Revitalization of Montreal’s Faubourg Saint-Laurent: A factor of social change?
Urban projects and other forms of renovation, rehabilitation or urban design activities contribute to the revitalization of dilapidated neighbourhoods. Urban revitalization can be a goal worth pursuing, in that it can potentially lead to improvements in the environment and living conditions of current residents, while at the same time attracting investors, tourists, visitors, working people and wealthier residents and so increasing both social and residential diversity. This present article describes the results of an exploratory study into the role of urban revitalization as a factor of social change in Montreal’s Faubourg Saint-Laurent; the study was based on a property ownership analysis and a survey using semi-structured interviews with residents. Faubourg Saint-Laurent is an inner-city residential neighbourhood that also provides core municipal services. Over time, the Faubourg has had to and continues to deal with the innumerable physical and social transformations resulting from the implementation of major urban projects in the City of Montreal.