j-dizzle

How old are you and where did you move from if you don't mind me asking ?
Yeah, I have read that certain parts of the city are more english speaking and others more french. Also read that there is a little Italy as well ? Very multicultural then ?

What sort of stuff is there to do during the day ? Sports wise, what is big in Montreal ? And when the winter comes is there skiing, ice skating etc ?

I would be looking to rent an apartment with roommates, what is the cost of renting like ?

Canuck74

With the PQ most likely coming into power I would try another city. The winters are very brutal, crap and shit! If you want to experience French culture move to France.

j-dizzle

PQ ?
You seem to have something against Montreal going by this post.
It is not that I am looking for French culture, I am interested in moving to Canada and want to move to a big city with an exciting nightlife and a general lively place, which Montreal seems to fit.

dbd33

I think Montreal does fit that bill. I rather regret that my daughter no longer lives there as it was fun to visit. Now she lives in Vancouver so I try to get her to come here.

Canuck74

I wouldn't say have something against Montreal. I'm giving you the facts the winters in Montreal crap! Loads of snow and very cold. If you like that then go for it!

j-dizzle

Do your visits to Vancouver not compare to Montreal ?
All that I have heard to put me off Montreal is that supposedly the French are rather ignorant to English speaking people and that in general the people there are quite ignorant, although many people also dismiss this so I am not sure what to believe without actually being there myself.

j-dizzle

Ok, cool. Just sounded like you were on a bit of a rant haha, my bad.
Like I said before, I dont think the winters would bother me all that much. I would prefer a cold sunny day over a wet cloudy day like we get here in Scotland!

Former Lancastrian

PQ = Parti Quebecois the political party that wants seperation
Sports in Montreal see this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_in_Montreal
If you can get a ticket for a Canadians game in the NHL wear a Toronto Maple Leaf shirt.
Apparently St Catherines St has some wonderful places to visit but dont take your kids

j-dizzle

That might become a problem in the future then this PQ ? I've read that they are wanting to bring in a Quebec Citizenship and probably a number of other things that will drive the English speaking people out.

Former Lancastrian

They have been talking about seperation for years and still havent managed it. Of course only those living in Quebec can vote on that referendum.
If they opened it up to the rest of Canada to vote on then a large majority would vote in favour of them seperating so they could get rid of Quebec.

Canuck74

They will be more restrictions on English. Francophones and Allophones will not be allowed to go to English CEGEPs (Colleges). Businesses with more than 11 employees to function in French.

j-dizzle

I will just need to wait until I am ready to move and then assess the situation, see if any drastic changes have occurred by then. It doesn't sound good though!

To avoid this division, what other Canadian cities offer what Montreal does , If any ?

dbd33

Yes. Vancouver's not my kind of place at all, I accept that some people like it. Theme done to death here:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=759654


Here's the thing with Montreal; they use French. If you want to live there you should learn French. Much the same would be true of Berlin and German or Prague and whatever people in Prague speak. That's not, in my view, a problem with the place but a feature; there's no point in going to a foreign country and expecting everyone there to switch to your language. Once you get the idea that, in francophone places, people speak French, nearly all the objections to Montreal disappear.

Former Lancastrian

Check tonights election results on the CBC webpage
http://www.cbc.ca/
Weve had PQ Govts before a lot of it is sabre rattling or demanding stuff that other Provinces would be told to **** off by the Fed Govt.
After 20 plus years of listening to this you tend to tune it out.
BTW Montreal is a great city and I dont speak French and I never had problems for the 16 weeks I was in that Province.

Steve_

Why are you limiting yourself to just these two cities? There are a whole bunch of other cities in Canada.

Vancouver if you dig up the thread we were having about it I can say without question is the most overrated place to live in the world. Even if you like Vancouver I think you have to concede it is overhyped. It's very similar to the UK, i.e. densely populated, expensive, appalling traffic, but it is near the sea. And it rains a LOT.

But there is nowhere in Canada that has a decent winter (if you like warm sunny winters). You're either cold, wet, or both.

Montréal is in Québec, so you have to deal with the whole vendetta that the PQ etc. have against English speaking people, plus they also have higher taxes than most of Canada. Also the infrastructure in Québec is in rough shape.

If you're young and looking for a bit of social activity then Toronto is probably best but job prospects are probably best in Alberta, but it depends on what your job skills are.