Montreal
21 guides · Greater Montreal — Explore every resource for your life in Montreal.
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Free Activities in Montréal: Outings, Culture and Nature Without Spending
Parks, free museums, festivals, libraries, pools — a practical guide to the best free activities in Montréal for families and newcomers.
Free Help for Newcomers in Montreal
PROMIS and the YMCA — two organizations offering free support to newcomers in Montreal.
Free Job-Search Help in Montréal: Where to Go by Profile
Specialized job-search organizations in Montréal by profile — newcomers, anglophones, women, professionals — and who to contact first.
Laundromats in Montréal
How to use a laundromat in Montréal — finding the nearest one, prices, machine operation, tips for delicate clothes, and alternatives if your apartment has its own washer.
Summer Heat and Heat Waves in Montréal: How to Prepare
Surviving summer heat waves in Montréal — free cooling sites, financial aid, signs of heat stroke and practical advice for new residents.
Amateur Sports Clubs and Leisure Activities for Adults in Montréal
Finding a sports club, recreational team or physical activity class in Montréal — soccer, badminton, running, yoga, swimming — to stay active and meet people.
Housing Co-ops in Montréal: Co-op Living and How to Get In
Why housing co-ops offer quality housing below market rates, and the two concrete paths to apply in Montréal.
Free French Classes in Montréal: Where to Sign Up and How to Choose
Francisation Québec, community organizations, conversation cafés: every free way to learn French in Montreal.
Montreal's July 1st Moving Day: How to Prepare
July 1st is the most chaotic moving day in Quebec. This guide explains why it's so unique, how to organize if you must move that day, and how to avoid it if you can.
Parent and Family Groups in Montréal
How to find parent groups, family clubs and support networks for immigrant families in Montréal — Maisons de la Famille, Facebook groups, CLSCs and community organizations.
Community Gardens in Montréal: How to Get a Plot
Montréal's community gardens let you grow your own vegetables for a few dollars a year. This guide explains how to apply, what to expect and why it's much more than just a garden.
Finding Housing in Montreal
How to search for an apartment, read a lease, and avoid scams.
Montréal's Public Markets: Where, When and What to Buy
Jean-Talon, Atwater, Maisonneuve — Montréal's public markets are much more than grocery spots. A practical guide for newcomers.
Montreal Help Organizations, by Need
Where to go in Montreal by need: paperwork, jobs, housing, family — free organizations, sorted.
Cycling Paths and Biking in Montréal: Practical Guide
Montréal is one of the most cycling-friendly cities in North America. This guide covers the bike path network, BIXI, road rules and how cycling can become your daily transport.
Your First 48 Hours in Montreal
The essential first steps as soon as you arrive: SIN, housing, banking, transit.
Recycling and Garbage in Montreal
Bins, pickup days, compost, and rules in Montreal.
Free Shows and Theatre in Montréal
The best places and events to enjoy Montréal's culture for free or nearly free — theatre, concerts, outdoor cinema, libraries and public cultural programming.
Using the Montreal Metro and Bus (STM)
How to get and use the OPUS card to get around on the STM.
Finding Healthcare in Montréal
How to navigate Montreal's health network: walk-in clinics, ERs, 811 and pharmacies.
Montréal Neighbourhoods: Which One to Choose to Settle In?
Plateau, Rosemont, Côte-des-Neiges, Verdun, Villeray — a portrait of Montréal neighbourhoods to help newcomers choose where to live based on their budget and lifestyle.
Guides specific to your city
238 guides across 8 regions — pick yours:
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First Steps in Quebec
Your first steps after arrival — housing, SIN, banking, phone.
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Paperwork Simplified
Documents, official cards, government formalities.
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Work & Career
Finding a job, Quebec-style résumé, French interviews.
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Daily Life
Transport, local services, health, everyday life.
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Local Resources
Communities, welcome services, neighborhood resources.
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About
Montreal is Quebec's metropolis and the arrival point for most newcomers. It is the largest city in the province: a vast and diversified job market, a dense public-transit network — metro, bus, REM — and a mosaic of neighbourhoods, from the Plateau to downtown to the residential boroughs. It is also a city where French and English meet in daily life. This section gathers the bilingual guides for settling in Montreal: finding housing and avoiding rental scams, getting around with the OPUS card, finding healthcare while waiting for RAMQ, and understanding waste collection. Whether you arrive alone, as a couple or with family, you will find every step explained one at a time.