The neighbourhood has historically been home to cabarets and illegal businesses as early as the midth century, but especially between and early s. The term Red Light recalls the old lantern on the doors of brothels.
Gambling, illicit taverns, and prostitution have marked the history of this area, also related to prohibition in the United States and Montreal's status as a port city.
Today, there are still traces of this type of activity, but it is much more discreet. The variety shows that took place in the neighbourhood launched the careers of several foreign artists and was equally the starting point for many local artists. The Montreal Pool Room fast-food restaurant is also located there. There is no official red-light district, although the definition of the boundaries has varied according to both the source and the time period.
Proulx claims that today, it has shrunk to centre on the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Laurent, the area's historical heart. Prostitution, gambling and drinking were more prevalent in this area because of its proximity to the city centre, which is often a major tourist attraction, and the high density of liquor shops taverns, bars, night clubs, cabarets, etc.
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