Expo 67

The 1967 International and Universal Exposition, or simply Expo 67 was a World's fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1967 to coincide with Canada's centennial that year. Over 50 million visitors attended the Expo, more than have attended any world exposition since.

The main part of the fair was held on Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame, man-made islands built from earth excavated for the Montreal metro system, first opened in 1966. Expo 67 opened on April 27, 1967 and featured 90 pavilions for nations, corporations and industries including the U.S. pavilion, a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller. The outer skin of the dome burned off in 1980 but the dome still stands, currently housing a science museum on the theme of water. Expo 67 also featured the Habitat 67 housing complex designed by architect Moshe Safdie, which is still occupied. Today the site houses a casino, a Formula One race track, an amusement park (La Ronde), and many acres of parkland on Ile Saint-Helene.

The Expo was one of the most successful ever and is still regarded fondly by Canadians. 1967 is often referred to as "the last good year" before economic decline, Quebec sovereigntism (seen as negative from a federalist viewpoint), and political apathy became common. Despite this there were problems, FLQ terrorists were active at the time and death threats were issued. President Johnson's visit became a focus of anti-war protesters. The fair was visited by many of the most notable people of the day including Queen Elizabeth II, Lyndon Johnson, Princess Grace, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Charles de Gaulle, who created an international controversy when he shouted "Vive le Québec libre!" ("Long Live Free Quebec") from the balcony of the Montreal city hall on July 24 (this slogan being well known as the rallying cry of the Quebec independentists). More than 50 million visitors attended the Expo at a time when Canada's populaton was only 20 million.