Families fleeing central Montreal
Families are leaving central Montreal, not really news, but they’re fetching up in great numbers in Saint-Laurent, which wasn’t, until now. Unless you live there, I guess. Central Montreal is more and more the preserve of one-person households.
There were some thoughts about the implications of one-person households from an economist in the Globe & Mail this week.
Dave M 11:45 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
Not entirely shocking when it’s pretty much impossible for a family to find an affordable 3 bedroom for them to live in anywhere much closer than that.
Kevin 12:33 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
You can do it if you have a household income of $100,000, but that’s considered ‘rich’ in Quebec.
Blork 12:39 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
St. Laurent has the advantage of being reasonably close to the Metro (depending on what part of St. Laurent of course), unlike some farther-flung residential areas. I spent a bit of time up there a year or so ago, and as “residential” semi-urban but not quite suburban areas go, it’s actually quite nice. No big surprise that people are going there. (Also, quick access to the airport, which is nice for people who travel a lot.)
david m 12:50 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
i’d live in a smaller space before i’d ever move to saint-laurent or anywhere else north of the metropolitain. there’s nowhere to walk up there, few interesting shops, etc. you have to drive, which i find super annoying, you have far fewer people and interesting events, there’s basically nothing to do. all of this to say that it’s cultural as much as it is economics – some people are are saint-laurent types, some people are montreal types.
Richard 13:17 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
I lived in the central part of St-Laurent (near Cote Vertu and Ste-Croix) and could easily walk to the train or Metro (about 10 minute walk). From there it’s minutes to downtown (particularly by train). It’s a great location and a very cosmopolitan neighbourhood. Loved it.
David Matthews 14:53 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
I lived in VSL with my in-laws for about 3 months in the spring while we were having some work done in our place downtown and thought it was a really convenient location being halfway between downtown, east end, west island. Getting to work and back took about 45-60 minutes via the 121 (which comes as often as the Metro at rush hour) and the Metro. Being on Canvendish across from Cote Vertu I could walk to get anything I needed. Great place to live.
Tux 14:55 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
I would live in NDG for my whole life if I could. I love it. Sad fact of the matter is, for half of what you pay for a 3 bedroom 2-bath in NDG you can get a few acres of land with a roomy farmhouse in Hawkesbury.
Ian 20:22 on 2012/09/28 Permalink
I’m paying (narrowly) more in rent for a 3-bed on Laurier avenue west than one of my friends pays on his mortgage for a 4-bed with acreage in St-Lazare. Then again, I don’t drive and the convenience of the city far outweighs the charm of ownership for me. I can see how that wouldn’t be true for everyone.