View source for Laval, Quebec

{{Short description|City in Quebec, Canada}}
{{about|the municipality|the islands forming a part of it|Îles Laval}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Laval
| official_name            = {{lang|en-CA|City of Laval}}<br />{{lang|fr-CA|Ville de Laval}}
| settlement_type          = [[List of cities in Quebec|City]]
| image_skyline            = Laval Quebec Montage.jpg
| image_caption            = From top, left to right: Le Domaine Bellerive apartment complex, [[Cineplex Entertainment|Cinémas Cineplex]] Laval, [[Papineau-Leblanc Bridge]], Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Catholic Parish, [[Quebec Autoroute 15]] through Laval
| image_flag               = Flag of Laval, Quebec.svg
| image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Laval, Quebec.svg
| blank_emblem_type        = Logo
| image_shield             = Blason ville ca Laval (Québec).svg
| motto                    = "Unité, progrès, grandeur"{{spaces|2}}{{small|(French)<br />"Unity, Progress, Greatness"}}
| pushpin_map              = Quebec#Canada Southern Quebec
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Quebec##Location in southern Quebec
| coordinates              = {{coord|45|35|N|73|45|W|region:CA-QC|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name="toponymie"/>
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = Canada
| subdivision_type1        = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Quebec]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[Region (Quebec)|Region]]
| subdivision_name2        = Laval
| subdivision_type3        = [[Regional county municipality|RCM]]
| subdivision_name3        = None
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 
| established_title1       = Constituted
| established_date1        = 6 August 1965
| government_type          = [[Laval City Council]]
| government_footnotes     = <ref name="mamrot"/>
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = [[Stéphane Boyer]]
| leader_title2            = [[List of Canadian federal electoral districts|Federal riding]]
| leader_name2             = [[Alfred-Pellan]] / [[Vimy (electoral district)|Vimy]] / [[Laval—Les Îles|Laval—<br />Les Îles]] / [[Marc-Aurèle-Fortin (electoral district)|Marc-Aurèle-Fortin]]
| leader_title3            = [[List of Quebec provincial electoral districts|Prov. riding]]
| leader_name3             = [[Chomedey (electoral district)|Chomedey]] / [[Fabre (provincial electoral district)|Fabre]] / [[Laval-des-Rapides (provincial electoral district)|Laval-des-<br />Rapides]] / [[Mille-Îles (provincial electoral district)|Mille-Îles]] / [[Sainte-Rose (provincial electoral district)|Sainte-Rose]] / [[Vimont (provincial electoral district)|Vimont]]
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="census2016"/>
| area_land_km2            = 247.23
| area_water_km2           = 
| elevation_m              = 91
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 443,893
| population_as_of         = [[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]
| population_density_km2   = 1710.9
| population_blank1_title  = Change<br>{{small|2011–2016}}
| population_blank1        = {{increase}} 5.3%
| population_demonym       = Lavallois, Lavalloise<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lavallois|title=Lavallois|website=En.wiktionary.org|publisher=Wiktionary|access-date=2013-07-12}}</ref>
| timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset               = −5
| timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST           = −4
| postal_code_type         = [[Canadian postal code|Postal code(s)]]
| postal_code              = [[List of H postal codes of Canada|H7A to H7Y]]
| area_code                = [[Area codes 450 and 579|450 and 579]]
| website                  = {{URL|www.laval.ca}}
}}

'''Laval'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|l|ə|ˈ|v|æ|l}} {{respell|lə|VAL}}, {{IPA|fr|laval|lang|Fr-Paris--Laval.ogg}}}} is a city in [[Quebec]], Canada. It is in the southwest of the province, north of [[Montreal]]. It is the largest suburb of [[Greater Montreal|Montreal]], the [[List of towns in Quebec|third-largest city]] in the province after Montreal and [[Quebec City]], and the [[List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population|thirteenth]] largest city in Canada, with a population of 443,192 in [[2021 Canadian Census|2021]].

Laval is geographically separated from the mainland to the north by the [[Rivière des Mille Îles]], and from the [[Island of Montreal]] to the south by the [[Rivière des Prairies]]. Laval occupies all of [[Île Jésus]] as well as the [[Îles Laval]].

Laval constitutes one of the 17 [[List of Quebec regions|administrative regions of Quebec]], with a region code of 13, as well as a [[territory equivalent to a regional county municipality]] (TE) and [[Census geographic units of Canada|census division]] (CD) with geographical code 65. It also constitutes the [[Judicial districts of Quebec|judicial district]] of Laval.<ref>[http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/D_11/D11_A.HTM ''Territorial Division Act'']. ''Revised Statutes of Quebec'' D-11.</ref> It is the smallest administrative region in the province by area.

==History==
{{See also|Municipal history of Quebec}}
[[File:Farmland. Farm in Laval des Rapides BAnQ P48S1P06800.jpg|thumb|left|Farm in [[Laval-des-Rapides]] in 1941]]
The first European Settlers in Laval were [[Jesuits]], who were granted a [[Seigneurial system of New France|seigneury]] there in 1636. Agriculture first appeared in Laval in 1670. In 1675, [[François de Montmorency-Laval]] gained control of the seigneury. In 1702 a [[parish municipality (Quebec)|parish municipality]] was founded, and dedicated to [[Saint-François, Laval, Quebec|Saint-François de Sales]] (not to be confused with the modern-day [[Saint-François-de-Sales, Quebec|Saint-François-de-Sales]] in [[Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean]]).

In 1845, after nearly 200 years being of a rural nature, additional municipalities began to be created. The only built-up area on the island, [[Sainte-Rose, Quebec|Sainte-Rose]], was incorporated as a village in 1850, and it remained the main community for the remainder of the century. With the dawn of the 20th century came urbanization. [[Laval-des-Rapides]] became Laval's first city in 1912, followed by {{interlanguage link|L'Abord-à-Plouffe|fr|L'Abord-à-Plouffe}}, which was granted village status three years later. [[Laval-sur-le-Lac]] was founded in the same year and had its tourist-based economy based on Montrealers. Laval began to grow throughout the following years because its proximity to Montreal made it an ideal suburb.

