Ranked list Story Gallery

Menu

Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time.

Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time.

in Places & People

What Montreal looked in the 1960s Through these Fascinating Vintage Photos

7.5k Views 35 Comments

The 1960s saw an emergence of a new political movement in Quebec. Jean Lesage’s Liberal government made reforms that helped francophone Quebecers gain more influence in politics and the economy. During Montreal’s rise to prominence as a center of French culture in North America, more francophones began to own businesses. Anglophones dominated the Montreal-dominated economy of Quebec. A police strike in 1969 led to 16 hours of unrest, known as the Murray Hill riot. The police were struck because of difficult working conditions caused by disarming separatist-planted bombs, patrolling frequent protests, and wanting higher pay. Quebec’s National Assembly passed an emergency law forcing the police to return to work. When order was restored, 108 people were arrested

The Montreal Metro was built during the 1960s, and the provincial government built most of today’s highway system. This period of rapid urbanization created a situation where Montreal’s infrastructure fell behind its demands, as it did with many other North American cities during this time.

Montreal also became an international hub during this decade. Expo 67, the construction of the metro system, and the rise of the city’s first skyscrapers shaped Montreal’s modern cityscape.

Here are some stunning vintage photos that will take you back to 1960s Montreal. We’ve lost some parts of our city, from the vintage Orange Julep to the electric rue St-Hubert. Montreal has changed and evolved over the years, but one thing has never changed: it is a city filled with life, laughter, and some of the most incredible people you will ever meet.

#1 And one more of the beautiful Saint Catherine Street, 1969

And one more of the beautiful Saint Catherine Street, 1969

9 Points

Upvote Downvote

#2 Saint Hubert Street, 1963

Saint Hubert Street, 1963

8 Points

Upvote Downvote

#3 Sainte Catherine Street at night, 1964

Sainte Catherine Street at night, 1964

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#4 Boulevard Dorchester and Place Ville-Marie, 1962

Boulevard Dorchester and Place Ville-Marie, 1962

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#5 Orange Julep, Decarie, 1964

Orange Julep, Decarie, 1964

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#6 View of Montreal downtown – Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde, Place Ville-Marie, Canadian National (CN), 1967

View of Montreal downtown – Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde, Place Ville-Marie, Canadian National (CN), 1967

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#7 Sir George Williams University, 1969

Sir George Williams University, 1969

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#8 Exhibition Grounds, Epxo 1967

Exhibition Grounds, Epxo 1967

7 Points

Upvote Downvote

#9 Designing ceramics at Peel metro station, 1966

Designing ceramics at Peel metro station, 1966

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#10 Saint Catherine Street, 1964

Saint Catherine Street, 1964

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#11 Lac aux Castors, 1965

Lac aux Castors, 1965

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#12 Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#13 The Montréal Expos, 1969

The Montréal Expos, 1969

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#14 Aerial view of the Place des Arts site, 1962

Aerial view of the Place des Arts site, 1962

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#15 Courthouse (construction), 1966

Courthouse (construction), 1966

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#16 Montreal during Expo 1967

Montreal during Expo 1967

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#17 Cheese stand in the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 1967

Cheese stand in the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 1967

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#18 Residential complex Habitat 1967

Residential complex Habitat 1967

6 Points

Upvote Downvote

#19 Metro under construction, 1963

Metro under construction, 1963

5 Points

Upvote Downvote

#20 De La Montagne Street, 1965

De La Montagne Street, 1965

5 Points

Upvote Downvote

#21 Residential complex, Expo 1967

Residential complex, Expo 1967

5 Points

Upvote Downvote

#22 Sainte Catherine, 1963

Sainte Catherine, 1963

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#23 Winter on Mount Royal, 1963

Winter on Mount Royal, 1963

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#24 Sainte Catherine Street at Saint Christophe, 1961

Sainte Catherine Street at Saint Christophe, 1961

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#25 Stanley Cup Parade, 1968

Stanley Cup Parade, 1968

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#26 Mount Royal views, 1963

Mount Royal views, 1963

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#27 James Brown concert at Place des Nations, 1969

