Greenville, NC

[Guest graduate student]

Can anyone tell me what Montreal is like for a grad student? I'll be going to McGill in the fall and am curious about housing options, living in the city on a tight budget, safety, the trials and tribulations of cold weather, being an American in Canada, etc, etc.

[Guest jonovision378]

Hey,

Did my undergrad at McGill & you're going to love it - guaranteed (-; Housing options, tight budget: Montreal is way cheaper than any other major city I've lived in - once i had an apt 4 blocks from campus for 250 Canadian per month utilities included - that sounds made up but its true. Rents are rising but its still considerably cheaper than Toronto and waaaaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than American cities. I highly suggest that you look for a place in the Plateau. Canadian cities are also really safe - don't really have sprawling slums as in the US. Cold weather is tough but manageable unless you're one of those girls lining up in a short skirt outside some ridiculous club for an hour. I personally am cool with Americans but the Quebecois might throw rocks at you if they catch on. But don't sweat it. There aren't any really huge rocks in Montreal so you should be ok. Of course, I kid. There are tons of you guys at McGill ...

[tripax]

I totally concur. I speant a summer there studying French and hanging out, and the city is very easy to live in on a tight budget. Rent is cheap everywhere, and living expenses (groceries, etc) outside of downtown are normal. I lived near the Cadillac station on the Greenline (district: Hochelaga-Maisonneuve) and it was no prob. I had a friend who lived in a tiny studio on the west-side of Plateau, and it was dirt cheap (cheaper even than $250 (Canadian), I think). Another lived in the area south of the Olympic village, I don't remember what we called the neighborhood, but it was around Rue Ontario in the district of Ville-Marie. He said it was even cheaper there, but I think he was there because there were some other Japanese nearby.

The town is full of free things to do, concerts, fairs, festivals, parks, trails, etc. It also is full of things to do that aren't free. Its bike and rollerblade friendly, too. I don't know about the weather though. People usually greeted me with Hallo (kind of a french-english hybrid) but then spoke in English, no problem. Its a very diverse city (just walk down Rue Laurent and bask in the diversity), my friends were a Bangladeshi-Canadian and a Japanese, both of whose French was as bad as mine, so English is no problem, although outside of downtown you will find that somethings are done with few words if you don't speak French. As for being an American, most people didn't care/notice. English speakers in Eastern Canada have various accents, so nothing was a give-away if you have an east coast or midwest accent, I think.

McGill and Concordia sponsor lots of things for people to do, like art films, concerts, etc. The other nice thing is there is not much crime, and lots of young people with businesses that cater to young people.

[Guest graduate student]

Thanks for the info. Also, do I need a car in Montreal? Or is it better not to have one? Their transport system seems pretty good. Is the city pedestrian friendly?

[tripax]

My friend on the Plateau (just north-east of downtown and of McGill) did not have one, nor was there a place to park one. Further north and east, having one is ok. The city is bike and rollerblade friendly in the warmer months, in spite of having districts named for "hilliness" (Plateau and Mount Royal). Many downtown buildings are connected by underground passageways and malls (its really something to see), so in the winter you can go downtown and hang out for hours and never go outside. I think that makes it more pedestrian friendly when it snows. Plus, if someone comes and visits, you can totally disorient them once you've figured out some of the underground shortcuts(?).

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know anything about McGill's grad student housing?

[Guest guest]

I lived in Montreal and absolutely loved it! The nightlife is quite vibrant and doesn't really slow down during the cold winter months. In the summer, there's the Jazz festival and all sort of events that keep the city alive.

[smellie]

Does anyone know anything about McGill's grad student housing?

There's not much for grad student housing if you're asking about residences. I think Greenbriar is the only one that accepts non-Freshmen. Most people live in what we call "McGill ghetto", blocks of houses populated by McGill students. (by "ghetto" I don't mean slums, it's just a nickname) The rent goes between $500-900 depending on the size, building, share etc. It gets cheaper if you're willing to move slightly beyond the ghetto area.

