Sainte-Geneviève, a quaint municipality nestled on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada, is a treasure trove of history and culture. Now part of the Borough of L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève in the City of Montreal since January 1, 2002, this former village is a testament to traditional Quebec-style dwellings and colonial mansions.
Located on the north-west shore of the Island of Montreal along Gouin Boulevard, Sainte-Geneviève overlooks the Rivière des Prairies and is across from Île Bizard to the north. It is surrounded by the former municipality of Pierrefonds to the west, south, and east. The Cégep Gérald-Godin and the Église Sainte-Geneviève, a church built in 1844 and designed by renowned Quebec architect Thomas Baillargé, are notable landmarks in the area.
The civil parish of Sainte-Geneviève, named after the church, was established in 1845. On June 9, 1859, it was recognized as the Municipality of the Village of Sainte-Geneviève. In 1893, it was connected to Île Bizard across the Rivière des Prairies by one of the Jacques Bizard Bridges, replacing a ferry.
When the Paroisse de Ste Genevieve was established, Sainte-Geneviève included the territory of the city of Roxboro and Pierrefonds. The formerly separate municipalities were merged into the city of Montreal on January 1, 2002, following municipal mergers organized by the provincial government. Sainte-Geneviève's territory also included the city of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, which was briefly part of the city of Montreal from 2002 until its demerger on January 1, 2006.
Several successive divisions significantly reduced the size of the town of Sainte-Geneviève. In 1904, Sainte-Geneviève-de-Pierrefonds became independent from Sainte-Geneviève, followed by Roxboro in 1914, and Dollard-des-Ormeaux in 1924.
At the heart of the conflict that led to the separation of Sainte-Geneviève was the famous lawyer Joseph-Adolphe Chauret, who in 1902 built a stately home reminiscent of homes in Pierrefonds, France, in the Department of Oise. He named his thatched house the "Château Pierrefonds."
In 1935, the two villages of Sainte-Geneviève and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Pierrefonds were merged and became once again the village of Sainte-Geneviève. The name of Pierrefonds then disappeared until its reappearance in 1958, the founding date of the former city of Pierrefonds. In 1959, the Village of Sainte-Geneviève was recognized as Ville Sainte-Geneviève.
On January 1, 2002, Ville Sainte-Geneviève was merged into the City of Montreal borough of "L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève". Despite a 65.65% vote in favor of secession in the demerger referendum on June 20, 2004, the community did not meet the 35% requirement of the population condition, with only 21.49%(33.13%) of the total population voting. Sainte-Geneviève registered 2,303 people to vote in the demerger: YES 495 : NO 259: Total of Yes and NO votes 763: Voter turnout 33.13.
Today, Sainte-Geneviève, Quebec continues to charm visitors with its rich history, picturesque landscapes, and warm hospitality.
