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Sorry guys, I had a few questions regarding cars in Montreal so I decided to make another thread:
I'm moving to Montreal for work from Florida in a couple of months, and I plan to be in Montreal for 3 to 5 years. I know that Montreal is the second largest city in Canada with a great and extensive public transportation system and is also largely a walking city in itself so not a lot of Montreal residents have cars.
Since I'm from Orlando, having a car here is second nature and so I am quite attached to mine -- or atleast the idea of having one. My car is already 5 years old. Although I have visited many big cities, I have never lived in one long-term. So here are some of the car-related concerns I have:
1. To commute to work during the winter, wouldn't be it too cold to walk, or to wait outside for the bus or the metro? Would commuting by car during the winter be especially convenient or not really?
2. Do rental apartments / condos in Montreal come with parking spots / garages, or is that usually an extra fee? I know regular street parking is 8 $ (CAD) / day, but I was wondering about residential parking?
3. I would *like* to take my car just so I don't feel "trapped" in the city, if I would ever like to venture outside the city for some exploring. Would it be better to sell my car here in the US, and buy another one once I'm in Canada? Or should I import my car from the US to Canada, which it seems is a hassle with the extensive paperwork involved -- car will have to be registered in Canada to be insured by Canadian auto-insurance, and needless to say if I move back to the US, the paperwork process will once again be rigorous to have the car re-registered in the US.
4. Are cars cheaper in Canada than in the US ? I was told that the CAD (Canadian dollar) is quite a bit weak right now compared to the USD?
Would really appreciate any insight on these matters. I will be moving by mid-June so I am really wanting to think ahead about what my situation will be with / without a car.
1) It depends. Where do you plan to live and where will you be working. In central neighborhoods there aren't a lot of driveways / parking lots for residents, and street parking can be tricky even in the summer. In the winter... anyway the streets aren't too bad to drive on as long as you have your winter tires (mandatory at any rate). In the US they plow the streets much better, here they do a half-assed job and require that you have winter tires.
If you're living close to a metro station and if your work is close to a metro station, commuting without a car won't be bad at all.
2) How do you figure $8/day for street parking? I think it's more expensive than that. And there is generally an extra fee. I don't have a car so I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing plan on at least $100/month for an indoor parking spot in your building.
3) Can't say for sure. I did once bring a car from the US, but I was a student, and the import fees were reimbursed when I took the car back to the US. I don't think you'll have the same luck. It was quite the hassle.
1) It depends. Where do you plan to live and where will you be working.
Thanks for responding, ARrocket. I plan to live / work around the " H2T 1S6 " zipcode.
Since I still have a valid US driver's license, do you know if I would be allowed to drive a Canadian-registered car (if I was to buy a car in Canada) ?
Once you have become a Quebec resident, you have to exchange your Florida DL for a Quebec one. Same thing goes from your US registered car. Now comes the hard part.........The importation of your US car, into Canada, is regulated by the Canadian Federal Government, not a Province. That is because Transportation regulations, including importing cars, is a Federal jurisdiction. It can be done, but it is a huge time waster, and the hoops are many, that you have to jump through.
My best advice...sell the car in Florida, buy one in Quebec, voila... no import hassle, no import duties, no import inspection costs. Prices are found in newspaper ads from car dealers. Insurance will be higher than in Florida....but the coverage is much more extensive, both in terms of "fire theft and collision " and the medical and rehabilitation coverage is much more extensive and wide ranging.
Cold. Yes it gets cold, but unless you are going to be working outside for 10 hours a day.....look at what others are wearing to go to work. Buy what they recommend. Remember that your hands, head and feet lose heat the fastest, so a wool hat, gloves or mitts, and wool socks with winter boots, and you are good to go. Remember that all public buildings are heated to 70 F in the winter.
Learn to check the morning TV weather forecast, and learn what a "wind chill factor " is.
That postal code is in the St Viateur.St Laurent area also called the Mile End district..Plenty of Bus options and a short walk to the metro,so a car probably wont be needed if you are working or attending college,
Street parking in that area can be challenging as its a high density area with generally few free spaces, side streets look like this=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e_Montreal.JPG
if you have to feed a meter it will run you $3 an hour.Theres also the hassle of moving your car to the other side of the street everyday for street cleaning.
And those cars dont dig themselves out after one of Montreals occasional snow storms looks like this=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-New-Year.html
Also from Mid December to Mid April snow tires are mandatory.
Personally i'd leave the car behind and buy a used one if you feel you need it after spending some time in the city.
Coming from a region where flip flops shorts and a Tshirt is normal attire you are going to get a wake up call come winter fortunately winter clothing is easily bought in most clothing stores..
That postal code is in the St Viateur.St Laurent area also called the Mile End district..Plenty of Bus options and a short walk to the metro,so a car probably wont be needed if you are working or attending college,
Street parking in that area can be challenging as its a high density area with generally few free spaces, side streets look like this=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e_Montreal.JPG
if you have to feed a meter it will run you $3 an hour.Theres also the hassle of moving your car to the other side of the street everyday for street cleaning.
And those cars dont dig themselves out after one of Montreals occasional snow storms looks like this=Cars in Montreal buried like snowy marshmallows as winter blizzards pound the Northeast and Canada before New Year | Daily Mail Online
Also from Mid December to Mid April snow tires are mandatory.
Personally i'd leave the car behind and buy a used one if you feel you need it after spending some time in the city.
Coming from a region where flip flops shorts and a Tshirt is normal attire you are going to get a wake up call come winter fortunately winter clothing is easily bought in most clothing stores..
This is sound advice.
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