James Brown concert at Place des Nations, 1969

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#28 Dominion Square Terrace, 1962

Dominion Square Terrace, 1962

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#29 Nativity scene at the Botanical Garden, 1963

Nativity scene at the Botanical Garden, 1963

4 Points

Upvote Downvote

#30 Building the metro at Parc Viger, 1964

Building the metro at Parc Viger, 1964

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#31 Municipal golfing in Montréal, 1964

Municipal golfing in Montréal, 1964

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#32 La Ronde, 1967

La Ronde, 1967

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#33 Construction of Place Bonaventure, 1966

Construction of Place Bonaventure, 1966

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#34 Debut game at Jarry Park Stadium, 1969

Debut game at Jarry Park Stadium, 1969

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#35 Town hall seen from the old quarters, 1965

Town hall seen from the old quarters, 1965

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#36 Square Dominion, 1965

Square Dominion, 1965

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#37 Montreal university, 1965

Montreal university, 1965

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#38 Sun Life Building, Place Ville Marie, IBM Building and Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 1966

Sun Life Building, Place Ville Marie, IBM Building and Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 1966

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#39 Place d’Armes, 1966

Place d’Armes, 1966

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#40 Church of Our Lady (place d’Armes), 1968

Church of Our Lady (place d'Armes), 1968

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#41 Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in the foreground, Montreal, 1960s

Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in the foreground, Montreal, 1960s

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#42 Main shopping street, Montreal, 1960s

Main shopping street, Montreal, 1960s

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#43 Shopping street, Montreal, 1960s

Shopping street, Montreal, 1960s

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#44 High-rise buildings in the evening, Montreal, 1960s

High-rise buildings in the evening, Montreal, 1960s

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#45 The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, in 1967.

The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, in 1967.

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#46 The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, 1967

The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, 1967

3 Points

Upvote Downvote

#47 Arrival in front of the town hall, 1960

Arrival in front of the town hall, 1960

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#48 Lac du Parc Lafontaine (sic) and luminous fountain, 1960

Lac du Parc Lafontaine (sic) and luminous fountain, 1960

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#49 Parc Lafontaine Theater (sic). 1960

Parc Lafontaine Theater (sic). 1960

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#50 Hotel Dieu Hospital, 1961

Hotel Dieu Hospital, 1961

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#51 Corner Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier, 1963

Corner Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier, 1963

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#52 Construction of the Crémazie metro station, 1963

Construction of the Crémazie metro station, 1963

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#53 Square Dominion, 1965

Square Dominion, 1965

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#54 View of Montreal, 1965

View of Montreal, 1965

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#55 View of Montreal, 1965

View of Montreal, 1965

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#56 Charron Hospital (Marguerite d’Youville), 1966

Charron Hospital (Marguerite d'Youville), 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#57 Haute couture house Marie-Paule Nolin, at 420 rue Bonsecours, 1966

Haute couture house Marie-Paule Nolin, at 420 rue Bonsecours, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#58 Perspective rue Saint-Paul, looking east, 1966

Perspective rue Saint-Paul, looking east, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#59 Place du Canada and Chateau Champlain Hotel, 1966

Place du Canada and Chateau Champlain Hotel, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#60 Rue de la Montagne, from the corner of rue Sherbrooke, 1966

Rue de la Montagne, from the corner of rue Sherbrooke, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#61 Old courthouse, located on rue Notre-Dame east, 1966

Old courthouse, located on rue Notre-Dame east, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#62 View of Montreal from Mount Royal, 1966

View of Montreal from Mount Royal, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#63 View of Montreal, from the Jacques-Cartier bridge looking west, 1966

View of Montreal, from the Jacques-Cartier bridge looking west, 1966

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#64 Laurier metro station, 1967

Laurier metro station, 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#65 Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#66 Mont Saint-Antoine School, 1968

Mont Saint-Antoine School, 1968

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#67 Restaurant Sambo, 1968

Restaurant Sambo, 1968

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#68 Sun Life Building, 1969

Sun Life Building, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#69 Hotel Mount Royal, 1969

