you will understand ^^

[@yanis905]

One could shoot such a documentary about just any city in the world, with such biased views. Montreal is nowhere close to making it to the top 10 cities to live in. I’m entering my 3rd year here after living in Barcelona, Beirut, Doha, Yokohama and Paris. Nowhere have I seen so much infrastructure in a state of disrepair, roads being rebuilt year after year, construction sites everywhere and apathetic people accepting it all. Not the worst place to live, for sure, but definitely at the bottom of my personal list.

[@RapCultureMTL]

we love montreal

[@lcloutier1000]

Right, perhaps it should be mentioned that all those good things your good friend was responsible for correlate with sizeable increase in standstill traffic pollution, exponential rise in rent as well as a major increase in commercial unit vacancy rates within his former fiefdom of Plateau-Mt-Royal. He also stopped snow removal in the district when it precipitated at inconvenient times, like the week-end. Two years after his own political party was elected to power for the whole city (for the very first time ever), he "resigned" with disdain, trying to publicly shame the party over a pitiful disagreement.

[@JeanFrancoisPoulin1]

What next time you have to do 5 a 7 somewhere and where you could make a small talk!!

[@JeanFrancoisPoulin1]

Ah this is old! Some shot date back

[@ethikzmedia]

the pot holes and contruction mafia goto go! i took the night bus and the pot holes are shakking the bus! its horrible here...the leeches sucking all our public money goto go!

[@guymarcgagne7630]

Redux - but - always nice to have positive vibes! Besides, you seem to get what Montréal is about, id est: avancez tout azimut! There are few if any boundaries to the creative ''joie de vivre'' that is French Canadian heritage but, happily transferable/assimilated by newcomers who bring their own twist to this collective vision of what this city should be, albeit borough by borough instead of Parish by Parish, prior to the Quiet Revolution and, the revelation that was Expo 67 (Man and his World) Ever evolving and expanding, dynamic and thoughtful, admittedly often by fortunately positive happenstance, we have developed ''our own thing'' and pursue its uncharted course with tremulous ''confidence''! Be well and stay safe

[@joenroute9646]

It just has a ' je ne sais quoi'

[@robertguertin7155]

15 year cycle of good government he said. We’re waiting…

[@a.a.p1952]

Montreal is so boring No CANADA Day 🇨🇦parade, No New Years Fireworks, No more Just for Laughs festival, because of No money, bike lanes everywhere shitty roads. It’s gets pretty dirty as well! Highest taxes in North America, can’t even get a doctor in Quebec.

typical canadian angryphone comment. ,probably even a bot..

also... we have a canada day parade..we just happen to call it moving day here instead.

[@sk8ben66]

this things is old at least 5 6 years .but for me a longtime montrealer i feel mtl is on decline on many factor .its losing the charm a lot a cool place close because of the insane rent increase .like wellington street after they says in timeout that was the coolest street in the world the owner raise the rent and kill all the nice place .now its almost all chain .night life is maybe 1/2 of what is use to be ,crime is on raise ,homeless tent everywhere ,price of rent that triple and uncontrolled mass immigration .

[@JulieDeuxFois]

I remember in the early 2000s how dead wellington was. Toothless people everywhere. Now shop owners need their storefront display to be approved by the hipster urbanite committee

[@emiriebois2428]

Laissez Toronto devenir Milan. Montreal sera toujours Rome

[@MirejeLenoir4670]

Merci au maire Drapeau pour cette citation.

[@utsavkundu1924]

Well people won’t like what I am gonna say, but if you wanna crack something big live this city the moment you dream big because it’s good for those who likes to settle for mediocre. If someone is up for debate google the information and then hit me up. 🤙

[@Fumbuzi]

How is this in 720p and not HD... 👎

[@giovanniiaquinta880]

i still insist that bike paths should be safe meaning that they can not garanty paths next to streets safety bikes away from motor vehecles how many people have died no formal safety road instruction course like motor vihecles

[@louern123]

Montrealer here for 59 years and as much as I love that you love Montreal, your character is not at all Montrealish. I just want people to know that the culture of Montreal is super Unique: It’s not Canadian culture, It’s not American culture, It’s not European culture, and it’s not Quebec culture.

[@meme-ok5yc]

Have you been told that your voice and narration resemble Anthony Bourdain?