To deal with problems caused by urbanization, amalgamations occurred; L'Abord-à-Plouffe amalgamated with {{interlanguage link|Renaud, Quebec|fr|Renaud (Laval)}} and [[Saint-Martin, Laval, Quebec|Saint-Martin]], creating the city of Chomedey in 1961. The amalgamation turned out to be so successful for the municipalities involved that the Quebec government decided to amalgamate the whole island into a single city of Laval in 1965, not without controversy.<ref name="Birth">{{cite news|last = Seale|first = Lewis|title = Upper house gives in, accepts bill changes|newspaper = [[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Montreal Gazette]]|page = 1|publisher = [[Postmedia Network]]|date = 7 August 1965|url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XYY1AAAAIBAJ&dq=montreal%20gazette%20amalgamation%20laval&pg=5690%2C948587= |access-date=2013-04-01}}</ref> Laval was named after the first owner of Île Jésus, [[François de Montmorency-Laval]], the first [[Roman Catholic Bishop of Quebec]]. At the time, Laval had a population of 170,000. Laval became a [[Regional County Municipality]] in 1980. Until then, it had been the County of Laval.<ref name="historylaval">{{cite web | title=History and Heritage | work=Laval portal website | url=http://www.ville.laval.qc.ca/pls/wlav/wlav.site.show?p_type=1&p_no=2 | access-date=8 November 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207002927/http://ville.laval.qc.ca/pls/wlav/wlav.site.show?p_type=1&p_no=2 | archive-date=7 February 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The 14 municipalities, which existed prior to the incorporation of the [[Municipal history of Quebec#1965|amalgamated]] City of Laval on 6 August 1965, were:

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Auteuil, Quebec|Auteuil]]
* [[Chomedey, Quebec|Chomedey]]
* [[Duvernay, Quebec|Duvernay]]
* [[Fabreville, Quebec|Fabreville]]
* [[Îles-Laval]]
* [[Laval-des-Rapides]]
* [[Laval-Ouest, Quebec|Laval-Ouest]]
* [[Laval-sur-le-Lac]]
* [[Pont-Viau, Quebec|Pont-Viau]]
* [[Sainte-Dorothée, Quebec|Sainte-Dorothée]]
* [[Sainte-Rose, Quebec|Sainte-Rose]]
* [[Saint-François, Laval, Quebec|Saint-François]]
* [[Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec|Saint-Vincent-de-Paul]]
* [[Vimont, Quebec|Vimont]]
}}

==Geography==
The island has developed over time, with most of the urban area in the central region and along the south and west river banks.

Laval is bordered on the south by [[Montreal]] across the [[Rivière des Prairies]], on the north by [[Les Moulins Regional County Municipality]] and by [[Thérèse-De Blainville Regional County Municipality]] and on the west by [[Deux-Montagnes Regional County Municipality]] across the [[Rivière des Mille Îles]].

===Climate===
Laval experiences a four-season [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Koppen]]: Dfb) with very warm summers and very cold winters with adequate precipitation year-round, though more so during summer and early fall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=ste+dorothee&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=5460&dispBack=1|title=Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 Station Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada|last=Canada|first=Environment and Climate Change|date=2011-01-19|website=climate.weather.gc.ca|language=en|access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref>{{Weather box|width=auto
| location                = [[Sainte-Dorothée, Quebec|Sainte-Dorothée]]
| metric first            = yes
| single line             = yes
| Jan record high C       = 13.5
| Feb record high C       = 15
| Mar record high C       = 18
| Apr record high C       = 30.5
| May record high C       = 33.3
| Jun record high C       = 34.0
| Jul record high C       = 34.0
| Aug record high C       = 35.0
| Sep record high C       = 31.1
| Oct record high C       = 27.8
| Nov record high C       = 20.0
| Dec record high C       = 11.5
| year record high C      = 35
| Jan high C              = -5.8
| Feb high C              = -4.2
| Mar high C              = 2.4
| Apr high C              = 10.8
| May high C              = 19.2
| Jun high C              = 23.7
| Jul high C              = 26.6
| Aug high C              = 25.1
| Sep high C              = 19.3
| Oct high C              = 12.6
| Nov high C              = 5.1
| Dec high C              = -2.6
| Jan mean C               = -10.3
| Feb mean C               = -9.0
| Mar mean C               = -2.2
| Apr mean C               = 5.9
| May mean C               = 13.7
| Jun mean C               = 18.6
| Jul mean C               = 21.4
| Aug mean C               = 20.0
| Sep mean C               = 14.5
| Oct mean C               = 8.3
| Nov mean C               = 1.7
| Dec mean C               = -6.5
| Jan low C               = -14.8
| Feb low C               = -13.8
| Mar low C               = -6.8
| Apr low C               = 1.0
| May low C               = 8.2
| Jun low C               = 13.4
| Jul low C               = 16.2
| Aug low C               = 14.9
| Sep low C               = 9.8
| Oct low C               = 4.0
| Nov low C               = -1.8
| Dec low C               = -10.3
| Jan record low C        = -40.0
| Feb record low C        = -35.0
| Mar record low C        = -30.0
| Apr record low C        = -14.5
| May record low C        = -3.9
| Jun record low C        = 2.0
| Jul record low C        = 6.0
| Aug record low C        = 3.3
| Sep record low C        = -3.0
| Oct record low C        = -6.1
| Nov record low C        = -18.5
| Dec record low C        = -31.5
| year record low C       = -40.0
| Jan precipitation mm    = 75.5
| Feb precipitation mm    = 56.4
| Mar precipitation mm    = 66.8
| Apr precipitation mm    = 83.6
| May precipitation mm    = 76.8
| Jun precipitation mm    = 87.0
| Jul precipitation mm    = 92.3
| Aug precipitation mm    = 97.6
| Sep precipitation mm    = 99.4
| Oct precipitation mm    = 86.0
| Nov precipitation mm    = 89.0
| Dec precipitation mm    = 76.6
| precipitation colour = green
|snow colour = green
| Jan snow cm             = 44.6
| Feb snow cm             = 34.5
| Mar snow cm             = 28.2
| Apr snow cm             = 7.6
| May snow cm             = 0.2
| Jun snow cm             = 0.0
| Jul snow cm             = 0.0
| Aug snow cm             = 0.0
| Sep snow cm             = 0.0
| Oct snow cm             = 1.2
| Nov snow cm             = 15.0
| Dec snow cm             = 42.7
| year snow cm            = 173.8
| unit precipitation days = 0.2
| Jan precipitation days  = 14.1
| Feb precipitation days  = 11.1
| Mar precipitation days  = 11.5
| Apr precipitation days  = 12.4
| May precipitation days  = 13.1
| Jun precipitation days  = 13.5
| Jul precipitation days  = 12.1
| Aug precipitation days  = 13.4
| Sep precipitation days  = 13.1
| Oct precipitation days  = 13.6
| Nov precipitation days  = 13.3
| Dec precipitation days  = 14.0
| source 1                = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="Climate Data">[[Environment Canada]]—[http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=ste+dorothee&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=5460&dispBack=1 Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000]. Retrieved 1 March 2017.</ref>
| date                    = March 2017
}}

