Griffintown’s decline from the 1950s to the 1970s stemmed from rezoning in 1963 that shifted the area to light industrial use, allowing landlords to neglect residential upkeep and accelerating decay. Mayor Jean Drapeau’s urban renewal projects for Expo 67—including the Bonaventure Expressway—further fractured the neighborhood, demolishing homes and driving out long‑time residents in a process that had begun during the Great Depression. Amid this upheaval, the demolition of St. Ann’s Church—the heart of Montreal’s Irish community—marked the final blow, leading to the community’s collapse by 1970.

In this five-part series, Griffintown: A People’s History, historian Dr. Matthew Barlow recounts the fascinating social history of Griffintown, a former industrial neighbourhood just south of downtown Montreal, that has all but disappeared.