Griffintown,
A People's History:
From Settlement to Industrialization and Gentrification

This episode provides a chronological history of Griffintown, starting with the Indigenous peoples and their encounters with early French settlers. It covers the impact of the fur trade, the fall of New France, and the rise of British colonialism. The narrative highlights the construction of the Lachine Canal in the mid-1800s, built largely by Irish immigrant laborers, marking the rise of industrial capitalism. It also details Griffintown's official establishment in 1791, when Thomas McCord’s associate, Patrick Langan, illegally sold the land to Mrs. Mary Griffin. The episode concludes with the summer of 1847-48, when 70,000 Irish immigrants arrived in Montreal and 6,000 died of typhus at Windmill Point. Their bodies were later discovered in 2019 during the construction of the Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) track. Despite advancing technology, the legacy of these Irish immigrants should not be forgotten.

Episode 2 picks up where the previous episode left off, delving into the late 1800s and the development of the Grand Trunk Railway between 1860 and 1915, which transformed Griffintown into Canada’s industrial center. The episode also recounts notable social histories of the neighborhood from this period. One such story is from 1868, when Irish nationalist Patrick James Whelan assassinated Thomas D’Arcy McGee on Ottawa Street. This marked the first of two political assassinations in Canadian history, with Whelan's subsequent execution being the last public execution in the country. Additionally, the episode covers the famous Griffintown haunting of Mary Gallagher. Gallagher, a sex worker, was beheaded by rival Susan Kennedy on June 27, 1879. Her ghost is said to return every seven years to haunt the neighborhood on the anniversary of her death.

Episode 3 transitions into the 20th century, starting with the socio- political changes in Griffintown triggered by the Great Depression in 1929, and moving through key events later in the century. The episode examines shifts in homeownership, showing how local property owners became tenants as they lost their homes to banks, insurance companies, and powerful landlords. It then recounts the 1944 crash of an RAF Liberator bomber at Shannon and Ottawa streets, which resulted in fifteen fatalities. The episode also covers Griffintown’s industrial era, noting the significance of shipping waterways and railways from 1931 to 1966. Finally, it explores the role of City Councillor Frank Hanley, known as “Mr. Fix It,” and his influence on the 1959 opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This development rendered the Lachine Canal obsolete, leading to its closure to shipping in 1970 and marking the start of Griffintown's decline.

This episode highlights Griffintown's struggles during the 1950s to 1970s. In 1963, rezoning for light industrial use relieved landlords of maintaining residential properties. Urban renewal by Mayor Jean Drapeau for Expo 67, including the Bonaventure Expressway, further devastated the area, dividing the neighborhood and destroying much of the housing. This led to disrepair, demolition, and a resident exodus that began during the Great Depression. Amid the destruction, St. Ann’s Church, a center for Montreal's Irish community, was demolished, leading to the collapse of the Irish community in 1970.

This episode is topical as it addresses the current problems in the affordable housing rental market and the impact of condo cities. Between 1975 and 1978, Parks Canada took control of the Lachine Canal, prompting a $100 million federal investment from 1984 to 2001. Real estate began booming in 1996, and from 2010 onward, a condo boom intensified gentrification, driving up property values and transforming Griffintown into a "build it and they will come" neighborhood. Mathew Barlow closes with his reflection on how Griffintown could have been redeveloped differently.