== Demographics ==
{{stack|{{Historical populations
| title = Historical population
| type  = Canada
|align       = right
| width       =
| state       =
| shading     =
| percentages =
| footnote    =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/donstat/societe/demographie/dons_regnl/regional/Tableau_top_10.htm |title=Évolution démographique des 10 principales villes du Québec (sur la base de 2006) selon leur limites territoriales actuelles1, Recensements du Canada de 1871 à 2006 |publisher=Stat.gouv.qc.ca |access-date=2012-01-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006173408/http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/donstat/societe/demographie/dons_regnl/regional/Tableau_top_10.htm |archive-date= 6 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name="census2016"/>
|1871|9472
|1881|9462
|1891|9436
|1901|10248
|[[Canada 1911 Census|1911]]|11407
|1921|14005
|1931|16150
|1941|21631
|1951|37843
|1956|69410
|1961|124741
|1966|196088
|1971|228010
|1976|246243
|1981|268335
|1986|284164
|1991|314398
|[[Canada 1996 Census|1996]]|330393
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]|343005
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]|368709
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]|401553
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]|422993
|[[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]|438366
}}}}

In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Laval had a population of {{val|438366|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|169785|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|176115|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:438366-422993}}|422993|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|422993|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|246.13|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|438366|246.13|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000224 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=9 February 2022 | accessdate=29 August 2022}}</ref>
According to the [[2016 Canadian Census|2016 Census]], the population of Laval was an estimated 422,993, a 5.3 percent increase from the earlier census in 2011. Women constituted 51.4% of the total population. Children under 14 years of age totalled 17.4%, while 17.2% of the population was of retirement age (65 years of age and older). The median age was calculated as 41.9 years.<ref name="census2016"/>

=== Ethnicity ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ [[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in the City of Laval (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]]<br>group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="2021censusB"/>
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="2016census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2465005&Geo2=CD&Code2=2465&SearchText=Laval&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="2011census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2465005&Data=Count&SearchText=Laval&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="2006census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2465005&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&Data=Count&SearchText=Laval&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="2001census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2465005&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&Data=Count&SearchText=Laval&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[European Canadians|European]]{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name="euro"}}
| 285,970
| {{Percentage | 285970 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 301,065
| {{Percentage | 301065 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 309,180
| {{Percentage | 309180 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 311,495
| {{Percentage | 311495 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 308,820
| {{Percentage | 308820 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Middle Eastern Canadians|Middle Eastern]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name="MiddleEastern"}}
| 54,815
| {{Percentage | 54815 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 38,060
| {{Percentage | 38060 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 26,490
| {{Percentage | 26490 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 15,710
| {{Percentage | 15710 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 8,040
| {{Percentage | 8040 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[African-Canadian|African]]
| 38,420
| {{Percentage | 38420 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 32,095
| {{Percentage | 32095 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 24,225
| {{Percentage | 24225 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 16,895
| {{Percentage | 16895 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 10,875
| {{Percentage | 10875 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 15,020
| {{Percentage | 15020 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 12,660
| {{Percentage | 12660 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 9,855
| {{Percentage | 9855 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 6,285
| {{Percentage | 6285 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 2,870
| {{Percentage | 2870 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 12,495
| {{Percentage | 12495 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 8,800
| {{Percentage | 8800 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 6,650
| {{Percentage | 6650 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 3,335
| {{Percentage | 3335 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 1,475
| {{Percentage | 1475 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asia]]n{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name="SoutheastAsian"}}
| 9,780
| {{Percentage | 9780 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 8,610
| {{Percentage | 8610 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 8,565
| {{Percentage | 8565 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 5,990
| {{Percentage | 5990 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 3,665
| {{Percentage | 3665 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[East Asian Canadians|East Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name="EastAsian"}}
| 5,085
| {{Percentage | 5085 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 4,205
| {{Percentage | 4205 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 3,505
| {{Percentage | 3505 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 2,490
| {{Percentage | 2490 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 1,755
| {{Percentage | 1755 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]]
| 3,310
| {{Percentage | 3310 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 2,530
| {{Percentage | 2530 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 2,330
| {{Percentage | 2330 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 1,405
| {{Percentage | 1405 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 755
| {{Percentage | 755 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
| Other/[[Multiracial people|Multiracial]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name="Other"}}
| 4,655
| {{Percentage | 4655 | 429555 | 2 }}
| 2,820
| {{Percentage | 2820 | 410850 | 2 }}
| 1,925
| {{Percentage | 1925 | 392725 | 2 }}
| 1,015
| {{Percentage | 1015 | 364625 | 2 }}
| 745
| {{Percentage | 745 | 339005 | 2 }}
|-
! Total responses
! 429,555
! {{Percentage | 429555 | 438366 | 2 }}
! 410,850
! {{Percentage | 410850 | 422993 | 2 }}
! 392,725
! {{Percentage | 392725 | 401553 | 2 }}
! 364,625
! {{Percentage | 364625 | 368709 | 2 }}
! 339,005
! {{Percentage | 339005 | 343005 | 2 }}
|-
! Total population
! 438,366
! {{Percentage | 438366 | 438366 | 2 }}
! 422,993
! {{Percentage | 422993 | 422993 | 2 }}
! 401,553
! {{Percentage | 401553 | 401553 | 2 }}
! 368,709
! {{Percentage | 368709 | 368709 | 2 }}
! 343,005
! {{Percentage | 343005 | 343005 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="15" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}
|}

=== Immigration ===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" | Immigrants by country of birth (2016 Census)<ref>https://www12.statcan.gc.ca › dp-pd
2016 Census of Population – Data products - Statistics Canada</ref>
|-
!Rank
!Country
!Population
|-
|1
| [[Lebanon]]
| 12,420
|-
|2
| [[Haiti]]
| 12,015
|-
|3
| [[Morocco]]
| 7,880
|-
|4
| [[Algeria]]
| 6,530
|-
|5
| [[Greece]]
| 5,940
|-
|6
| [[Italy]]
| 5,690
|-
|7
| [[Syria]]
| 5,465
|-
|8
| [[Romania]]
| 5,255
|-
|9
| [[France]]
| 3,325
|-
|10
| [[Portugal]]
| 3,145
|}