[Lizzy23]

I am from Montreal. As a French Canadian myself, I can assure you that most if not all the French Canadians you will meet will not care much about you being American (and if you try to speak French, you're sure to win some friends). Most people you will encounter will know enough English to converse with you, especially among the younger crowd. Do not be afraid to wander around. I have met way too many Americans and Canadians from McGill remained enclosed in the downtown section.

There are great Museums (Pointe-

[baa15]

Anyone have any information about living and studying in Montreal? I am American, and just got admitted to McGill for PhD. Thanks!

[liszt85]

Posting so that this gets to the top. To the person who wanted info on Montreal, please continue asking your queries here.

[ijann]

Anyone have any information about living and studying in Montreal? I am American, and just got admitted to McGill for PhD. Thanks!

Hey, a response a month after you asked the question, but I'm starting grad school at McGill in the fall. If you want to live by yourself, I suggest finding a place west of campus (NDG, Westmount, Atwater) because it's way easier to find a one bedroom for less than 700. Westmount and NDG are more residential and you can find some real gems of apartments for cheap. Atwater is very downtown, lots of business, and big apartment buildings.

If you don't mind having roommates you can live wherever you want! If you're more concerned with being very, very close to school than there is a lot of housing near campus, though it relatively more expensive than other parts of the city for the quality you'll be getting. Plus you are guaranteed to have to endure drunk parades of undergrads at 2am on thursdays, fridays, saturdays, or whenever they feel like celebrating.

A lot of grad students live in the Plateau and Mile End. They're within walking distance of campus (usually 20-30 min walk max) and close to lots of of trendy bars, shops, cafes, and music venues. You can easily find a room for around 400-500 with everything included. If you're sharing, there's absolutely no reason to pay more than 550 for everything. One bedrooms in the area would probably be in the 600-800 range. I suggest living within walking distance to Parc Ave because the Route 80 bus that runs along Parc Ave comes so often, so it's easy to catch and you can get to school really fast (Parc ave is about 5 blocks from university avenue where mcgill is located; it's pretty much the most adored bus route for mcgill students).

If you want to stay in semi anglo areas then NDG, westmount, atwater, and mile end are english, for the most part. The plateau has a lot of students so it's pretty good unless you go too far east and then it's predominately francophone. A good way to pick up french, though! It's a good bet to stay west of st. laurent or within walking distance of Parc Avenue, Sherbrooke, or Pins Avenue so you can catch one of those buses to school. Being close to a metro isn't bad either, but I've found that it's not as convenient as when you're close to a bus route (the metro shuts down around 1:00am so you want to have other transit options if you go out late).

If you have any other questions about McGill, housing, entertainment, etc, I'll try to answer.

[JustAnotherModernGuy]

Given that I will probably be in Montreal for a conference this year, I have one pressing question before my arrival. Now I know this inquiry will make true Montrealers cringe, but I will still ask my blasphemous question: is there such a thing as vegetarian poutine and where can one find it in Montreal? Thanks.

[ijann]

http://www.montrealpoutine.com/reviews.html

Looks like there's only one truly veg poutine place, Mamma's, but they have received a poor review. I've also heard that Patati Patata on St. Laurent and Rachel might have veg poutine (they have awesome tofu and fish burgers so it's worth a shot). Most of my veg friends just play the ignorance card the few times they have a poutine craving. "Oh no, I forgot about the sauce... I feel soooo guilty.. oh delicious, delicious guilt."

[JustAnotherModernGuy]

Most of my veg friends just play the ignorance card the few times they have a poutine craving. "Oh no, I forgot about the sauce... I feel soooo guilty.. oh delicious, delicious guilt."

Thanks for the great link!

And if one did temporarily forget about one's vegetarianism while ordering poutine, in which Montreal restaurant (in your opinion) should this single, unfortunate "forgetting" happen?

