Saint-Leonard, a borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was once a separate city before its amalgamation into Montreal in 2002. Originally named Saint-Leonard de Port Maurice after Leonard of Port Maurice, an Italian saint, the borough is now home to Montreal's Via Italia.
Located in the northeastern part of the Island of Montreal, Saint-Leonard is bordered by five boroughs: Montréal-Nord, Anjou, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rosemont–La-Petite-Patrie, and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. Jean-Talon Street East, a major thoroughfare, connects Saint-Leonard to Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension and Anjou.
Saint-Leonard is traversed by Quebec Autoroute 40, part of the Trans-Canada Highway, with exits 76, 77, and 78 located within the borough. Public transportation is managed by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), which operates an extensive bus network in the borough. The future Blue Line extension of the Montreal Metro, set to open in 2029, will feature three stations in Saint-Leonard, all located along Jean-Talon Street East.
Saint-Leonard is home to Carrefour Langelier, a small-sized shopping mall located at the corner of Jean-Talon Street East and Langelier Boulevard. The borough also hosts the Le Boulevard shopping centre, with a portion of the mall located in Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
The Leonardo Da Vinci Centre, an important community centre serving English, French, and Italian communities, is located along Lacordaire Boulevard, near Aréna Martin Brodeur.
Founded as the parish of Saint-Leonard-de-Port-Maurice in April 1886, Saint-Leonard evolved from a rural francophone hamlet to a bustling urban borough enriched by a wave of Italian immigration. Today, Saint-Leonard is one of the most diverse and multi-cultural neighbourhoods on the Island of Montreal, with a significant Italian Canadian and Maghrebis population.
Saint-Leonard boasts one of the highest concentrations of Italian Canadians in the city. The stretch of Jean Talon Street between Langelier and Viau Boulevards, known as Via Italia, is a hub of Italian culture, with numerous cultural institutions, commercial enterprises, and Italian bars and pastry shops.
Saint-Leonard offers a variety of recreational facilities, including the Saint-Leonard Aquatic Complex, a skate park in Parc Delorme, and 10 km of bike paths. The borough also hosts two hockey arenas, Aréna Martin Brodeur and Aréna Roberto Luongo, and a domed football stadium, Stade Hébert. Soccer fields, bocce courts, and ping-pong tables are available in public parks, and the borough is home to a cavern located at Pie XII Park.