=== Language ===
.<ref name="cp2011"/>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Canada Census Mother Tongue – Laval, Quebec<ref name="scpast">Statistics Canada: [[Canada 1996 Census|1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census|2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census|2006]], [[Canada 2011 Census|2011]], [[Canada 2016 Census|2016]], [[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]  census</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2"|Census<br>Year
|
! rowspan="2"|Total<br>Responses
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|French}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|English}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|French & English}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|Other}}
|-
|
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|-
| {{center|2021}}
|
| {{center|434,645}}
|
| 226,675
| {{decrease}} 4.64%
| 52.15%
|
| 34,175
| {{increase}} 11.35%
| 7.86%
|
| 7,770
| {{increase}} 76.2%
| 1.05%
|
| 143,300
| {{increase}} 9.19%
| 32.9%
|-
| {{center|2016}}
|
| {{center|417,995}}
|
| 237,430
| class="nowrap"|{{decrease}} 1.73%
| 56.80%
|
| 30,295
| {{increase}} 9.45%
| 7.25%
|
| 4,410
| {{increase}} 16.82%
| 1.05%
|
| 131,240
| {{increase}} 15.97%
| 31.39%
|-
| {{center|2011}}
|
| {{center|397,570}}
|
| 241,615
| {{decrease}} 0.2%
| 60.77%
|
| 27,680
| {{increase}} 9.51%
| 6.96%
|
| 3,775
| class="nowrap"| {{increase}} 58.94%
| 0.95%
|
| 113,160
| class="nowrap"| {{increase}} 19.34%
| 28.46%
|-
| {{center|2006}}
|
| {{center|368,709}}
|
| 242,155
| {{decrease}} 2.72%
| 66.41%
|
| 25,275
| class="nowrap"| {{increase}} 23.08%
| 6.85%
|
| 2,375
| {{decrease}} 14.41%
| 0.64%
|
| 94,815
| {{increase}} 42%
| 25.72%
|-
| {{center|2001}}
|
| {{center|339,000}}
|
| 248,925
| {{increase}} 1.68%
| 73.42%
|
| 20,535
| {{increase}} 0.96%
| 6.05%
|
| 2,775
| {{increase}} 4.52%
| 0.82%
|
| 66,775
| {{increase}} 22.25%
| 19.69%
|-
| {{center|1996}}
|
| {{center|326,605}}
|
| 244,800
| n/a
| 74.95%
|
| 20,340
| n/a
| 6.22%
|
| 2,655
| n/a
| 0.81%
|
| 54,620
| n/a
| 16.72%
|}

{{clear left}}

=== Religion ===
According to the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]], religious groups in Laval included:<ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=laval&DGUIDlist=2021A00052465005&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
*[[Christianity in Canada|Christianity]] (280,720 people or 65.4%)
*[[Irreligion in Canada|Irreligious]] (77,165; 18.0%)
*[[Islam in Canada|Islam]] (55,620; 12.9%)
*[[Buddhism in Canada|Buddhism]] (5,940; 1.4%)
*[[Hinduism in Canada|Hinduism]] (4,140; 1.0%)
*[[Judaism in Canada|Judaism]] (2,435; 0.6%)
*[[Sikhism in Canada|Sikhism]] (2,235; 0.5%)
*[[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous Spirituality]] (10; less than 0.1%)
*Other (1,280; 0.3%)

==Economy==
[[File:Tour Triomphe II, Laval, Québec.jpg|thumb|Office buildings in Laval]]
Laval's diverse economy is centred around the technology, pharmaceutical, industrial and retail sectors. It has many pharmaceutical laboratories but also stone quarries and a persistent agricultural sector. Long seen as a [[bedroom community]], Laval has diversified its economy, especially in the retail sector, developing numerous shopping malls, [[warehouses]] and various retail stores. Laval has four different [[industrial park]]s.<ref name="lavaltechnopole">{{cite web|title=Laval Technopole website |url=http://www.lavaltechnopole.com/en/ |access-date=2 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092737/http://www.lavaltechnopole.com/en/ |archive-date=29 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The first is Industrial Park Centre, in the heart of Laval at the corner of St. Martin West and Industriel Blvd. One of the largest municipal industrial parks in [[Quebec]], the Industrial Park Centre boasts the highest concentration of manufacturing companies in Laval: 1,024 at last count, and 22,378 employees. The park still has {{convert|1300643|m²|0|abbr=on}} of space available.

The second, the [[Quebec Autoroute 25|Autoroute 25]] Industrial Park is at the crossroads of the metropolitan road network. Inaugurated in 2001, this new industrial municipal space has been a tremendous success, boasting an 80% occupancy rate. Laval is studying the possibility of expanding this park in the next few years.

The third, known as Industrial Park East, is in the neighbourhood of [[Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec|Saint-Vincent-de-Paul]]. This park has reached full capacity with a 100% occupancy rate. Industrial Park East is currently part of a municipal program to revitalize municipal services and public utilities. Laval is working with a private developer on an expansion project for the park that should be announced in the near future.

The fourth industrial park, the Laval Science and High Technology Park is located along [[Rivière des Prairies]] and [[Quebec Autoroute 15|Autoroute 15]]. It is a science campus that houses the [[Biotech]] City and the Information Technology Development Centre (ITDC). Nearly {{convert|500000|m2|sqft}} of space are available for development. The Biotech City spans the entire territory of the Laval Science and High Technology Park and is a unique concept in Canada in that its residents comprise both universities and companies.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Created in 1995, Laval Technopole is a nonprofit organization that has the objective to promote the economic growth of Laval by attracting and supporting new business and investments located in its 5 territory poles: Biopole, e-Pol, Agropole, industrial pole and Leisure/tourism.

