Working in Montreal Canada

Canada

The European vibes of Montreal splashed into a North American metropolis are hard to escape. The largest francophone city outside of Paris is focused on the narrow island of Montreal, an area of about 40km by 15km.

As you would expect food and culture play a big role in the city’s key attractions. Montreal boasts many fancy restaurants and bars in a Parisian setting, found prominently on a Quartier Latin terrasse. Combine that with a typical North American skyline and there is your unique Montreal experience.

Montreal’s history of migration makes it a thoroughly diverse destination, with influences ranging from Europe, South America and Asia. This is also reflected in the city’s eateries. While the European haunts are hard to miss, as is the customary Chinatown, dig a bit deeper and food from Haiti or Ethiopia can also be found.

Like a typical European city, Montreal possesses a magnificent old town area where the city’s history can be consumed. Enjoy the cobblestone roads and Victoria era houses throughout this area.

Location

Montreal

Tourism Video


Airport

Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Located on Montreal Island, 20km from downtown Montreal, Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is the major facility servicing the city’s greater area and Quebec. It handles about 8.5 million passengers each year to be the third busiest airport in Canada.

There is no direct rail link to the airport. However, there are four regular bus routes from Montreal that reach Trudeau International Airport. There is also the 747 Montreal-Trudeau/Downtown bus service introduced in 2010. It connects to the Montreal Metro at the Berri-UQAM station and an additional nine stops in the city. Taxis are easily found at the airport.

Railway Station

Central Station, Montreal (895 rue de La Gauchetière Ouest Montreal, Quebec)
Opened in 1943, Central Station is a key rail station in Montreal for local and intercity travel. The station also provides several services throughout Canada and south to the United States. It is in the central position of the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, Canada’s busiest inter-city rail service area. A large bus depot and taxi stand can be found at Central Station.

Transportation

One of the best ways to explore Montreal is through its public transport system, serviced on Montreal Island by Société de transport de Montréal, or simply STM (http://www.stm.info). Montreal’s metro (subway) and bus system is operated by STM.

The bus network consists of 196 daytime and 23 nighttime service routes, while the metro is made up of 68 stations across four lines. Separate companies service Montreal’s south and north shore, including AMT (trains), Laval (buses) and Longueuil (buses). Use the websites for each company to assist in planning your trips around Montreal.

Be advised, like many cities in North America, traffic congestion is a major issue in Montreal. Public transport, because of this, is likely to be the best option for navigating the city.

Travel by bike is another choice to get around Montreal. The Bixi public bicycle sharing system was introduced in Montreal in 2008 as an alternative for locals or visitors. Bixi has since spread to major cities throughout the world, including Melbourne, Australia. The bikes are available for use between April and November while weather is suitable for this form of travel.

Cost of Living

Compared with Canada’s most populated cities, Montreal comes out favourably in terms of its cost of living for expats. According to Mercer’s 2012 cost of living rankings, Montreal was the 87th most expensive place in the world to live and third overall in Canada behind Toronto and Vancouver.

Despite being a cheaper place to live than other cities in Canada the average after tax salary in the city is comparable with Vancouver at about $3,000.

According to online cost of living database Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/), prices for typical items on current exchange rates (June 2013) are as follows:

Food  
Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) $12.50
Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant $62.50
Domestic beer (500mL) $5.20
Coke (330mL) $2.10
Milk (1 litre) $1.90
Loaf of bread $3.10
Eggs $3.00
   
Transport  
One way ticket (local transport) $3.10
Monthly pass $78.90
Petrol (1 litre) $1.40
   
Rent (monthly)  
One bedroom apartment (central area) $940 approx
Three bedroom apartment (central area) $1570 approx
   
Accommodation  
Hostel bed (one night) $35
Five star hotel room (one night) $280

Accommodation

Pricing for short-term accommodation in Montreal can vary greatly for hotels and hostels. The most popular areas to look out for include Downtown, Old Montreal and The Plateau.

Montreal has a strong range of hotels for budget and high-end travelers. Cheaper hotels, even in more central positions of the city, start at around $80 a night. In contrast, several hotels in Toronto will set you back up to $400 a night.

Montreal also has a extensive number of hostels to choose from for those on a shoestring or looking to meet new friends. The hostels generally provide dorm or private accommodation. Travellers can expect to pay between $35-45 a night for a dorm bed depending on the size of the room. On average private rooms cost between $35-50 per person a night, but also reach up to $60 per person a night.

Budget
YWCA Hotel
HI-Vancouver Downtown
SameSun Backpacker Lodge Vancouver

Mid-range
Montreal Central
Le St-Martin Hôtel Particulier Montréal
Hotel Gouverneur Place Montréal

High-end
M Montreal
Auberge Bishop
The Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal

Shopping

Shopping in Montreal is excellent for budget and high-end buyers. Montreal is also very well priced compared to other major Canadian cities such Toronto and Vancouver. For big department stores, malls and chain stores head to Rue Ste-Catherine and boulevard St-Laurent. The high-end area of Montreal can be found on rue Saint-Denis, rue Sherbrooke and avenue Mont-Royal est.

Be aware that in Canada there are two local taxes charged to most goods. The PST (Provincial Sales Tax) at 7% and the GST (Goods and Services Tax) at 5%.

Emergency

Emergency telephone numbers
Police, fire, ambulance & mountain rescue   911

Insurance and Healthcare

Insurance is a must-have for working holidaymakers in Canada. International Experience Canada states that you are required to buy and maintain health-care insurance (covering medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation) for the entire duration of your stay in Canada. If working holidaymakers do not commit to an insurance policy they may be denied entry. With that in mind, once your visa has been approved and your flights booked, lock in some insurance. With many travelers heading to the ski fields during their stay this is a very good idea regardless. Check out http://www.workingholidaytravelinsurance.com/ for more advice.

According to the Australian government supported Smart Traveller website, the standard of health facilities in Canada is comparable to that in Australia but provincially run health care systems are not easily accessible to temporary visitors.