Everyone knows that Montreal has a dominant French Canadian culture that can trace its roots back to the initial colonization of North America in the 17th century. But you may not be aware of some of the other cultural communities that have thrived in the city. Aside from the linguistic divide of French and English, there are quite a few other peoples who help to make Montreal an international city.
Jewish community
Montreal used to be the home of the largest Jewish community in Canada, and although that honor now belongs to Toronto, the Jewish influence on Montreal’s character is still strongly felt. The city has not only a European Jewish population, but also Middle Eastern and African representatives. Two of Montreal’s most famous culinary exports, the bagel and smoked meat have their roots deep in the Jewish communities that helped build the city. There are also several Jewish arts centers, community centers and many schools on the island. Cote-St-Luc and Cote-Des-Neiges are two neighborhoods with a high Jewish population, and it is not unusual to see people wearing traditional dress as part of their daily routine.
Italian community
A quarter of a million Montrealers claim to have Italian blood, placing them at the forefront of the different ethnic groups in the city. Italian is the third most commonly spoken language in Montreal, after French and English. The population is concentrated in Little Italy and St. Leonard, although NDG and Lasalle also have a significant Italian population.
Arab community
Unsurprising to anyone who is addicted to delicious shish-taouk and falafels, Arabs make up another sizeable portion of the Montreal population. This group includes those from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, as well as Francophone Arabs from Algeria. The Quebec government encourages immigration from the Middle East due to the large number of French speakers from that region, but Arabic is also the fourth most commonly spoken language in the city. The Arab population is concentrated in St. Laurent, but Arabic food can be found throughout the entire city.
Greek community
Slotting in just below Arabic in terms of the number of speakers in Montreal, Greeks lay claim to 61 000 Montrealers in their community. Greek food is almost as abundant as Middle Eastern cuisine, and a high concentration of Greeks live in Laval.
Asian communities
Montreal does have a Chinatown, located just below Rene Levesque and centered on St. Laurent street. There is a hospital, many restaurants, and quite a few grocery stores and shops selling imported goods. A pedestrian street also runs the length of Chinatown. Chinese and Japanese culture are well represented in Montreal, but there is also a high concentration of French-speaking Asian cultures, such as Vietnamese and Cambodians. While demographic surveys indicate that Chinese make up 3 percent of the city’s population, in combination Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants are not far behind, with Southeast Asians rounding out at 1.9 percent of the overall population. Filipinos come in at 1.1 percent, and South Asian peoples, such as those from Pakistan and India capture 3.2 percent of the total.
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