Montreal’s Little Italy Neighborhood

Montreal’s Little Italy developed in the early 20th century but the fabric of the neighborhood filled in through the 1960s. The largest wave of Italian immigrants arrived in Montreal at the end of WWII and continued through the 1970s, after which Italian immigration tailed off. Montreal has the second largest Italian population in Canada after Toronto.

The neighborhood still very much has its Italians roots with many small businesses operated by Italian immigrants. But it is much more than that thanks to the Jean-Talon market, and the neighborhood’s gentrification. Little Italy boast great mixed-use and  vibrant urban fabric thanks to several business districts and mixed use streets running through it (i.e. St. Lauren Blvd, Rue Jean-Talon, rue Saint- Zoutique, Rue Beaubien, Rue Dante, and the Jean-Talon Market). Plenty of mixed-use blocks in other parts of the district. The neighborhood also boasts a decent # of small-medium parks, great retail and food and beverage amenities, and moderately priced rentals. For sale housing is however getting expensive here as 2-bed start at 500K and 3-beds at 800K. The tree canopy could also be better.

Click here to view my Montreal Little Italy Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

• Other commercial districts include Rue Jean-Talon (a bit wide and autocentric at points), Rue Beaubien (comfortable and relaxed for pedestrians), Rue Saint-Zoutique (similar to Beaubien but more residential uses), Rue Dante (even more mixed-use), and the Jean Talon Market and all the business streets that surround it. Plenty of mixed use blocks as well throughout Little Italy.
• Very active commercial district along St. Laurent Blvd especially between the Little Italy neighborhood branding signs (btwn Rue Jean-Talon & Rue Saint-Zoutique). Also good mixed-use infill here as well.
• Saint Denis becomes mostly residential in Little Italy and has an regal feel with larger historic apt bldgs matching a pretty wide tree line road.
• Le Marche Jean-Talon is excellent with good hours tons of vendors and many spin off businesses adjacent to it.
• Decent number of parkettes, playgrounds, and plazas but not as good as Le Plateau or “”The Village””. The expansive Parc Jarry is only a couple blocks Northwester of Little Italy.
• Great array of food & beverage businesses, a couple performing arts theaters and local cinemas, and a couple art galleries.
• Great retail amenities as well including a couple supermarkets, tons of small grocerias thnaks to the Jean-Talon Marche, several drug stores, plenty of boutiques & gift shops, several book stores, lots of bakeries & dessert shops, and plenty of churches.
• Rental product is pretty moderately priced.
• Good subway access with 6 stations sitting on two edges of the district. Several dedicated bike lanes and lots of bike sharing stations.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

• The architecture being more mid-20th century is less ornate than neighboring Le Plateau or even Mile End but I still find it interesting.
• A bit gritty in spots but not much vacancy fortunately.
• Tree canopy is decent considering the limited amount of space in a dense rowhouse neighborhood.
• For sale product is pretty expansive but also on the high side. But still some moderately priced condo product with some 1-beds selling in the 300K&400. 2-beds start at 500K and 3-beds at 800K.”