Hotel Mount Royal, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#70 University Street Restaurant, 1969

University Street Restaurant, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#71 Rue Drummond, 1969

Rue Drummond, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#72 Street Scene – Ste-Catherine Street West, 1969

Street Scene – Ste-Catherine Street West, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#73 University of Montreal seen from Saint Joseph’s Oratory, 1969

University of Montreal seen from Saint Joseph's Oratory, 1969

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#74 St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#75 St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#76 Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#77 Cityscape, Montreal, 1960s

Cityscape, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#78 City theatre, Montreal, 1960s

City theatre, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#79 View from suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

View from suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#80 Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#81 Residential road, Montreal, 1960s

Residential road, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#82 Peel-Street, Montreal, 1960s

Peel-Street, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#83 Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, 1960s

Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#84 High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#85 High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#86 High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

High-rise buildings, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#87 Downtown, Montreal, 1960s

Downtown, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#88 City Theater, Montreal, 1960s

City Theater, Montreal, 1960s

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#89 View over Montreal during Expo 1967

View over Montreal during Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#90 Exibition site of the Expo 1967

Exibition site of the Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#91 Swiss pavilion and monorail at the Expo 1967

Swiss pavilion and monorail at the Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#92 View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#93 View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#94 British pavilion; Exibition site of the Expo 1967

British pavilion; Exibition site of the Expo 1967

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#95 The American pavilion at the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, Canada, in 1967.

The American pavilion at the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal, Canada, in 1967.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#96 View from the Mount Royal lookout of the city of Montreal on the St Lawrence River in the province of Quebec in Canada 1965.

View from the Mount Royal lookout of the city of Montreal on the St Lawrence River in the province of Quebec in Canada 1965.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#97 Pedestrians cross a snow covered Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square) in front of the Sun Life Building on the corner of Rene Levesque Boulevard West in the downtown centre of the city of Montreal, 1965

Pedestrians cross a snow covered Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square) in front of the Sun Life Building on the corner of Rene Levesque Boulevard West in the downtown centre of the city of Montreal, 1965

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#98 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#99 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#100 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#101 Passengers stand on the deck of a boat on the St Lawrence River beside the port district of the city of Montreal in the province of Quebec in Canada, 1960.

Passengers stand on the deck of a boat on the St Lawrence River beside the port district of the city of Montreal in the province of Quebec in Canada, 1960.

2 Points

Upvote Downvote

#102 The old Boulevard Dorchester (before it was René-Lévesque) in 1964

The old Boulevard Dorchester (before it was René-Lévesque) in 1964

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#103 Saint Laurent metro station, 1966

Saint Laurent metro station, 1966

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#104 Port of Montréal, 1966

Port of Montréal, 1966

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#105 Centre sportif Maisonneuve, 1966

Centre sportif Maisonneuve, 1966

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#106 Residential houses at suburb, Montreal, 1960s

Residential houses at suburb, Montreal, 1960s

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#107 View of suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

View of suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#108 Montreal during the Expo 1967

Montreal during the Expo 1967

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#109 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#110 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#111 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#112 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#113 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#114 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#115 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#116 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#117 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#118 A Canadair CL-44 swing-tail turboprop freight liner ready for loading, Montreal, Canada, May 1, 1961.

A Canadair CL-44 swing-tail turboprop freight liner ready for loading, Montreal, Canada, May 1, 1961.

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#119 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#120 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#121 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#122 View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#123 Montréal, 1966

Montréal, 1966

-1 Points

Upvote Downvote

#124 Place des Arts, 1963

Place des Arts, 1963

-7 Points

Upvote Downvote

Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

7shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Tumblr
Email

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

35 Comments

Sort by

Duke Taco says:

October 14, 2023 at 14:33 Copy Link of a Comment

J’aime les images de l’edifice Sun Life et Place Ville-Marie avec pratiquement rien autour.

0

Reply
Dean Hall says:

March 1, 2026 at 12:29 Copy Link of a Comment

Crazy hows before Bill 101, virtually all of the commercial signage was in english in a city with a population almost 90% french at the time.