[[Alimentation Couche-Tard]] has its headquarters in Laval.<ref>"[http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/executive-office.html Executive Office] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708195844/http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/executive-office.html |date=8 July 2011 }}." [[Alimentation Couche-Tard]]. Retrieved on 18 January 2011. "Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. 4204 Industriel Blvd. Laval (Quebec) H7L 0E3." [http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/index.php?module=CMS&id=17&newlang=fra Address in French] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708195858/http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/index.php?module=CMS&id=17&newlang=fra |date=8 July 2011 }}: "Alimentation Couche-Tard inc. 4204 Boul. Industriel Laval (Québec) H7L 0E3 " [http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/modules/AxialRealisation/img_repository/files/documents/Coordonnees/Carte%20Routiere%20-%20Map%20Couche-Tard.pdf Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708195923/http://www.couche-tard.com/corporatif/modules/AxialRealisation/img_repository/files/documents/Coordonnees/Carte%20Routiere%20-%20Map%20Couche-Tard.pdf |date=8 July 2011 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Poles in figures (excluding Leisure and tourism)<ref>La Presse Affaires, Montreal, Tuesday 21 October 2008, p.12</ref>
! scope=col style="background:#9fc846;" |Agropole
! scope=col style="background:#f4db05;" |Industrial Pole
! scope=col style="background:#e0a446;" |Biopole
! scope=col style="background:#67bbd0;" |E-Pole
|-
| 1,750 companies
| 624 companies
| More than 80 firms
| 264 businesses
|- style="background:#EFEFEF"
| 15,800 jobs
| 16,000 jobs
| Over one billion $ invested since 2001
| 4,370 jobs
|-
|valign="top" |Main sectors:
* Transformation
* Food production
* Agriculture
* Restaurant industry
* Wholesale and retail
|valign="top" |Main sectors:
* Metal products
* Printing
* Machinery
* furnitures
* Clothing
* Rubber
* Plastic
|valign="top" |Main sectors:
* Biotechnology
* Pharmaceutical
* Medical Technology
|valign="top" |Main sectors:
* Software
* Manufacture
* Service
|}

==Attractions==
[[File:Cosmodome.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Cosmodome]] is a major local attraction.]]
{{Prose|section|date=February 2012}}
Laval's main attractions are:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* Centropolis
* The [[Cosmodome (Laval)|Cosmodôme]]
* Mille-Îles River Park
* [[Mondial Choral|Mondial Choral Loto-Québec]]
* [[Carrefour Laval]] shopping centre
* Armand-Frappier museum
* [[Centrale de la Rivière des Prairies|Rivière-des-Prairies' hydroelectric plant]] (3 dams)
* Old Sainte-Dorothée
* Old Sainte-Rose
* Old Saint-Vincent-de-Paul
* Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church
* Saint-François-de-Sales church
* Laval Symphony Orchestra
* Salle André-Mathieu show hall
* La Maison des Jardins' show hall
* Centre de la Nature
* Auteuilloise farm
* Cardinal Golf club
* Saint-François Golf club
* Sainte-Rose Golf club
* Boisé Papineau Park
* [[Centre Laval]] shopping centre
* [[Saute Centre de Trampoline: Laval Trampoline Park]]
* Sainte-Rose en Blanc
}}

''Source: Tourisme Laval.''<ref name="tourismelaval">{{cite web | title=Tourisme Laval | work=Tourisme Laval website | url=http://www.tourismelaval.com/index.php?lang=en | access-date=26 July 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515024016/http://www.tourismelaval.com/index.php?lang=en | archive-date=15 May 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Sport==
[[File:Place Bell Laval.20170601 195705 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Place Bell, home to the [[Laval Rocket]] and [[Montréal Victoire]]]]
Laval was the host-city of the "[[Jeux du Québec]]" held in summer 1991 and of the [[Canadian Hockey League]]'s [[1994 Memorial Cup]]. Laval became home to the [[Montreal Canadiens]]' [[American Hockey League]] affiliate the [[Laval Rocket]], starting in the 2017–18 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=889193&navid=DL%7CMTL%7Chome|title=A new neighbor|website=NHL.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+Sports teams of Laval
|-
! Team
! Sport
! League
! Venue
!Established
!Disestablished
!Championships
|-
| [[Associés de Laval]]
| Baseball
| [[Ligue de Baseball Junior Élite du Québec|Ligue de Baseball Élite du Québec]]
| Parc Montmorency
|1983
|2015
|5
|-
| [[Sabercats Rive-Nord]]
| [[Canadian football]]
| [[Quebec Junior Football League]]
| [[Parc Cartier]]
|
|
|
|-
| [[Laval Comets]]
| [[Women's association football|Women's soccer]]
| [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]]
| [[Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne]]
|2006
|2016
|0
|-
|[[Laval Dynamites]] 
|[[Association football]]
|[[Canadian Soccer League]] 
|[[Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne]]
|2001
|2007 
|0
|-
| [[Laval Rocket]]
| [[Ice hockey]]
| [[American Hockey League]]
| [[Place Bell (Laval, Quebec)|Place Bell]]
|1969{{efn|the sports franchise was formed in 1969 and was relocated to Laval in 2017}} 
|
|0
|-
| [[Les Pétroliers du Nord]]
| Ice hockey
| [[Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey]]
| [[Colisée de Laval]]
|2018{{efn|the sports franchise was formed in 2018 and was relocated to Laval for the 2019–20 season}} 
|
|0
|-
| [[Montreal Roses FC]]
| [[Women's association football|Women's soccer]]
| [[Northern Super League]]
| [[Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne]]
|2023
|
|0
|-
| [[Montréal Victoire]]
| [[Ice hockey]]
| [[Professional Women's Hockey League]]
| [[Place Bell (Laval, Quebec)|Place Bell]]
|2023
|
|0
|-
|}

==Government==
===Municipal politics===
{{Main|Laval City Council}}
[[File:Hôtel de ville de Laval.jpg|thumb|350px|Laval City Hall]]
The city's longtime mayor, [[Gilles Vaillancourt]], resigned on 9 November 2012, following allegations of corruption made against him in hearings of the provincial [[Charbonneau Commission]].<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1285489--laval-mayor-resigns-amid-montreal-corruption-scandal "Laval mayor resigns amid Montreal corruption scandal"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', 9 November 2012.</ref> City councillor Basile Angelopoulos served as acting mayor<ref name=interim>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/laval-searches-for-interim-mayor-1.1202073 "Laval searches for interim mayor"]. [[CBC News]], 13 November 2012.</ref> until [[Alexandre Duplessis]] was selected in a council vote on 23 November.<ref>[https://montrealgazette.com/news/Alexandre+Duplessis+elected+interim+mayor+Laval/7600730/story.html "Alexandre Duplessis elected new interim mayor of Laval"]. ''[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]'', 23 November 2012.</ref> Duplessis, in turn, stepped down after just seven months in office after facing allegations of being implicated in a prostitution investigation;<ref name=gazette2>[https://montrealgazette.com/news/montreal/Laval+mayor+Alexandre+Duplessis+resigns/8593806/story.html "Laval mayor Alexandre Duplessis resigns"]. ''[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]'', 28 June 2013.</ref> he was succeeded by city councillor [[Martine Beaugrand]] until the city's new mayor, [[Marc Demers]], was elected in the 2013 municipal election.

