Montreal DistrictsMercier District
Formerly one large borough, Mercier is issued from the reorganization of the Beaurivage, Longue-Pointe and Tétreaultville villages. Before becoming a district, the territory was a peaceful countryside where settlers arrived around 1665 and where cows once spent their time looking at passing trains. The transformation of the territory from a rural to an urban locality started in the 1950s but, in the middle of the 1960s, the territory was literally cut into two with the construction of the Pont-tunnel Louis-H. Lafontaine and of the Autoroute 25 that now forms a difficult barrier to cross. The heart of the village and of the old district, that is the church, the old town hall and the surrounding stores were completely destroyed. The community was deeply transformed. But, the recent urbanization of this old peaceful countryside gives this part of the borough (MBK) the look of a prosperous suburb, even if poverty is sometimes found among wealth.
Mercier-Est
The vicinity is located in the East part of Montreal. It is encircled by the St-Lawrence River to the South, the Autoroute 25 to the West, the Georges V Avenue to the East and the Anjou borough (MBK) to the North. The neighborhood is mostly residential and the construction of new dwellings is still significant. Three major commercial roads cross the district, Ste-Catherine, Hochelaga and Sherbrooke, but the residents have access to only one metro station, the Honoré-Beaugrand station.
The residents have access to many services, in their own district and in the borough. The Centre Domaine is located on Granby corner of Sherbrooke and the Place Versailles is further East on Sherbrooke. 
The neighbourhood is equipped with vast and pleasant green areas and with large parks like the Promenade Bellerive. The Promenade is the largest window on the River of the Island. Notre-Dame was once quite valued and the Pierre-Bernard house illustrates this reality. Bungalows with naval designs still decorate the landscape. A large portion of the population (88%) is French-speaking, the residents are mostly middle-class and many own their residence. A strong sense of belonging is frequently observed. The sector hides a certain poverty which created by the nearby industries, highways and refineries. Some streets show apartment buildings in poor condition and more favoured avenues offer nice houses with large courtyards. Mercier-Ouest
The vicinity is bordered by the St-Lawrence River to the South, the Autoroute 25 to the East, the Anjou (MBK) and St-Léonard (MBK) boroughs to the North and the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (MBK) and Rosemont (MBK) districts to the West. The neighborhood remains a French-speaking one, with an increasingly important contribution from cultural communities, like the Italian community who settled in the surroundings quite awhile ago. The socio-economic cartography of the territory clearly shows important islands of poverty in the Louis-Riel, Guybourg and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires parishes, while favourable socio-economic pointers indicate a middle-class neighborhood with important differences between high and low incomes. 
During the last decade, the closing of the Canadian Vickers, Steinberg and the Angus Shops resulted in massive job loss. But, the development of the Assomption and L.-H. Lafontaine industrial parks confirmed the industrial vocation of the district and brought many local jobs.
The warehouses of Métro-Richelieu, Johnson & Johnson and Catelli in the vicinity also create jobs. Another important employer is the Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, one of the largest psychiatric institution in Montreal. And then, the commercial activity on its three main streets, Sherbrooke, Hochelaga and Notre-Dame is far from being minor. Thank you for visiting Mercier District. Hochelaga-Maisonneuve District (MBK)
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