The toponym refers to the peninsula, or point, where the windmill, convent, and the Saint-Joachim de Pointe-Claire Church are sited.

[6] In 1678, the first concession on the land under the seigneurial system was to Jean Guenet who named his property Beau Repaire.

[7] on June 4, 1910, the village of Beaconsfield separates from the parish of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire[8] The first concession of land that is still in the current city limits of Pointe-Claire, was in 1684 to Pierre Cabassier, for a lot just east of Pointe Charlebois.

[9][10] Under the seigneurial system, the Sulpicians had to build a mill for the colonists, who in turn had to grind their grain there at a set fee.

[11] In 1707, after the Great Peace of Montreal was signed in 1701, the Chemin du Roy (now Lakeshore Road) from Dorval to the western tip of Montreal Island was opened having been ordered by intendant Jacques Raudot,[5] and the parish was subdivided in three côtes: St. Rémy (present-day Boulevard Des Sources), St. Jean, and St. Charles.

Initially the church was called Saint-Francois-de-Sales, but it was renamed six months later to Saint-Joachim de la Pointe Claire.

The church and presbytery, both built of stone, formed a fort about two arpents (7,000 m2, 75,000 sq ft) in area, surrounded by stakes.

Suburban development began in 1893 when Otto Frederick Lilly acquired land spanning Boulevard Saint-Jean.

He used his influence with the Canadian Pacific Railway to have a station added to the line at the end of Cedar Avenue, which he also paved from there down to Lakeshore Road.

[13] After the British North America Act of 1867, Pointe-Claire was included in the new federal riding of Jacques Cartier.

[15][16][17] On March 14, 1911, the Village Municipality of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire changed status and name to Ville (city/town) de Pointe-Claire.

[13] In 1955, the City of Pointe-Claire annexed large portions of the Parish Municipality of Saint-Joachim-de-la-Pointe-Claire (which was formed on September 1, 1855).

[20] Pointe-Claire is bounded on the north by Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on the east by Dorval, on the south by Lac Saint-Louis, and on the west by Kirkland and Beaconsfield.

[21] Large green spaces include: According to the Office québécois de la langue française, Pointe-Claire has been officially recognized as a bilingual municipality[23][24] since 2 Nov 2005.

Major employers (more than 500 employees) include: Future Electronics, Lakeshore General Hospital, Avon, Hewitt Équipement (CAT dealer), City of Pointe-Claire, Lumen, and Bell TV.

Employers of more than 200 employees include: Réno-Dépôt, El Ran Furniture, Tyco Medical, Hudson's Bay Company, and FPInnovations.

[32] List of former mayors:[18] Municipal sports and leisure facilities include the Aquatic Centre, Bob Birnie Arena, Pointe-Claire Public Library, Stewart Hall Cultural Centre, the Sailing Base at Grande-Anse Park, near the Pointe-Claire Canoe Club.

The Pointe-Claire Water Treatment Plant distributes an average of 65,000,000 litres (14,300,000 imp gal; 17,200,000 US gal) of potable water per day to a population of 87,248 people and approximately 1000 business and commercial users spread out in the city of Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Baie-D'Urfé, Kirkland, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Senneville.

Municipal bylaw enforcement and animal control are provided by the city's Public Security force.

[35] The city of Pointe-Claire uses the services of Contrôle animalier Vaudreuil-Soulange for injured animals or domestic pets that have been found.