Past mayors have been:
* [[Jean-Noël Lavoie]] (founding mayor), 1965
* [[Jacques Tétreault]], 1965–1973
* [[Lucien Paiement]], 1973–1981
* [[Claude Lefebvre (politician)|Claude Lefebvre]], 1981–1989
* [[Gilles Vaillancourt]], 1989–2012
* [[Alexandre Duplessis]], 2012–2013
* [[Martine Beaugrand]], 2013
* [[Marc Demers]], 2013–2021
* [[Stéphane Boyer]], 2021–present

On 3 June 2013, the provincial government of [[Pauline Marois]] placed the city under [[trusteeship]] due to the ongoing corruption scandal affecting the city.<ref name=trustee>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-premier-calls-laval-trusteeship-terrible-disheartening-sad/article12313511/ "Quebec premier calls Laval trusteeship 'terrible, disheartening, sad{{'"}}]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', 3 June 2013.</ref> Florent Gagné, a former head of the [[Sûreté du Québec]], will serve as the city's head trustee, with responsibility for reviewing and approving or rejecting all decisions made by city council.<ref name=trustee /> Municipal Affairs Minister [[Sylvain Gaudreault]] said that Laval's Mayor Alexandre Duplessis and his council will continue to serve, but council decisions must be approved by the trustees.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-orders-laval-under-trusteeship-1.1371697 Quebec orders Laval under trusteeship]. [[CBC News]], 3 June 2013.</ref> Duplessis, in turn, resigned as mayor on 28 June 2013, after being implicated in a separate prostitution allegation.<ref name="gazette2"/>

====Flag, seal and motto====
On a white-yellow background, the emblem of Laval illustrates the modernism of a city in full expansion. The sign of the city symbolizes the "L" of Laval.

The colours also have a significant meaning:
* Dark red represents the affluence and economic potential of Laval.
* Blue symbolizes the quality of life and the installation of a human city.

The "L" of Laval is made of cubes that represent the development of Laval.

The letters of the Laval signature are related one to the other to point out the merger of the 14 municipalities of [[Jesus island]] in 1965.

The logo (that is on the flag) has existed since the 1980s and the flag since the 1990s.<ref name="logolaval">{{cite web | title=Flags of the World| work=Flags of the World website | url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/ca-lav.html | access-date=16 July 2005 }}</ref>

===Federal and provincial politics===
{{See also|Canadian federal election results in Northern Montreal and Laval|2008 Quebec general election}}

{|class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:400; font-size:90%; margin-left:1em;"
|+'''Laval federal election results'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/off/44gedata&document=bypro&lang=e |title=Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Laval)|publisher=Elections Canada |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref>
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Year
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Bloc Québécois]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[New Democratic Party|New Democratic]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Green Party of Canada|Green]]
|-
| rowspan="3" style="width: 0.25em; background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|
! [[2021 Canadian federal election|2021]]
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}} | '''48%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''97,592''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative|background}} | 14%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| ''28,900''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}} | 25%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''50,921''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}} | 8%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| ''17,027''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|background}} | 1%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| ''1,700''
|-
! [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019]]
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}} | '''47%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''103,401''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative|background}} | 12%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| ''26,107''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}} | 27%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''60,193''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}} | 8%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| ''18,432''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|background}} | 4%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| ''8,500''
|-
! [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015]]
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}} | '''45%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''97,819''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative|background}} |14%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| ''29,830''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}} | 17%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''37,455''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}} | 22%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| ''48,153''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|background}} | 2%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| ''4,297''
|-
| style="width: 0.25em; background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP}}|
! [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011]]
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}} | 19%
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''35,525''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative|background}} |13%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| ''23,222''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}} | 20%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''36,948''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}} | '''45%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| ''82,924''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|background}} | 2%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| ''3,445''
|-
| style="width: 0.25em; background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ}}|
! [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008]]
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal|background}} | 27%
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''49,327''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative|background}} | 15%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| ''28,361''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ|background}} | '''41%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''75,819''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP|background}} | 12%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| ''22,750''
| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Green|background}} | 3%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| ''6,281''
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:400; font-size:90%; margin-left:1em;"
|+'''Laval provincial election results'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en/results-and-statistics/general-election-results/2018-10-01/ |title=Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Laval)|date=3 December 2021 |publisher=Elections Québec |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref>
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Year
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Coalition Avenir Québec|CAQ]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Quebec Liberal Party|Liberal]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Québec solidaire|QC solidaire]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" | [[Parti Québécois]]

|-
| rowspan="2" style="width: 0.25em; background-color: {{Canadian party colour|QC|CAQ}}|
! [[2022 Quebec general election|2022]]
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|CAQ|background}} | '''33%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#1E90FF;"| ''64,625''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal|background}} | ''30%''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''59,888''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|QS|background}} | 12%
| style="text-align:right; background:#FF8040;"| ''24,633''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|PQ|background}} | 11%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''21,448''
|-
! [[2018 Quebec general election|2018]]
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|CAQ|background}} | '''32%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#1E90FF;"| ''62,520''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal|background}} | ''37%''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''71,677''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|QS|background}} | 12%
| style="text-align:right; background:#FF8040;"| ''23,747''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|PQ|background}} | 13%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''25,430''
|-
| rowspan="1" style="width: 0.25em; background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|
! [[Quebec general election, 2014|2014]]
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|CAQ|background}} | 18%
| style="text-align:right; background:#1E90FF;"| ''39,560''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal|background}} | '''53%'''
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| ''118,235''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|QS|background}} | 5%
| style="text-align:right; background:#FF8040;"| ''10,904''
| {{Canadian party colour|QC|PQ|background}} | 23%
| style="text-align:right; background:#87CEFA;"| ''51,535''
|-
|}

Federally, prior to 1984 Laval had been a bastion of [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] support. From 1984 to 1993 the Conservative dominated Laval but have not won a seat since.Since the 90's Laval has been a battleground area between the Quebec separatist parties (the ''[[Bloc Québécois]]'' federally and the ''[[Parti Québécois]]'' provincially) and the federalist parties (various parties federally and the [[Quebec Liberal Party]] provincially). In 2011, amid an NDP surge in the province they swept all 4 seats in Laval for the first and only time. Since the [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015 election]] the Liberals have held all seats.

