The Unexpected Other: Place of Worship, City Planning, and Social Transactions in Montreal

Annick Germain
Centre for Urbanization, Culture, and Society at the National Institute for Scientific Research

Abstract  Up until the mid-1990s, municipalities in the Montréal region have not been very concerned about the proliferation of places of worship on their territories. However, this situation was going to change very quickly. What are the underlying issues of this shift and how did the different stakeholders (municipal civil servants, elected officials, religious groups, residents) engage in social transactions when tensions emerged regarding the planning of various types of places of worship? After a brief historical portrait of the geography of places of worship in Montréal, we will discuss lessons learned from a study on conflicts concerning 15 different types of places of worship. 

Annick Germain is full professor at the Centre for Urbanization, Culture, and Society at the National Institute for Scientific Research where she teaches in the Urban Studies program in Montréal. She was the Director of the Metropolis Center in Quebec on immigration and integration until recently.