[@brob9995]

A very big bias towards Ferrandes politics...the people that live in this neighbourhood now are millionaires from France, it did nothing good for Montrealers

[@JKaw950]

Enjoyed watching your perspective on Montreal. But I do feel you are cherry picking on how Projet Montréal is managing the city. This attitude of joie de vivre expressed is not how most Montrealer's feel at the moment. Your friend Luc and mayor said it best. Sure it will remove parking, and add to congestion. But once it is built citizens will come to realize this.. THIS is what we were missing all our lives! Welcome to Montreal where you can watch the movie "Field of Dreams" in real life. Please do visit Montreal in February. Bring that bike along too. ;)

[@ehjo4904]

Le vélo ? Certains même en été préfèrent le comfort de leur chars ! 😂

[@SurnaturalM]

The video itself was quite good, very detailed, and comprehensive. I just don't agree with how badly the city is managed. Nothing against the person who made the video. "Nobody wants trafic." Yeah, and in removing the roads from automobiles, it makes it almost impossible to go shopping, eating in a restaurant or going to the cinema. That's why most people I know, including myself, don't go in Montreal. We have a lot of great, even better restaurants here, and we go in the city only if it's absolutely necessary. The land my house is sitting on is 400 feet large, by 1385 feet deep. My kids and now grandkids have plenty to play on it. Since the city makes us, people who live in the countryside unwelcome, we refuse to spend a dime in Montreal. We spend our money locally instead. They wanted it to "be like Paris," as the mayor said, so be it. But being like Paris isn't the flex you think it is. It's just bad that people who live in South Shore and North Shore have to pay for Montreal public transport, which they don't use. It's just an example of bad and unfair administration. Municipale and provincial. I wish they could make the users pay more, as it's almost as if they punish these people for having a car. I'm glad to live outside the limits, so I don't have to pay that punishing tax. Also, most people are paying the same amount for a renting of a 5½ appartement that you pay for a mortgage, the difference is that after 25 years, the house is paid in full, and you only have the taxes to worry about. After 25 years of paying rent, when you move, you don't have anything, and if you have kids, then there's nothing left for them, which is absurd and egotistical. I want my kids to have something after I'm not there anymore. Did I tell you that I also bought 85 acres of woodland? So the kids are able to play in a natural place, that will one day be their own land? In my opinion, if you want to live in a city, you have to deal with the inconveniences, like having cars and traffic, but today, people don't want to deal with the inconveniences of their poor choices, so they put these on other people. Anyway, as I said before, it's not on the person who made the video as it's very well done and narrated. It's just me expressing my opinions and thoughts about big cities in general, and Montreal in particular.

[@bandolin1216]

Huh? Luc Ferrandez? The mayor of the plateau is Luc Rabouin as of Sept. 09, 2024.

[@hejiranyc]

So this "Milton Parc" co-op is shown to be some kind of Utopia that welcomes people from 50 different countries from all socioeconomic backgrounds, yet, for that dinner scene, it appears to be 100% white people, which is definitely not a representative cross section of Montrealers. I live in co-ops in NYC and South Florida, and if Milton Parc is anything similar, all prospective residents needs to be thoroughly vetted; not only financially but also in terms of employment history, criminal history, education along with an unquantifiable "vibe" rating, which is basically legal cover to discriminate on the basis of age, sex, religion, race, etc. So it appears to me that this lady/activist is touting this co-op like some kind of miracle of social engineering when it's a place where white people can legally self-segregate. Oh, sure, it makes the lady/activist smug and self-satisfied that they include poor (white) people, but at least they don't have to deal with loud music, weed, gun violence, food smells and all of the other trappings of living with the "others."

[@12bananaboy]

it's a rich anglophone enclave. What do you expect. Classic liberal anglo canadians

[@ponfed]

I know. And there are a lot of Coops in mtl, and I've been to a few.. and they weren't like Milton.. much more diverse, more lively and more communal.

[@eugeneting9805]

Montreal is serving TEA

[@04eire]

fun episode. I learned a few things. One aspect I do not see however, is the financial devastation all the feel good stuff has had on business. St Laurent, St Denis, Prince Arthur, Crescent, Ste Catherine St downtown....have been absolutely destroyed. It's incredibly difficult to get deliveries to restaurants, businesses anywhere in the city. I think everyone loves the little green spaces etc, but half the year it's not at all functional. Winter makes all those points moot. I think there are better ways to keep the private sector, which defined the history of the city, with it's 4-5 months a year of green utopian views.

[@carlob95]

Montreal is a city in construction

[@Bossnj]

The documentary is mainly about downtown and it's reality which is totally different from the rest of the city. Showing Montreal North and it's poverty is not accurate. RDP is a special hub and Ile bizarre is also a special hub. What makes downtown is mostly people coming from out of town. Soon they'll understand.

[@mariaandharold]

a moving tribute to my home town; I still remember the years when Montreal was great & fun & so full of life. The city has been nose diving with people now avoiding downtonw like plague. Montreal has had a lifetime love affair with summer, b/c it is so short. Restaurants opening terrasses in the spring, buzzing with people debating on last night's hockey game. Montreal had a pulse, with hundreds of thousands of people dancing in the street during the jazz festival. No one could beat the atmosphere. Now, since the post-referendal decline of 1995, the sad but so well deserved nickname of 'cone city' has been tagged (if not tattoued), & the city seems in an eternal halt where nothing ever moves. My heart bleeds when I see so many stores closed, inoccupied spaces & empty streets. Montresl could still be great, but it would take a miracle.

[@fibreoptik]

Federal crime to cut the fence and cross the tracks. But it hurts no one as long as you’re careful.