The Fascinating History of Montreal's Spiral Staircases

In a city that can accumulate up to six feet of snow in winter—not to mention the threat of major ice storms every generation or so—visitors to Montreal often wonder why our plexes (residential buildings with individual units stacked on top of another) have exterior spiral staircases, particularly in neighbourhoods like the Plateau, Rosemont, Villeray, Hochelaga, and others. That left us wondering: Do locals know the reason?

It does seem kind of preposterous to think that in a city where a significant portion of its population is made up of renters, this means the annual ritual of Moving Day on July 1st can get pretty complicated navigating up and down those stairs—especially when you factor in things like fridges, stoves, and washing machines.  So where did they come from?