Always more diverse

The complete data for each borough is now available, so it’s now possible to compare the data for the number of immigrants between 2001 and 2006. In St. Laurent, the symbolic 50% mark was attained and we can now say that half the people in the borough are immigrants. In 2001, 48.5% were immigrants and 50% were not, the remaining included non-permanent residents such as international students or temporary workers. The data for 2006 indicates that the number of immigrants now reached 50.5% and that non-immigrants now stand at 47.8%. Therefore, out of 83,870 citizens, 42,395 are immigrants and 40,125 are not.

St. Laurent remains the borough with the highest proportion of immigrants and is followed by Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (47.4%) and Villeray/Saint-Michel/Parc-Extension (43%).

Born and raised Laurentians gradually witnessed this evolution, which took a more radical turn over the last 15 years. Out of the 40,000 immigrants living today in the borough, 2,715 were here before 1961. Between 1991 and 2006, more than 21,000 decided to make St. Laurent their home. Things are far from slowing down, since over the last five years, more immigrants settled here than during the 1990’s.

The Laurentian teaching staff is well aware of this reality since they have to deal with it on a daily basis. “I’m not surprised at all by these numbers, said St. Laurent School principal Louise Chénard. In St. Laurent, we have 13 integration classes that allow us to welcome 240 new comers. At the end of the year, around 80 of them join the regular classes.”

She also mentioned that the success rate for allophones is quite high. “They’re often more persevering, she said. Their parents left their country so they can offer better to them and they know school is the right place to start. The students feel more responsible and the relationship with their parents remains good.”

Something that is worthy of mentioning is the fact that the success rate can vary according to nationalities. While students from certain communities like the Middle-East are doing great, others are failing pretty badly. “Some are really successful, like the students for Asia or the Middle-East, mentioned the school principal. If you look at my high-school students, there’s not much difference.”

What’s even more remarkable is that schools in St. Laurent were, like the immigrants, able to adapt to the situation.

(Translated by Pascal LeBlanc)



(Photo: Martin Alarie)



(Photo: Archives)