JAMG

[phreeduh]

Hey,

I find housing prices have risen considerably in the last few years in montreal. Avoid craigslist and just walk around with a cell phone calling numbers in windows and you will find better deal.

[zoombits]

Montreal is a stunning city to visit and there is so much to see. Along the St. Lawrence River many people come to take a horse-drawn cal

[Norela]

Hello!

I'm gonna live in Montreal and I'm looking for a furnished apartment downtown.

Have you ever experimented rental through Internet or is it best to make it face-to-face and visit before ?

Thanks by advance for your answer.

[fuzzylogician]

I'm not in Montreal but the general consensus seems to be to avoid renting sight unseen if at all possible. I have recently done just that and it worked out fine, but definitely if you can afford it and have the time, it's a better bet to come out yourself and see the apartments before you sign the lease. If not, at least find someone who will go out and see the places for you, even for a fee. Also ask for pictures and try talking to previous tenants. It's risky but it can work.

[solairne]

I'm going to be likely looking for a place for my partner and me in Montréal.

I know I can find information on housing online, but as an American moving to Canada, can I get some information on from whom we should get internet, cable, cell phone etc.

I'd really like to keep iPhone service in Canada, but all of the companies offer really high plans compared with ATT in the US.

Any other info on the city is appreciated!

[peppermint.beatnik]

housing is pretty cheap in montreal. Canada has the crappiest cell phone plans.

Bell and Rogers are the most common companies for internet service. You can get a package plan with Bell that includes Internet, land line and cell phone (but, their cell phone plans are not great).

Rogers is standard for cable.

I think Telus has the best cell phones plans, but it depends what you're looking for.

It's the most bilingual city in Quebec, so you won't have any problems if you don't speak French.

Has great nightlife, culture, etc. The university is right downtown.

Edited December 28, 2009 by peppermint.beatnik

[solairne]

housing is pretty cheap in montreal. Canada has the crappiest cell phone plans.

Bell and Rogers are the most common companies for internet service. You can get a package plan with Bell that includes Internet, land line and cell phone (but, their cell phone plans are not great).

Rogers is standard for cable.

I think Telus has the best cell phones plans, but it depends what you're looking for.

It's the most bilingual city in Quebec, so you won't have any problems if you don't speak French.

Has great nightlife, culture, etc. The university is right downtown.

I speak French and English fluently so that is not a concern, but my partner only speaks English and will be looking for a job as an accountant. Is that doable?

Is it possible to get internet without a limit on transfers?

[peppermint.beatnik]

I speak French and English fluently so that is not a concern, but my partner only speaks English and will be looking for a job as an accountant. Is that doable?

Is it possible to get internet without a limit on transfers?

I'm not an expert on accounting jobs, or anything, but my guess is that the options are quite diverse. The only limitation I can imagine is government jobs and jobs which would require communicating directly with in-province clients on a daily basis. It's really hard to say. Language in Quebec is a sensitive issue.

Re: internet, do you mean no storage space or bandwidth limits?

Edited December 29, 2009 by peppermint.beatnik

[solairne]

I'm not an expert on accounting jobs, or anything, but my guess is that the options are quite diverse. The only limitation I can imagine is government jobs and jobs which would require communicating directly with in-province clients on a daily basis. It's really hard to say. Language in Quebec is a sensitive issue.

Re: internet, do you mean no storage space or bandwidth limits?

Well I've found a few jobs for him on Monster.com that are fine with English only, but I mean about being hired. I've heard Canadians tend to favor hiring their own over Americans. Is that true?

For Internet, I mean a bandwidth limit, like you can only download so much per mensem. I've found a few ADSL plans that offer unlimited, but does that exist for cable?

[solairne]

Also, does one generally need a car to get from work to home and get groceries or go to the movies, etc?

I'm from Houston, TX where you pretty much have to have a car to live, but I've head Montréal has pretty good public transit.