A Little History
¥ Iroquoian Roots
Established by the Iroquoian first nations people of the Saint Lawrence River
Valley, the settlement of Hochelaga was a major Amerindian trading post
when Jacques Cartier first made contact with the inhabitants of the New
World and planted his cross atop Mont-Royal. Recognizing the strategic
importance of this island location overlooking the Saint Lawrence
Seaway, the first French settlers founded the colony of Ville-Marie in
1642 on the same site as Hochelaga. Plus is now a borough name within one of the administrative divisions of Montreal's history today.
¥ French Settlement
A small French settlement for most of its existence, Montreal was
incorporated into the British Empire in 1763. It was one of the most
important commercial and cultural centres in North America throughout
the 19th and 20th centuries - even serving as the capital of the United
Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849 - as successive waves of English,
Irish and Scottish immigrants sailed across the Atlantic in search of a
better life. Now the second largest city in Canada after Toronto with a population of
almost 1.9 million (over 3.6 million in the greater metropolitan
region). Montreal is also the second largest French-speaking city in
the world outside of France and with many cultural backgrounds blended together in harmony.
Cultural Mecca
More than just a place to live, Montreal is a cultural mecca
with things to do and see throughout the city and the downtown core. There are just to many festivals and events to mention them all on here. One of the
major arteries running through the city is Saint-Laurent Boulevard
(also known as The Main ), which flows north to south and divides the
city into east and west by addresses too.
¥ Major intersections include:
¥ Also running north-south, Saint-Denis Street features happening intersections at:
Main east to west routes include De Maisonneuve Boulevard and
Sherbrooke Street, as well as Sainte-Catherine Street West with major
intersections at Peel and Crescent Streets.
¥ Multicultural Montreal
Home to vibrant cultural communities of more than 40 ethnic
backgrounds with roots stretching back to Africa, Asia, Europe, the
Middle East and Latin America, there are more than 35 languages spoken
throughout the Island of Montreal, as well as countless restaurants
offering a taste of the exotic from the four corners of the globe. This
city has been named a favorite by many food editors and enthusiasts too.
A City of Neighbourhoods
¥ Distinct neighbourhoods include:
¥ For more information about the City of Montreal, visit their official website (some in French only).
¥ Your gay details about Montreal, visit this informative gay community site (all listings in English).
¥ Our gay community pride festivals and events are spread out from late July to mid-August. Please investigate the exact dates through the internet on-line or request details from us at our info service.
¥ Human Rights and Sexual Orientation in Canada visit federal government site (bilingual details).
Language
While the official and predominantly spoken language is French,
English is widely used and understood at most downtown stores, bars and
restaurants; most government services are also available in both
official languages of Canada. There are also many ethnic communities; the most
populous include Arabs, Greeks, Italians, Chinese, Lebanese,
Portuguese, Spanish and Haitians, to name just a few of them.
Money
¥ Currency
Commonly used small coins are the 1-cent ("penny"), 5-cent ("nickel"), 10-cent ("dime") and 25-cent ("quarter") pieces. The two main coins are the $1 gold-coloured coin, commonly called a "loonie" (the loon is the bird engraved on one side), and the $2 silver and gold-toned coin (the "toonie"). As paper bills only come in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations. The Canadian dollar is not equal in value to the U.S. dollar but very close daily (check with your local banking institution). Note: A bank will give you a better exchange rate than stores or restaurants at all times. For current exchange rates, visit the Bank of Canada website.
¥ Taxes
Visitors to Montreal must pay a provincial sales tax (TVQ) of 7.5 per cent and a federal sales tax (GST) of 5 per cent on most goods purchased in the city. However, some exemptions are made for grocery food items (not including restaurant meals) and reading materials. That being said, visitors from out of town may be eligible for a tax rebate from the federal government by filling out an Application for Visitor Tax Refund (GST-176) form; GST-176 forms are available at the airport and at various tourist information centres around the city. You can also review the details or download the form here. The provincial government does not offer tourists a rebate on the TVQ.
Tax Refunds (the program might not be available): Visitor Rebate Program 1-800-668-4748 (within Canada); (902) 432-5608 (international calls).