Provincially the other parts of Laval have drifted to the provincial Liberals in recent years. While the PQ held every Laval riding except [[Chomedey (electoral district)|Chomedey]] (which voted overwhelmingly to not separate in the [[1995 Quebec referendum]]) during their second stint in government between 1994 and 2003. The Liberals won every Laval riding in 2003, 2007, and 2008. During the [[2012 Quebec general election|2012 election]], the PQ saw some gains in Laval when they captured 2 seats, but both returned to the Liberal fold during the [[2014 Quebec general election|2014 election]]. During the [[2018 Quebec general election|2018 election]] amid a rise of the CAQ, the Liberals held their own in the Laval losing only 1 seat to the CAQ. In the [[2022 Quebec general election|2022 election]] the CAQ captured 3 more seats in Laval netting them 4 out of 6 seats and ending the dominance of the Liberals in Laval since the 2003 election. The Conservative Party of Quebec saw its vote share jump from just under 2% in 2018 to third place with just under 13%.

==Infrastructure==
===Roads===
{{prose|section|date=January 2013}}
;Highways
<!-- GMA MAP IMAGE -->[[File:Papineau-Leblanc Bridge.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Papineau-Leblanc Bridge]] links Laval to the [[Ahuntsic-Cartierville]] borough of Montreal.]]
* [[Quebec Autoroute 13|A-13 (Chomedey Highway)]] – [[Montreal]] to [[Boisbriand, Quebec|Boisbriand]]
* [[Quebec Autoroute 15|A-15 (Laurentian Highway)]] – [[New York state]] to [[Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts]]
* [[Quebec Autoroute 19|A-19 (Papineau Highway)]] – [[Montreal]] to Boulevard Dagenais, continues as [[Quebec Route 335|Route 335]] to [[Bois-des-Filion, Quebec|Bois-des-Filion]] and beyond
* [[Quebec Autoroute 25|A-25]] – [[Boucherville]] to [[Saint-Esprit, Quebec|Saint-Esprit]] via [[Montreal]] and the A-440 (Laval)
* [[Quebec Autoroute 440 (Laval)|A-440 (Autoroute Jean-Noël-Lavoie)]] – Laval

;Provincial routes
* [[Quebec Route 117|Route 117]] – Montreal to [[Ontario Highway 66]] past [[Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec|Rouyn-Noranda]]
* [[Quebec Route 125|Route 125]] – Montreal to [[Saint-Donat, Lanaudière, Quebec|Saint-Donat]]
* [[Quebec Route 148|Route 148]] – Laval to [[Pembroke, Ontario]]
* [[Quebec Route 335|Route 335]] – Montreal to the [[Lanaudière]] region past [[Saint-Calixte, Quebec|Saint-Calixte]]

;Incidents
* [[2000 Boulevard du Souvenir overpass collapse]]: On 18 June 2000, during renovations to the Souvenir Boulevard overpass over Highway 15, the southern section collapsed onto the highway, causing the death of one person.<ref name="souvenircollapse">{{cite news | title=Overpass dismantled, highway re-opened | work=CBC News website| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/overpass-dismantled-highway-re-opened-1.225189| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606195126/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2000/06/24/overpass000624.html| url-status=live| archive-date=6 June 2008| access-date=8 March 2007| date=24 June 2000}}</ref><ref name="souveniroverpasscollapse">{{cite news|title=Overpass collapse shuts down Quebec highway |work=CBC News website |url=http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/?/news/2000/06/18/viaduct000618 |access-date=10 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821001754/http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/?%2Fnews%2F2000%2F06%2F18%2Fviaduct000618 |archive-date=21 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[De la Concorde Overpass collapse]]: On 30 September 2006, the De la Concorde overpass over [[Quebec Autoroute 19#2006 Highway Overpass collapse|Autoroute 19]] suddenly collapsed killing five people.<ref name="overpasscollapse">{{cite news | title=Overpass Collapses Near Montreal; People Trapped Feared Dead | work=Fox News Website| url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/overpass-collapses-near-montreal-people-trapped-feared-dead | access-date=8 November 2006 | date=30 September 2006}}</ref>

===Public transit===
;Montreal Metro
[[File:Station Montmorency 12.JPG|thumb|right|A train arriving at [[Montmorency (Montreal Metro)|Montmorency Station]] in the [[Montreal Metro]]]]
In April 2007, the [[Montreal Metro]] was extended to Laval with three stations. The long-awaited stations were begun in 2003 and completed in April 2007, two months ahead of the revised schedule, at a cost of C$803&nbsp;million, funded entirely by the [[Quebec government]]. The stations are [[Cartier (Montreal Metro)|Cartier]], [[De La Concorde station|De La Concorde]], and [[Montmorency (Montreal Metro)|Montmorency]]. The arrival of the Metro in Laval was long-awaited as it was first promised in the 1960s.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Former mayor, [[Gilles Vaillancourt]], announced his wish to loop the [[Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)|Orange line]] from [[Montmorency (Montreal Metro)|Montmorency]] to [[Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)|Côte-Vertu]] stations with the addition of six new stations (three in Laval and another three in Montreal). He proposed that [[Transports Quebec]], the provincial transport department, set aside C$100&nbsp;million annually to fund the project, which was expected to cost upwards of $1.5&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |author=CA |url=http://www.courrierlaval.com/article-123701-Montreal-a-bien-dautres-priorites.html |title=Montréal a bien d'autres priorités&nbsp;– Transport en commun |publisher=Courrier Laval |date=22 July 2007 |access-date=2012-01-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120527075138/http://www.courrierlaval.com/article-123701-Montreal-a-bien-dautres-priorites.html |archive-date=27 May 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

;Commuter rail
The [[Exo (public transit)|Exo]] public transit agency's [[Saint-Jérôme line|Saint-Jérôme]] [[Commuter rail in North America|commuter train]] line traverses the island, connecting Laval to downtown Montreal. There are currently three train stations in Laval: [[De La Concorde station|De la Concorde]] (an intermodal station offering transfer to the metro), [[Vimont station|Vimont]] and [[Sainte-Rose station|Sainte-Rose]].

The [[Deux-Montagnes line|Deux-Montagnes]] commuter train line served the western tip of Laval until it was closed on 31 December 2020. Work is underway to replace it with the [[Réseau express métropolitain]] (REM) light metro system.

;Buses
[[File:Terminus Montmorency view.jpg|thumb|right|Montmorency Terminus]]
The [[Société de transport de Laval]] (STL) provides local bus service in Laval. The STL's network consists of 35 regular lines, two rush hour lines, two trainbus lines, three express lines, one community circuit and several taxi lines.

