Winter is a trying season, especially for the city dweller. Snow, ice and giant, seemingly bottomless puddles of slush can wear down even the most hardened pedestrian. Still, life goes on and the city remains a hub of activity. This is especially true of Montreal, the island-city besieged by some of North America's harshest winter weather. The Urban Eye will return with a column on March 22, but, in the meantime, enjoy these twenty wintry photos.

Billowing clouds of steam above McGill University

Crossing the street at Ste. Catherine and Peel

Kids bundled up on Décarie Boulevard in Ville Saint-Laurent

Outdoor conversation in -25°C weather

Milton Street on a bright, bone-chilling day

Ste. Catherine Street in January

Shopping for fruit in Chinatown

Soaking up the sun during a February thaw

Conversation on St. Laurent Boulevard

Waiting for the bus on Pine Avenu

Rainy night on St. Laurent Boulevard

Cold day on Bernard Street

Alley house in Westmount

Steel skeleton of a long-gone building, St. Laurent Boulevard

TV in the metro

Cold street in St. Henri

Evening on Ste. Catherine Street

Delivering the mail on Jeanne-Mance Street

Old downtown garment factories (home to Maisonneuve's office!)

Warm café on a cold afternoon

When not wandering our streets, Christopher DeWolf is the editor of Urbanphoto.net. The Urban Eye appears every second Wednesday.