A vast area of little gems
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough is defined by its diversity,
The bustling borough of Côte-desNeiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (C.D.N.-N.D.G.) has long been one of the island’s most popular communities. Covering an area of 21.4 square kilometres, it’s home to 165,031 residents, representing 10 per cent of Montreal’s population. With a healthy amount of green space, a substantial mix of housing, and conveniently located services and commercial sectors, it’s easy to see why people are drawn to live in the borough. Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Damede-Grâce used to be two separate towns, which were annexed to Montreal at the beginning of the 1900s. They were merged into one borough in 2002. C.D.N.-N.D.G. shares a border with several demerged municipalities, including Westmount, Côte St-Luc, Hampstead and Montreal West.
Demographics: C.D.N.-N.D.G. is a young, vibrant community in which the median age is more than two years younger than that of the City of Montreal. A substantial portion of borough residents, 31 per cent, are under the age of 25. This young demographic is partly due to two factors: the presence of two major educational institutions, and a large immigrant base.
The borough has a hugely diverse population — 48 per cent of its inhabitants were born in a country other than Canada. A large portion of them only received their official status during the period of 2006 to 2011. Newcomers to C.D.N.-N.D.G. hail from a wide range of countries, but among the most common are the Philippines, China and Morocco.
In terms of language, 60 per cent of residents speak both English and French. English is actually the language most often used in households, followed by French, Spanish and Tagalog.
Real estate: The borough has a very diverse array of dwellings. The district has more than 74,000 households in which families, singles, couples, and seniors all live; the average household size is 2.2 people. The borough has an abundance of rental properties in varying forms including duplexes, triplexes, and apartment buildings. A recent surge in the condo market has also led to the construction of several projects in C.D.N.-N.D.G., such as Le Forest Hill on Côte-des-Neiges Rd., and C3 on Cavendish Blvd. There are also pockets of single- family homes throughout the borough.
Green space: One thing the C.D.N.-N.D.G. borough is definitely not short on is green space. There are parks and playgrounds throughout the community, adding to the generally friendly neighbourhood atmosphere. Among these parks are playing fields for sports such as soccer, baseball, and tennis. In addition, during the winters, there are many outdoor community skating rinks available for pick-up hockey games and recreational use. There are also five community gardens for the warmer months.
Schools: There are two university campuses in C.D.N.-N.D.G.: Université de Montréal, and the Loyola Campus of Concordia University. In addition, there are French and
English high schools, elementary schools and daycare centres in and around the borough serving the population.
Convenience and services: C.D.N.-N.D.G. is one of the most accessible and convenient boroughs on the island. With major commercial arteries such as Monkland Ave., Sherbrooke St., and Côte-des-Neiges Rd., residents will have no trouble locating staples such as grocery stores, pharmacies, specialty shops, boutiques, and more. There are also a slew of well-known restaurants in the borough, such as La Louisiane on Sherbrooke St., and Lucille’s Oyster Dive on Monkland Ave. The community is well served by public transit, providing residents with access to Montreal’s bus and métro systems. It’s also easy to travel to and from the borough by car, as major autoroutes including the Décarie Expressway and Highway 20 are close by.
There are clinics throughout C.D.N.N.D.G., but the most noteworthy health care facility is the Jewish General Hospital, which has been serving patients from all over Montreal and Quebec since 1934. In addition, the new McGill University Health Centre is under construction at the eastern end of N.D.G. Once completed, it will house the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal Chest Institute, the Research Institute of the MUHC, a new cancer centre, and the Shriners Hospital for Children.