The Great Depression had a major impact on the economic life of the neighbourhood. Over the following decades, the intense development of the highway network, the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the closing of the Lachine Canada completely stripped the sector of its industrial vitality.
The businesses and factories in the neighbourhood migrated to the outskirts of the city, close to the new transportation routes. Many residents either left the neighbourhood or were unemployed. The population of Pointe-Saint-Charles dropped from 30,000 in 1931 to 13,000 in 1991.
To survive this decline, the residents closed ranks. A true pioneer in the development of community action in Québec, Pointe-Saint-Charles created tools to fight poverty. This solidarity gave the neighbourhood the atmosphere of a proud and dignified village.