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I was wondering if anyone had any opinions or thoughts on Beaconsfield vs. Kirkland. We are a young family (kids: 4 months, 2 years and 4 years) moving from Toronto. None of us speak very good French (right now at least) so we are looking for more anglo neighborhoods. Also we're not sure about buying or renting as we're not sure how long term this will be. Are there any other neighborhoods that you might recommend?
I was also looking at private schools/daycares for my kids. Specifically I was looking at Academie Marie-Claire and Kuper Academy. Does anyone have any recos on this or any others? I am interested in my children attending an English school with exposure to french as well because I know that will be great for them! Are there any good public english schools in that area that we should be considering as well?
Not quite the same as there will be way more francophones and French in general around, but still just about the closest thing you will find to suburban Toronto in the Montreal area.
Any of the West Island towns will be fine for you: Beaconsfield, Pointe Claire, Kirkland, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Pierrefonds. They are all mostly English but you will still get a significant number of French speakers. All services and activities will be available in English.
The kindergarten starts at 5, for your younger kids you will have to look for a day care. In the beginning it will be probably easier to find place in a home day care.
If either you or your husband did school in Canada in English your children will be eligible for English boards school. If this is the case I wouldn't consider sending my kids to a private English school. There are very few private English primary schools in West Island, the cost is high and the quality of instruction not necessary better.
I grew up in Kirkland, went to elementary and highschool in Beaconsfield. They are basically one community, buy based on what house you'd like and the neighbourhood, not on Kirkland vs. Beaconsfield. Beaconsfield's main advantages are the commuter train line and the waterfront. Kirkland's are some newer houses, access to the more free flowing highway (the 40), and closer proximity to Fairview, the closest thing the West Island has to a central hub.
As an Anglo family that speaks no French i'm curious as to why you'd want to move to Quebec.
Jobs almost certainly. My GF's parents moved to the West Island from Vancouver because of a job transfer and still speak almost no French after ten years (although both kids are very fluent). They get by totally fine living in Dollard, although I still think them very silly for having given up, they could have put in more effort.
As an Anglo family that speaks no French i'm curious as to why you'd want to move to Quebec.
Hi -
Yes this move is the result of a job move. I'm trying to brush up on what little French I have before the move and learn more but I'm hoping it won't be too difficult when I first arrive given I don't know very much.
Yes this move is the result of a job move. I'm trying to brush up on what little French I have before the move and learn more but I'm hoping it won't be too difficult when I first arrive given I don't know very much.
I'll be curious as to how you make out on your relocation to Montreal.
While Montreals west island is where most of Quebecs Anglos live you'd be hard pressed to notice that fact as all signs are in French, all federal and municipal government service personnel are French, all public transit employees are French, most employees in the stores are French.
Then theres the separatist government doing its best to rid the province of Anglos, at the moment they are ruling with a minority government but its expected today they will announce an election date for the near future,if the result of that election gives them a majority expect a referendum on separation to soon follow.
I'd definitely rent for the first year until you get a good grasp of what its like to be an Anglo in todays Quebec.
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