Montreal

The year in photos: CBC Montreal's best shots of the year

CBC's roving videographer/photographer, Charles Contant, shares a collection of powerful images taken in Montreal this year.

Charles Contant, CBC's roving eye on Montreal, shares his diary in pictures

The city of Montreal is seen from across the icy river. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Montreal celebrated a big birthday this year and pulled out all the stops, celebrating the 375th anniversary of the city's founding.

CBC videographer/photographer Charles Contant is out in the field working with reporters every day.

He's documented a vast array of Montreal moments, from beauty shots of architecture and nature to shots that capture difficult moments in the city's recent history.

A young boy looks out over the city from the Mount Royal belvedere. (Charles Contant/CBC)

2017 was a busy year, with catastrophic spring flooding that displaced hundreds of people from their homes, thousands of asylum seekers pouring into Quebec at illegal border crossings and an eventful municipal election that shook up the city's power structure.

CBC reporter Jay Turnbull helps out during the spring floods in and around Montreal. (Charles Contant/CBC)
Asylum seekers take a walk outside a day after the Olympic Stadium was opened as a temporary shelter. (Charles Contant/CBC)

As always, construction and roadwork caused major traffic woes. 

Major construction has been underway at the Turcot site for years. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Contant captured the city's daily routines, beginning in January with the collection of discarded Christmas trees headed for the wood chipper.

City workers collect discarded Christmas trees at the end of the holiday season. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Montreal families take every chance they get to enjoy the city's winter — skating, skiing, sledding and snowshoeing.

A child hits the rink a the Bleu-Blanc-Bouge arena in Verdun during the March school break. (Charles Contant/CBC)
The moon can be seen above the Maison Radio-Canada tower in Montreal, March 17. (Charles Contant/CBC)

As the snow started to melt, some ambitious visitors tried to make the best of it while it lasted.

Meanwhile, others made like the snow was already gone, spending Sundays at the tam tams next to the George-Étienne Cartier monument in Mount Royal Park even though there was still snow on the ground.

A European tourist delights at the sight of snow in La Fontaine Park, April 10. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Thanks to a generous donation from a private donor, Dale Chihuly's dramatic blown-glass sculpture The Sun has found a permanent home in Montreal.

It's displayed during the warmer months outside of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on Sherbrooke Street West.

The Sun, a blown-glass sculpture by American artist Dale Chihuly, displayed outside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Montreal is a photogenic city, with people coming from all over the world to experience the vibrant culture.

The city welcomed an estimated 11 million tourists in 2017.

A man takes a photo as the sun sets in Montreal. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Many of the municipal workers and emergency responders who keep the city functioning were able to negotiate new collective agreements in 2017.

Both the police and firefighters unions settled pension disputes after years of negotiation.

Montreal firefighters take a brief moment away from their work to pose. (Charles Contant/CBC)

One of the biggest stories of the year to come out of Montreal was May's flooding.

Several towns and boroughs declared a state of emergency. Find full coverage on the 2017 Quebec floods here.

Montreal firefighters tour the flood waters of Île Mercier. (Charles Contant/CBC)

The lasting impacts of the flooding are still being felt by many homeowners who still haven't been able to get repairs done or move back in.

Some property owners had to watch as their homes were demolished, and some left flood-zone neighbourhoods for good.

The scene in Pierrefonds as the Rivière des Prairies flooded its banks May 9. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Then it was summer — and festival season, with people coming from far and wide to attend the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Osheaga, Francofolies and others.

A big observation wheel went up Montreal's bustling Old Port as an attraction for locals and tourists alike.

The Grande Roue is in the background as the sun sets on Montreal. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Formula E is gone next year, but the Formula One Grand Prix event is here to stay, after the municipal, provincial and federal governments joined forces to produce a funding package of $98.2 million to keep Grand Prix in Montreal through 2029.

The Grand Prix, which will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary, has been held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since 1978.

People lined up to watch the F1 Grand Prix race on the first day of the event June 10. (Charles Contant/CBC)

New Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante made headlines when she became the first woman to be elected mayor of Montreal in November.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante spent October and early November on the campaign trail. (Charles Contant/CBC)

The Jacques Cartier Bridge is an integral part of Montreal's landscape.

Heavy traffic lines up ahead of the Jacques Cartier Bridge at dusk. (Charles Contant/CBC)

December wouldn't be December without one major snowstorm, and 2017 was no exception.

Montreal had its first big snow dump of the season on Dec. 12. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Over the course of the year, we've asked for photo submissions from you — and CBC listeners and readers have answered the call, sending in great photos of their neighbourhoods.

Here are some of the photos you've submitted to us over the last year.