0

Reply
- Jake Bennett says:
  
  March 1, 2026 at 12:31 Copy Link of a Comment
  
  Yes. That’s why the law exists. A lot of people don’t understand how bad it was for the French speaking population before. It wasn’t uncommon that the French would be refused service, that the French would not be hired and that they would be passed up for advancement if they were not able to speak English.
  
  That dynamic still kind of exists today, unfortunately. A lot of companies implicitly expect some mastery of English.
  
  0
  
  Reply
  - Seth Price says:
    
    March 1, 2026 at 12:31 Copy Link of a Comment
    
    Hey, I mentioned that in another post last week and was downvoted to oblivion… the famous “speak white” metaphor
    
    0
    
    Reply
    - Jake Bennett says:
      
      March 1, 2026 at 12:31 Copy Link of a Comment
      
      People are still very touchy about the subject. And the Montreal sub tends to bias towards anglophones slightly.
      
      0
      
      Reply
      - Seth Price says:
        
        March 1, 2026 at 12:31 Copy Link of a Comment
        
        I was raised in a very anglo environment, and most of people my age acknowledged that it happened. “But then Bill 22 happened” was also frequent…
        I think that with time, those things get erased from the collective memory. People who were born in the 50’s are or are approaching 70 years old, and they’re the last one before the Revolution Tranquille. People born in th 90’s… but even more in the 00’s have never seen it, so they don’t believe it.
        Add to that that a part of the population was not in Montreal/in Quebec/in Canada 70 years ago, and you have a good receipe for history to be forgotten.
        It’s a complex matter anyway.
        
        0
        
        Reply
  - Olivia Adams says:
    
    March 1, 2026 at 12:32 Copy Link of a Comment
    
    That’s how it is now just opposite
    
    0
    
    Reply
    - Jake Bennett says:
      
      March 1, 2026 at 12:32 Copy Link of a Comment
      
      If you’re referring to the article from earlier this week that nobody bothered to read the conclusion was that the anglophones were self selecting themselves by not applying for jobs they were qualified for for fear of having an inadequate level of French. It had nothing to do with workplace discrimination.
      
      0
      
      Reply
- Giggles Snrt says:
  
  March 1, 2026 at 12:33 Copy Link of a Comment
  
  This is why it was so necessary. Also, it clearly worked.
  
  0
  
  Reply
- Midnight Manta says:
  
  March 1, 2026 at 12:33 Copy Link of a Comment
  
  It was 90% french back then? Damn
  
  0
  
  Reply
  - Finn Davis says:
    
    March 1, 2026 at 12:34 Copy Link of a Comment
    
    It was the majority by a large margin but more like 70% not 90%. Even today anglophones make up 20% of montreal, back then it was higher…probably 25-30%
    
    0
    
    Reply
- Polina Volkov says:
  
  March 1, 2026 at 12:33 Copy Link of a Comment
  
  Montreal was built by immigrants from all over the world that diversity is literally on the city’s flag. I have no issue with French at all. I actually think it makes Montreal more unique. My wife is Québécoise, so I understand why protecting the language matters. That said, the way French is being enforced now feels so forced that it creates resentment instead of pride, and it’s making things genuinely harder for English speakers in Montreal, especially when it comes to work. Quebec can be proudly French but Montreal should be allowed to remain the international, bilingual city it’s always been.
  
  0
  
  Reply
Sophia Luna says:

March 1, 2026 at 12:30 Copy Link of a Comment

Interesting photos. Feels weird to see St Catherine before with the really narrow sidewalks and how little space there was for pedestrians. Other than that it’s striking to see how much more beautiful the city is now compared to then. Some neighborhoods back then looked completely in ruins and everything was more car-focused then and in general it’s just nicer now.

0

Reply
Naive Cat says:

March 1, 2026 at 12:30 Copy Link of a Comment

lol pic #103, St Laurent Metro hasn’t changed much from the outside.

0

Reply

Next post

Back to Top

Close Add post

Share this Post 🥺

Please take a moment to share this content. Your support is greatly appreciated! 🙌🙏

7shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Tumblr
Email

7shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Tumblr
Email