Montréal (Rivière-des-Prairies)

Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles is a borough in the northeast of the city of Montreal, Quebec (Canada). It is made up of the boroughs of Rivière-des-Prairies and Pointe-aux-Trembles. With an area of ​​42.3 km², it is the largest borough in Montreal. In 2021, its population was 107,941.

From January 2002 to December 2005, the borough also included the city of Montreal East, which has since demerged from Montreal.

The Rivière des Prairies was formerly known as Skawanoti, which means in Huron the river behind the island. It was Samuel de Champlain who renamed the river, in honor of one of his companions, François des Prairies, who got lost there during an exploration expedition. The English-speaking took up the native name and called this waterway Back River.

Until 1671, it had been impossible to consider establishing a parish on the side of the Rivière des Prairies; the Iroquois entered the island of Montreal by this river. In order to put an end to the incursions of the Iroquois and at the same time fortify the end of the island of Montreal, Dollier de Casson, superior of the seminary, Sulpician priest and Lord of the island of Montreal, erected two fiefs in 1671. He granted land to a certain number of settlers capable of becoming soldiers if necessary in order to help the two owners of fiefs: Phillippe de Carrion Dufresnoy and Paul de Maurel.

The first land granted is at the end of the island; The Battle of Rivière-des-Prairies or Coulée Grou took place there in July 1690, between 25 French and a hundred Iroquois.

The formation of a village began in 1731; two streets appeared to the west of the church, on which three houses stood. Rivière-des-Prairies was erected as a municipality on July 1, 1845. Between 1929 and 1933, Rivière-des-Prairies obtained electricity from the Montreal Light Heat and Power company.

After the war, the housing shortage in Montreal led several families to settle in the municipality.

In 1954, Rivière-des-Prairies obtained its status as a city. At that time, it had 6,500 inhabitants. The development of infrastructure (sewers, aqueducts, etc.) necessary for the increase in population led to excessive indebtedness of the city, which was placed under supervision by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs in July 1961. In 1963, Jean Drapeau, mayor of the city of Montreal, approved its annexation so that Rivière-des-Prairies would be integrated into Montreal.