This is Montreal

When the plans for rebuilding the Turcot interchange were unveiled back in 2010, they included an artist’s rendering of an elevated park over Highway 20: the Dalle Parc. It was meant to serve as a pedestrian and cyclist path connecting NDG and the Sud-Ouest, but it was never built. We look at whether this project will ever see the light and at the challenges of retrofitting Montreal's landscape to make it more walkable and bikeable.

More than twenty years ago, a group of young activists, families, unhoused people and punks occupied an old hospital building to draw attention to a dire housing crisis. CBC reporter Erika Morris walks us through the history of this type of housing activism in Montreal and why we might not see as much (visible) squatting today.

Join us on a stroll back in time to Victorian-era Montreal, when some of Canada’s richest families settled on the slope of Mount Royal in the Golden Square Mile. We’ll look at what the remaining row houses and mansions tell us about power, wealth, even scandal in bygone Montreal. And we’ll hear how the changing face of the landscape invites us to reflect on the balance between building something new and preserving our built past.

If you walk or bike along the Des Carrières rail path through Rosemont, you might come across a miniature skate park, complete with tiny ramps, half pipes, rails and little graffiti. We get to the bottom of who’s behind this public art piece slash DIY passion project, and take you into the small but mighty world of Montreal fingerboards.

Whether you’re running errands, on a commute, or just spending an afternoon in a Montreal park, lack of washroom access can be a barrier for people who want to participate in city life. So why don’t we have more public washrooms? We break down the costs, both financial and societal, and delve into the history of public toilets.

If you’ve ever made your way through the city, hitting every red light along the way, you might have wondered this too. In recent years, Montreal has upgraded its traffic coordination system, but you still might not notice it. We’ll break it down for you with a bit of math and (spoiler alert) a little piano.

Spicy, savoury, fresh off the grill...whether it’s served on a pillowy Portuguese bun, or paired with roast potatoes or poutine, Montrealers seem to love Portuguese chicken. We explore the roots of this dish, how it made its way to Montreal and what it tells us about how cultures are transmitted – and transformed – through food.

Do you have a question about Montreal? Host Ainslie MacLellan is determined to help find the answer. Whether it’s a story that’s disappeared from the headlines, a curious landmark in your neighbourhood, or a quirk of Montreal life you’ve been wondering about, we’re on it. Let’s learn about this place together.