How to Look for Housing in Greater Montréal?

Compared with other major North American metropolitan areas, Greater Montréal’s housing market is very affordable.

According to Mercer (2019), the average rental price for a one-bedroom apartment in least or less expensive neighborhoods in Montréal, is $1,005 per month. In Toronto, the rental price for a comparable apartment would be $1,590.

Or perhaps you are dreaming of being an owner instead? According National Bank Financial, know that in 2019, the average price of houses in Greater Montréal was $492,777 and $1,146,667 in Toronto (+60%).

Spending less on housing is already an excellent reason to study and settle down in Greater Montréal.

That said, what must you consider when looking for suitable housing in Greater Montréal? Here are the two main criteria:

The Neighbourhood

Greater Montréal is truly cosmopolitan, with its French and Chinese neighbourhoods, its Little Italy and Little Maghreb. It also has trendy neighbourhoods (Plateau-Mont-Royal, Mile-End), revitalized, former working-class districts (Verdun, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve), many neighbourhoods for families (Ahuntsic, Rosemont, Boucherville, Saint-Hubert and many others), a few historic districts (Old-Montreal, Old Longueuil, Old Sainte-Rose) as well as neighbourhoods offering an enviable access to the water (in Lachine, Boisbriand, Laval, Brossard and Oka, to name a few).

Before you decide, take the time to discover which part, among the Greater Montréal’s various neighbourhoods and districts, best reflects who you are.

Transportation

Before you decide on housing, familiarize yourself with the public transit network. Certain areas in Montréal, for instance, are better serviced than others by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).

Among other things, look for a place near a metro station, which gives you quick access to central neighbourhoods.

The Lease: Make Sure You Read it Carefully!

The lease is the agreement used to regulate the owner-tenant agreement. Generally it describes the building’s rules, sets the price of the rent for a given period, sub-rental conditions, etc.

In Québec, most housing is rented on an annual basis, from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the following year.

Did you know?

July 1 is Canada Day, but in Québec, it’s also official moving day! Don’t be surprised to see a joyful mess on the streets of Greater Montréal on that day.

*No specific laws exist regarding the start date and end date of a lease. People can still rent accommodation any time in the year.

Find out more

• Housing in Québec (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration of Québec)
• Housing Market Insight  (CMHC)
• Rental Market Insight (CMHC)
• Tenant Rights and Obligations (Société d’habitation Québec)
• Tools for Fixing the Rent (Tribunal administratif du logement)
• Discovering the neighbourhoods in Montréal (Habiter Montréal)
• To find rental housing in Greater Montréal, you can search online classified ads such as Appartogo, Craigslist, Kangalou, Kijiji, LesPACS,or Rentals.
• To find a house for sale in Greater Montréal, the two main sites to visit are Centris (sales by real estate agents) and DuProprio (sales without intermediaries). Vendre.ca is another website to check properties for sale.
• Map of Greater Montréal (CMM – in French only)
• Visit Studint to find a furnished apartment or room