Revival

The leaves change color again,
The colors so bright,
They fall one more journey to their rest.

It is said Toronto is the economic capital of Canada. Calgary is the oil money. Vancouver is linked to Asia.

And Montréal is the least understood.

For the rest of North Americans and Canadians, it’s the home of poutine and so-called “racist” French Québecers.

For the rest of Québec, it’s the home of immigrants and english Québecers. Too much english, pas assez de français.

Despite the critics, Montréal attracts a lot of newcomers every year. Many are students, musicians, aspiring filmmakers, travellers, poets, coders or scientists. They find rent an order of magnitude cheaper than you would find in Toronto, New York city or Paris.

It is true that you could work hard for a summer and then able to afford living in Montréal for a year without working.

This is perhaps why Montréal one of the best cities in the world for art & creativity. Art needs time to digest, re-evolve, re-mixed, in its own rhythm. It dies once, and the artist with it.

And perhaps it revives stronger… months later. It finds life in new seasons, friends, in the community, and in the general open attitudes in the city. No hustle like New York but smiles and taps on the back.

When the Montréaler finds success in many parts of the world, like Xavier Dolan, Arcade Fire or Cirque du Soleil, he knows he couldn’t have succeeded without these periods of low rent and generosity.

I have died many times too in Montréal. Often you lose direction only to revive stronger than ever. I am grateful for that, Montréal. I hope you will be good for future generations as you have been to me.