Service
Restaurant tipping is left to customer discretion, but the customary (and expected) amount is 15 percent (the debate rages about whether this is calculated before or after tax). Many restaurants automatically add a gratuity (a tip) to the bill for large groups (six to eight or more). It is also customary to tip bellhops, luggage handlers and taxi drivers, at your discretion.
The minimum legal drinking age in Quebec is 18 years. Bars and restaurants must stop serving alcohol by 3 a.m. It should also be noted that Quebec and Montreal laws do bans smoking in all public spaces, including bars and restaurants, office buildings, theatres and museums (to name just a few).
Passports & I.D.
Entering Canada, U.S. citizens, including children, need proof of U.S. citizenship: either a birth certificate together with photo identification or a passport. U.K. citizens and Australian citizens require a passport and proof of onward passage out of Canada. Visitors from other countries require a passport and may also require a visa. You may also be asked to provide proof of necessary funds for your visit. Illegal drugs and firearms are not allowed into Canada.
¥ Consult the list of Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Canada on this informative Website.
Getting Around
¥ Airport Details and Info
Review this very detailed Website link.
¥ Coast to Coast Rail Travel
The out-of-town train Link service site.
¥ Driving Into and Around
Try this quick Map link for route details.
¥ Local Montreal Public Transit
Known as one of the cleanest and safest public transit systems in the world, the Societe de Transport de Montreal (STM) offers a fast and cost-efficient alternative to grid-lock traffic with easy-to-navigate bus routes, subway lines and commuter trains. Please do also consult their STM Website for up-to-date information on the recent fares and all routes for public transit services.
NOTE: Bus drivers will not give out change. Transfers between vehicles (bus, subway and the train are sometimes included) and are available for continuous, one-way trips. Pedal bikes and baby strollers are permitted on the subway, just verify the scheduled hours and provided they board the first subway car (verify their website for more details).
SAFETY: To ensure the safety of their female passengers, STM bus drivers will allow women to disembark in between scheduled stops after 7:30 p.m. from September to April and after 9 p.m. from May to August. Transit users are requested to stay behind the yellow line on subway platforms. Assistance telephones (marked by a white hand in a blue circle) are located at all 68 subway stations. Intercoms located next to the subway car's mid section doors will put you in direct contact with the subway driver in case of any incidents. Furthermore, to reduce your waiting time at the bus stop, simply call 514-A-U-T-O-B-U-S (514-288-6287) for a schedule of upcoming buses.
Times & Dates
¥ Business Hours
Most office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Most shops are open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 or 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Many store hours are extended to 8 or 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and most stores are open Sundays till 5 p.m.
¥ Time Zone
Montreal is under the Eastern Time (ET) Zone, which is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). During Daylight Savings Time (DST), March to October, clocks are turned ahead one hour.
Statutory Holidays
¥ Offices, banks, government offices and most stores closed but public transit runs on reduced service:
¥ Other holidays (for banks and government offices such as Canada Post):
Weather
Although Montreal does experience all of the four seasons possible, the city has a long winter (about five months December to mid-April), a short spring (April to late-May), a four month summer (late-May to late-September) where it gets hot and humid in the month of July and a cool fall (October to November).
Click here to check current weather conditions, plus the short term and long term forecasts.
Telephone
The emergency number for all safety and crime emergencies is 911 from a phone within the Montreal area.
Want to find a phone number? Dial 411 for an operator. Dialing 0 will also get you an operator for general assistance. Most local hotels use their own in-house systems, so ask at the front desk before you call out of your room. Plus a few new services were implemented to request info at 311 Access from our city hall and a local medical number for all health related situations is to dial 811 for emergencies only.
Pay phones cost 50 cents (two quarters or a combination of dimes and nickels) per call with unlimited time to talk. Some phones do not give change but will return a coin(s), if the call does not connect or is not completed. Also try to use phone credit cards for multiple calls plus are available in many convenience stores, pharmacies and some shops too.
Montreal has three area codes: the original 514 (plus the newest 438) and 450 for the surrounding areas near the city you must dial an area code. Also when dialing long-distance numbers, start with a 1 or 0 (for
operator-assisted calls), then the area code followed by seven-digit
number - an example 1-555-555-1234 layout.
PLEASE ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO OUR GAY CITY OF MONTREAL !
Create a free website at Webs.com