Mont St-Hilaire/Otterburn Park

« Mont St-Hilaire and Otterburn Park both offer the beauty of nature all the while granting you city living! The scenery is both magnificent and relaxing! »

Sophie Rivest, Area Specialist

Some History

As soon as the parish was founded in 1795, a presbytery-chapel was built with a room for the dwellers downstairs and 34 paying pews in the chapel. It was built where the current presbytery is found today. The population growth called for a new church still standing today, to be built in 1837. This church was redecorated in 1898 by the famous painter, Ozias Leduc who was a son of the parish. His paintings and decorations have been recognized as Cultural Heritage by the provincial government in 1976.

Some Geography

Far from downtown Montreal, bordering the Richelieu River and always accessible via train or any of the many highways, Mont St-Hilaire is unique in itself. Directly to the east of Montreal & gives direct access to wildlife, you will find gratification as much in winter as in summer.

Some Data

The "Hilairemounteneers" live in a calm and peace, tucked away between the mountain and lying on the Richelieu River. At last count, 18 877 inhabitants reside there in total security. Above 93% are French-speaking will almost 4% are English-speaking, this sector is a real Quebec Heritage site.

Good to know

The municipality of the Saint-Hilaire parish was created in 1855. In 1912, a sum of the territory was converted into a village. In 1963, the village became the Ville de St-Hilaire-sur-Richelieu. In 1966, the small corporation of Mont-Saint-Hilaire (the sector on the mountain and the agricultural plains) joined Saint-Hilaire-sur-Richelieu under the name of Ville de Mont-Saint-Hilaire. In 1960 the St-Hilaire mountain is designated as a "Migratory Bird Refuge". The Nature Centre is born in 1972 and is given charge over the public area of the mountain and in 1978 the mountain is recognized as the first Biosphere Reserve of Canada by UNESCO.