Montreal West, Quebec

On January 1, 2002, as part of the 2002–2006 municipal reorganization in Montreal, Montreal West and the neighbouring suburbs of Côte Saint Luc and Hampstead were merged into the City of Montreal and became the borough of Côte Saint Luc–Hampstead–Montreal West. Following a change of government and a 2004 referendum in which the population voted to de merge by a wide margin, Montreal West was reconstituted as an independent city on January 1, 2006.

The town's various codes and ordinances are upheld by its Public Security Department, consisting of a lieutenant with a team of "By Law Enforcement Constables" under his supervision.

The Town of Montreal West is located in the federal riding of Notre Dame de Grâce—Westmount, represented by Marc Garneau, and the provincial riding of Notre Dame de Grâce, represented by Désirée McGraw.

Canada Day is the largest community event of the year in Montreal West. Residents organize a parade route that mainly runs down the main street of Westminster and ends at Strathern Park. Floats represented in the parade include organizations and clubs located in town, as well as some created personally by residents. In some years, there have been water fights between sidelined residents and members of the parade (mainly the swimming pool float). Water fights during these years have seen water balloons and super soaker water guns, as well as the odd hose drawn from a house. Organizers have tried to minimize these activities in recent years so as not to detract from the parade itself, with varying success. Following the parade, residents converge on Strathern Park for a giant picnic/BBQ. Many children's games and activities go on at the park, as well as in the nearby Percival park. The final event of the evening is the fireworks, which take place around 10pm at Hodgson Field.

Annually on June 23 (the day before the actual holiday) there is a picnic at Davies Park, featuring music performed by Québécois musicians. In the late evening, a large bonfire is held in the centre of the park.

The Garbage Bowl is a yearly tradition held every January 1 since 1950, where men from Montreal West separate into two teams, the Northern Combines in red longjohns and the Southern Bombers in green longjohns, and play a football game in the frigid weather with proceeds from donations, food, and commemorative pins going to charity.

The town of Montreal West has a large number of neighbourhood parks and public spaces. They include: Dave Reid Park, Davies Park, George Booth Park, Hodgson Park, John A. Simms Park, Kirkpatrick Park, Memorial Park, Percival Park, Ronald Park, Roy D. Locke Park, Rugby Park, Sheraton Park, Strathearn Park and Toe Blake Park (which was named after former Montreal Canadiens head coach Toe Blake). The town also has an indoor ice skating rink, clay tennis courts, and a public swimming pool. The core business area of Montreal West is located on Westminster Avenue between Sherbrooke and Curzon. Until 2010, it consisted exclusively of small, non franchised businesses, but in a controversial decision, the Pharmaprix drugstore chain was allowed to open a large outlet on the corner of Westminster and Sherbrooke Street.

Montreal West is serviced by six Société de transport de Montréal bus lines. Each of these connects to a corresponding Montreal Metro (subway) station or to the Montréal Ouest Train Station. Trains that run through this station connect passengers to downtown Montreal on one end, and three different routes heading away from the city at the other end. + Bus routes servicing Montreal WestSociété de transport de MontréalNo. and Route NameService TimesConnections 51 Édouard MontpetitAll Day localMontreal Ouest (AMT) 90 Saint Jacques All Day local 105 SherbrookeAll Day localMontreal Ouest (AMT) 123 DollardAll Day localMontreal Ouest (AMT) 162 WestminsterAll Day localMontreal Ouest (AMT) 356 SherbrookeOvernight local
It was also planned that the Pink Line (Montreal Metro) would be connecting in the Montreat Ouest region in the distant future.

Montreal West is notable for having Quebec's highest rated Anglophone public high school, Royal West Academy (ranked 39th overall in 2005 by the Fraser Institute). It also has two Anglophone elementary schools, Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School and Edinburgh Elementary School which offers French immersion. These schools are part of the English Montreal School Board. The town has a public children's library located in Elizabeth Ballantyne school. A library for all age groups is located on Westminster Avenue.

The Town of Montreal West prints a newspaper called The Informer on a monthly basis, excluding the summer. There are 9 editions of The Informer published per year. This newspaper is meant to foster a small town atmosphere and to keep Montreal West citizens up to date on town information. The Informer was initially published under the name The Citizen's Viewspaper in 1973 by a group of Montreal West citizens before being changed to its current name. The Town of Montreal West has agreed to subsidize this paper to date.