Montreal is a city known for being non-conformist, innovative and business minded yet relaxed. These 12 women, whether they were born here or relocated have defined the character of Montreal.

Kim Thuy

Writer Kim Thuy is a Saigon-born writer who came to Canada in 1979 after the war. She tells refugee stories using her literally prowess. She won the 2010 Governor General’s Award after the release of the début novel, Ru that has been translated into many languages.

Caroline Ouellette

A legendary hockey player and a four-time Olympic Gold Medallist, Ouellette is the co-founder of athletichub.com, a network that helps student-athletes navigate through the recruitment process. Right to Play also has her as an ambassador.

Sœur Madeleine Juneau

Sister Juneau knows everything about the Montreal Heritage. The Quebec Government feted her with the Prix Gerard-Morisset award for an amazing career in cultural and scientific fields. She also played a key role in preserving Maison Saint-Gabriel.

Julie Payette

Many people know Julie Payette as a space-gazing girl after she was picked by the Canadian Space Agency out of 5,330 applicants for an advanced robotics mission to the International Space Station. She is a member of the Female Astronauts Club.

Regine Chassagne

Born in Montreal to Haitian parents, Chassagne is a founding member of the Arcade Fire rock band. Much of her work is paired with socially–minded initiatives and she continues to advocate for Haitian people by supporting NGO programs.

Phyllis Lambert

A Montreal native, Lambert is a renowned architect and philanthropist who helped construct her hometown. She launched the Canadian Center for Architecture in 1979 and holds honorary degrees from 26 North America and Europe universities.

Phoebe Greenberg

An actor and an Oscar-nominated feature film producer, Greenberg is the founder of DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Art in Old Montreal. She is also the force behind the PHI Center.

Sophie Brochu

President and CEO of the largest natural gas distribution company in Quebec, Brochu supports charities and local communities such as the Ruelle de l’Avenir. She is a believer of “slow companies” - companies that sacrifice maximum profit to support activities that help societies.

Marcela Escribano

Escribano fled the harsh conditions of Chile under the dictatorship of Pinochet and is now the co-founder of Alternatives, an NGO that fights for democratic rights, international solidarity, human dignity and environmental rights. She has a new café/photo gallery.

Zayne Akyol

A media studies graduate and a filmmaker, Akyol puts her life on the line to tell captivating stories. This is clear in her 2016 documentary, Gulistan: Land of Roses, where she lived in a group of Kurdish Guerillas who were fighting against the Islāmic State.

Mutsumi Takahashi

Takashi came to Montreal from Japan in 1963. Her interest in media broadcasting started at the Concordia University where she worked with the student newspaper and radio. Today, she is the head of a top local news program and has won the “Best Local Newscaster” award countless times.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion is the most recognizable person to come from Montreal. Today, she is based in Vegas and deserves to be on this list due to her many charitable courses such as the LGBT organizations, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and disaster relief funds such as tsunamis and earthquakes.