The population of Greater Montréal increased from two to three million, while the City's population remained stable at one million. The birth rate fell after 1965, the rural exodus was coming to an end and many citizens emigrated to other parts of Canada. On the other hand, international immigration continued and diversified.

The new suburbs experienced tremendous growth, encouraging the construction of several bridges and a major highway network. At the beginning of the 1990s, Greater Montréal included approximately 130 municipalities, and the need for regional cooperation was increasingly an issue for debate.

This transformation of the landscape also affected the inner city, which was now laced with expressways. Certain streets filled with cafés, restaurants and shops. Old Montréal gained a new lease on life, with renovations and the development of recreational and tourist activities. The downtown core, its skyline altered by new skyscrapers, became all the more accessible with the arrival of the subway system.

Part of Montréal's history fell to the wrecker's ball, sparking awareness and the birth of activist movements that put preservation of the city's architectural heritage on the municipal agenda.