Landscape Archives | Laval, a Region Well Positioned for a Diversified Economy

Constantly Growing

Today, Laval is an urban centre with all the characteristics of a major world city.

Higher Education at Last!

It wasn’t until the early 1970s that Laval residents finally had access to a college in their region. However, the current building, which can be seen here on […]

Nature Reasserts Itself

The Centre de la nature de Laval is a great example of a rehabilitated quarry. In the early 1970s, the City of Laval decided to turn the site […]

And more Rock!

This quarry was opened by Napoléon Lagacé in 1929. At the time, it was called La Carrière Lagacé Ltée. It produced crushed and foundation stone. In 1943, its […]

Do we have Vegetables? You bet!

If there’s one economic activity that has been transformed over the years, it’s agriculture. Laval farms have gone from subsistence to specialization in large-scale farming. In order to […]

Not So Clean Energy

While there are no longer any oil industry facilities in Laval today, there was once a refinery in Saint-François.

Clean Energy

Electrification and energy generation were determining factors in the development of the economy of Quebec as well as of Laval. The Des Prairies River dam, built in the […]

Boomtown

Duvernay, a city developed for an affluent middle class. A bungalow, a fancy car, a beautiful yard and a greener lawn than the neighbour’s. A model of happiness […]

People!

As the suburbs grew, farmland was turned into residential developments. Around 1930, the land behind the Maison St‑Domitille was still farmland—the farm of the Sisters of the Good […]

The Golden Age of Beaches

Île Jésus was long known for its many beaches. At its height, it was home to more than 50 public and private beaches.

An Afternoon on the River

Our ancestors knew how to have fun. This postcard from 1910 features one of the canoe regattas that were held on Des Prairies River in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. This type […]

A Little More Solid

The first bridges were made of wood. The Viau Bridge, like all the others, later had to be rebuilt out of metal to support the growing road traffic.