On January 1, 2002 it became a borough of the City of Montreal. Traditionally, the community of Westmount was an enclave of wealthy anglophones, having been at one point the richest community in Canada.
Westmount is mostly residential. However, there are small commercial districts on the western part of Sherbrooke Street ("Westmount Village"); on Sainte-Catherine Street; and near Atwater metro station.
The latter area includes Dawson College, Quebec's largest CEGEP; Plaza Alexis-Nihon mall and office towers; and the Westmount Square residential towers and shopping complex designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and funded largely by his father-in-law, Westmount resident Samuel Bronfman, the founder of the Seagrams liquor empire.
Westmount is the residence of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Quebec Premier Jean Charest and the birthplace of: