Family move w babe en route- schools, neighborhoods, etc! (real estate, ob-gyn)

[BBMF]

Hi all:
We are an American couple with 3 kids (1 more en route) considering a move to Montreal for 2-3 years thru my husband’s work. Let me say that we are extremely excited about the adventure of soaking up all we can in your fair city!

We don’t have all the details but have a sense there will be some kind of expat package. Our primary concerns are the kids’ schooling (locating near that and close to all the city has to offer as well as with a logical commute to my husband’s commute in Saint Laurent) and the timing of our move considering the baby due to arrive in just a couple months as well as the dearth of rental properties available before July 1.

Our children are currently in grades 3 and kindergarten (as well as age 2). They don’t speak French but have outgoing personalities and strong curiosity and ease in learning (in US gifted & talented program, for what that could be worth). I assume we’d be on a temporary work visa since it’s a short-term engagement and thus they’d be eligible for some of the English options, but truly we would just want to do whatever program they would thrive most and have the greatest advantages to learning solid French in the short time we are there. Without detriment to their English of course we wouldn’t want them in equivalent of ESL but they do both read a lot and I think we could keep levels up at home if we had to. It could be worth commenting that the work package may include subsidy/coverage for private schooling which might be tempting if there were big advantages worth considering.

The most English I think we’d consider if we went the public route is the ‘Immersion’ program where I guess just about everything is in French except English class and school communications (unfortunately I do not yet speak French tho eager to learn, however much possible with an infant and my own independent work; my husband speaks some French). I don’t know what private schools could offer better than that at this age and be worth considering without culturally insulating the kids more than we’d like?

Neighborhoods that sound appealing to us include NDG, Westmount, Plateau maybe Outremont, CDN. I don’t know if public transport is an option to my husband’s work in Saint Laurent. If so, it could be nice to only have one family car. We love the idea of balancing convenient city living with charm, parks, and local flavor. It would be lovely to have kids schools and activities in walking distance but I guess not required, especially once the weather gets so cold.

Besides figuring out location, we’ll need to figure out timing. Just not finding tons of encouraging info about finding an OB-GYN with short notice and so late (by the time we find out in a few weeks, the baby would be due in just a couple months, not sure if we could move sooner than one month before due date). Apart from that, it’s hard to gauge what kind of housing we could get, given what is showing now – I’ve heard that July 1 is the prevalent “moving day” so we wonder when might one reasonably expect those rental properties to start showing on the MLS, craigslist and kijiji??

While we ideally prefer being settled in before baby (boys trying out school and making friends, securing in-home child help, etc) rather than getting temporary housing there and having to deal with moving twice and once with an infant), if permanent rental timing and comfortable securing of an OB-GYN etc is complicated, it might prove better to just have my husband ‘commute’ during the week for 2 months until we can make a single move on July 1. Not optimal with a new infant either as we actually like sharing those special early days. Also, in this scenario the older kids lose the chance to try out school and make friends there before September.

So sorry such a long first post, but as you can see, a fairly hairy situation with a fair amount to balance! I hope the added context is helpful. In light of what I've shared, v eager to hear any thoughts anyone may be able to offer on any of the following:
* Good specific public (or private if value-add) school names,
* Neighborhood comments esp as relate to commute to St Laurent and nearby schools
* Any specific dr names, ‘easier’ family practices (since we’ll at least be frequenting while the baby is young), labor/delivery hospitals
* Any suggestions about resources for finding in-home childcare (also options for our 2yo, dunno if we’re eligible for the awesome $7/day, if there are any qe could even get on the list for—but would like to try as we’d like to strike while the iron’s hot language-wise as well as assimilate him socially)
* Suggestions about specific summer camp names (or resources for finding) for the older kids (active, athletic ones would interest them most, in which they could also quickly learn the language and be a little more comfortable come Fall)
* Recommendations re: other good resources, sites, blogs etc to consider in learning more, connecting with others taking most advantage of all the city has to offer once we relocate, etc

Greatly appreciate any thoughts you can share. Many, many thanks in advance!

[kent2780]

