The formation of Montréal-Est as a municipality was initiated in 1910 by businessman Joseph Versailles, who had bought 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi) of land there. The town was incorporated on 4 June 1910 under the name Montreal East, when it separated from Pointe-aux-Trembles and Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rivière-des-Prairies. Versailles was mayor of the town until his death in 1931.[1][5]
In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Montréal-Est had a population of 4,394 living in 2,018 of its 2,124 total private dwellings, a change of 14.1% from its 2016 population of 3,850. With a land area of 12.15 km2 (4.69 sq mi), it had a population density of 361.6/km2 (936.7/sq mi) in 2021.[6]
The Dufresne-Nincheri Museum, a historic building in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, has the mission to preserve, study, and influence the history and heritage of Montréal-Est (East Montreal). It was originally named the Château Dufresne Museum.
Transportation
Montréal-Est is served by Notre-Dame Street and Sherbrooke Street, which run east-west through large portions of the Island of Montreal.
Montréal-Est joined Westmount as the only Montreal island municipalities to refuse to adopt the name of Boulevard René-Lévesque for their portion of the major east-west street, Dorchester. To this day, the street is called Rue Dorchester in Montréal-Est.[12] It also preserves a section of Rue de Montigny, which has otherwise been replaced by Boulevard de Maisonneuve apart from one block downtown. Rue Sainte-Catherine and Rue Ontario also reappear in Montréal-Est, far away from their main downtown sections.
North-south streets in the city include Avenue Georges-V and Avenue Marien.