The influence of urban growth upon surrounding villages, with special reference to Montreal and villages in the Richelieu valley.

The French Canadian village occupied until recently a dominant position in the agricultural economy of a region. It functioned as a service centre for its immediate surrounding and contained within its framework all elements required, whether conceptual or physical, to fulfill this task. The village represented the first step in the make-up of a balanced urban entity. The Industrial Revolution, however, upset this balance. Centralization emerged as a major trend and through improved transportation and communication facilities, urbanization of a higher degree followed suit