I will try to answer some of your questions.
Being on a work permit you can choose either English (including French immersion) or French public schools. I will let other give their opinions which is best. Either way your kids will be exposed to French. With the work permit you are eligible for the $7 day care, finding one it is completely other issue. You can try the following website :Ma Garderie - Services de garde - Québec, Montréal, Laval, etc. to find a daycare. Before actually arriving in Montreal and finding a place to stay I don't think it is worth calling daycares. Usually it is a question of timing and luck. You will have many more chances finding a place in August-September when the older kids move to school.
For kids activities in Montreal: www.thekidscoop.com . Every borough has a civic center with tons of activities for kids, again you will see them once you get in Montreal.
From the neighborhoods listed: Westmount and NDG are closer to city center and more English, CDN is very mixed with good and bad areas, Outremont is French, snobbish and expensive, Le Plateau is favored by a lot of French immigrants. You can look also at Town of Mount Royal, Saint Laurent itself and Ahuntsic. In all these neighborhoods there are areas that I wouldn't rent. Not necessary unsafe but not very appealing. You should find an appartment at any time of the year not only on July 1. Kijiji and craigslist are good places to start for rentals.
Commuting to Saint Laurent is doable from all these neighborhoods with or without a car. However Saint Laurent is a big area and some places the commute by bus can take very long even if it is only a couple of miles away. Depending where your husbands company is located he might need or not a car.
I don't know your rental budget but in all the neighborhoods that you listed you will probably get a condo or a duplex.
If you want something bigger or a house you can look in West Island (all the cities West of Saint Laurent - Pointe Claire, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Pierrefonds, Beaconsfield). The commute is actualy faster to Saint Laurent from West Island than from any of the neighborhoods you listed. You will need two cars. West Island is anglophone but you will not have any issues finding French schools, French daycares or French classes for your kids. With four kids West Island would be my choice, but I am biased since I live there. You can get a bigger house in a quieter neighborhood, much more family oriented and you will have no trouble with the language. Something to consider is that in the winter with small kids you will have to use the car. In the city you will get much more traffic and will be harder to find a parking spot especially in the winter. I lived in CDN (Cote des Neiges) before having kids and I was working in Saint Laurent just like your husband. It was taking me twice as long to get to work by either bus or car from CDN than it takes me now from West Island, and this is year round.
For hospitals: my favorite is Jewish General Hospital, for kids: Montreal Childrens. If you give birth in Montreal you will be referred to a pediatrician affiliated to the hospital. Not sure how will work with the OB GYN, but you will be seen by one when you tell them you are pregnant.

[BBMF]

THANK YOU so much Kent2780!!! Your input is extremely appreciated; thanks so much for taking the time and thought.

Really eye-opening the commuting factor. All I know the St Laurent office is near the airport. *Not* great to hear that commuting from the city can be longer than from West Island. Very rughly how long might we be talking in each scenario?

I think we've resisted West Island to date because of the desire to really, really max the Montreal experience, people, language, etc, even if to some detriment to family convenience and comfort (though if I'm honest, I don't know how much we'd really be willing to give up there). Didn't want to be isolated and mimicking the US suburban experience or interacting only w Anglophones

That said, I suppose we should keep an open mind especially given our circumstances w/4 kids. And maybe even some of the closer-in choices like the Town of Mont Royal offer good compromise. We will need space also to accommodate visiting family from time-to-time. Our rental budget might be something like $4-5k or so. Not sure. I have heard a little about some of the WI places you mentioned like Pointe Claire and Beaconsfield, that they're supposed to be lovely. Where do you live?

haven't even seen much on craigslist, kijiji or realtor.ca for West Island things but probably searching wrong. I can re-visit tonight

Thoughts/suggestions from others? I know I put a lot of questions out there but greatly appreciate perspective on any front. I haven't seen quite as much online for Montreal as I have with other locations that have come up for us so any input is immensely helpful. Thanks all-

[BIMBAM]

The commutes won't be that bad from the neighbourhoods you were talking about if the place is south of highway fourty, it's just decarie and the metropolitan east of decarie that you want to be wary of, they chronically turn into parking lots. Unfortuantely, there isn't good transit to those industrial areas so your husband will need a car to get to work. If north of the fourty, St. Laurent itself can be a decent option. The borough is a mix of working class immigrant areas and more upscale neighbourhoods, and it can be a nice even if a couple parts aren't much to look at. In general the area's kind of a mix of urban and suburbanm with aspects of both, and it's nice that you can get an affordable single family home walking distance to the metro.

[kent2780]

I live in Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, all West Island communities are similar. The most used language is English with areas of French speakers. By the way, all of the neighborhoods that you listed are predominantly English except Outremont and Le Plateau and parts of Cotes-des-Neiges. The mix of population is the same in all of them English, French, second and first generation immigrants very similar with what you find in any major US city.
For what you have in mind, to be in the middle of the city life, without a car, mostly French spoken, European flavor, the place is Plateau and the surroundings. It will be however a long commute to Saint Laurent and finding a parking place in the winter is a nightmare. One thing to keep in mind is that with four kids you will be doing a lot of driving during the day. You will save yourself a lot of time in West Island where the driving and parking is a breeze compared with the city neighborhoods.
If your husband works near the airport he will need a car and going to the city there is a lot of traffic, from West Island will be much faster. One other neighborhood that you can look into is Lachine. It is close to Saint Laurent and downtown, mostly French and it does not have the suburb feel. Close to the water it is really nice.
With $4-5K rental budget I would go through a real estate agent. Search a Remax or other major Real estate agency in the area you are interested and give them a call. They would be more than happy to send you listings and give you more advanced information.