There are [[Bus lane|reserved lanes]] for buses and taxis on Chomedey Blvd between Le Carrefour Blvd and the [[Rivière des Prairies|Des Prairies River]] ([[Lachapelle Bridge]]) and beyond as well as along boulevard des Laurentides between rue Proulx and boulevard Cartier (the reserved lane, in this case for buses only, continues onto the [[Pont Viau]] bridge into Montreal until the [[Henri-Bourassa Terminus Nord (AMT)|Terminus Laval]] at the [[Henri-Bourassa (Montreal Metro)|Henri-Bourassa]] [[Montreal Metro|Metro station]]). Most buses that use the reserved lane end their journey at the [[Cartier (Montreal Metro)|Cartier]] Metro station. The AMT and the City of Laval have developed [[Bus lane|reserved bus and taxi lanes]] on Notre-Dame Boulevard between Vincent Massey Street and Place Alton-Goldbloom and another on De la Concorde Blvd between De l'Avenir and Laval Blvds, as well as between Ampere Ave and Roanne St. These reserved lanes (Notre-Dame and De la Concorde are the same boulevard but change name where they meet under [[Quebec Autoroute 15|Autoroute 15]]) opened shortly after 31 October 2007.

==Education==
{{Prose|section|date=January 2013}}
[[File:Station Montmorency 04.JPG|thumbnail|The Laval campus of the [[Université de Montréal]]]]
Laval is home to a variety of vocational/technical centres, colleges and universities, including:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[CEGEP Montmorency|College Montmorency]]
* [[CDI College]]
* Centre de formation Compétences-2000
* Centre de formation en métallurgie de Laval
* Chomedey Centre
* Centre de formation horticole de Laval
* Centre de formation Paul-Émile-Dufresne
* [[Herzing College]]
* École hôtelière de Laval
* École polymécanique de Laval
* Centre de formation Le Chantier
* Institut de protection contre les incendies du Québec
* [[Université de Montréal]] (Laval campus)
* [[Delta College (Montreal)|Delta College]]
* [[Université du Québec à Montréal]] (Laval campus)
}}

The city has two separate school boards serving Laval: the ''[[Centre de services scolaire de Laval]]'' (formerly the ''Commission scolaire de Laval'') for French-speaking students and the [[Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board]] for English-speaking students. There is one community English-language high school in the city: [[Laval Senior Academy]], created on 1 July 2015 by the merger of [[Laval Liberty High School]] and [[Laurier Senior High School]].<ref>"[https://lsa.schoolqc.ca/?P=aboutus About Us]." [[Laval Senior Academy]]. Retrieved on 4 September 2017.</ref>

North Star Academy Laval is the only private English high school in Laval. They offer secondary 1 to 5 and the possibility to do a grade 12 diploma from Ontario via their online platform.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

==Media==
Laval is served by media from Montreal, however it does have some of its own regional media outlets.

Two radio stations are licensed to serve the city: [[CJLV|CJLV 1570 AM]] "''Radio Mieux-être''" (formerly ''CFAV'') and [[CFGL-FM|CFGL 105.7 FM]] "''Rythme FM''".

Additionally, there are three major newspapers in Laval: the bi-weekly English-language ''The Laval News'', the [[bi-weekly]] French-language ''Le Courrier Laval'' and the weekly French-language ''L'Écho de Laval''.

One television [[community channel (Canada)|community channel]] operates on Laval's territory, Télévision régionale de Laval, as part of [[Videotron]] cable's [[MATV (Quebec)|VOX network]].

==Sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Canada}}
Laval is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref name=twins>{{cite web |title=Ententes économiques et villes jumelées|url=https://www.laval.ca/Pages/Fr/Affaires/ententes-economiques-et-villes-jumelees.aspx|website=laval.ca|publisher=Ville de Laval|language=fr|access-date=2020-07-19}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|ROU}} [[Botoșani]], Romania
*{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Klagenfurt]], Austria
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]], France
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Nice]], France
*{{flagicon|CHL}} [[Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Chile|Pedro Aguirre Cerda]], Chile
*{{flagicon|POR}} [[Ribeira Grande, Azores|Ribeira Grande]], Portugal
*{{flagicon|SLV}} [[San Salvador]], El Salvador
<!--rest don't consider Laval to be their twin town-->
{{div col end}}

===Friendship and cooperation===
Laval also cooperates with:<ref name=twins/>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Grenoble]], France
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Mudanjiang]], China
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Province of Padua|Padua Province]], Italy
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Petah Tikva]], Israel
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Saskatoon]], Canada
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Bibliothèque de Laval]]
* [[List of crossings of the Rivière des Mille Îles]]
* [[List of crossings of the Rivière des Prairies]]
* [[List of people from Laval, Quebec]]
* [[List of Quebec regions]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="cp2011">{{SCref |unit=csd |code=2465005}}</ref>
<ref name="mamrot">{{mamrot |type=municipalite |65005}}</ref>
<ref name="toponymie">{{toponymie |34753}}</ref>
<ref name="census2016">{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census: Laval [Economic region], Quebec |date = 8 February 2017|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=ER&Code1=2445&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&SearchText=laval&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=24 November 2019}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Laval, Quebec}}
*{{Official website}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Laval|Laval}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Laval
| North     = ''[[Rivière des Mille Îles]]'' / [[Terrebonne, Quebec|Terrebonne]] / [[Rosemère, Quebec|Rosemère]] / [[Boisbriand, Quebec|Boisbriand]] / [[Lorraine, Quebec|Lorraine]], [[Bois-des-Filion, Quebec|Bois-des-Filion]]
| Northeast = ''[[Mascouche]]''
| Northwest = ''[[Rivière des Mille Îles]]'' / [[Saint-Eustache, Quebec|Saint-Eustache]]
| East      = ''[[Rivière des Prairies]]''
| Southeast = ''[[Montreal]]''
| South     = ''[[Montreal]]''
| Southwest = ''[[Rivière des Mille Îles]]'' / [[L'Île-Bizard, Quebec|L'Île-Bizard]]
| West      = ''[[Rivière des Mille Îles]]'' / [[Saint-Eustache, Quebec|Saint-Eustache]]
}}

{{Laval, Quebec}}
{{Greater Montreal}}
{{Subdivisions of Quebec|regions=yes|cities=yes}}
{{Great Lakes Megalopolis}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Laval, Quebec| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Quebec]]
[[Category:Territories equivalent to a regional county municipality]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in Quebec]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1636]]
[[Category:1636 establishments in the French colonial empire]]
[[Category:Administrative regions of Quebec]]
[[Category:Greater Montreal]]