Why does everyone love Montreal?

[roccerfeller]

@ OP because its a fantastic, cosmopolitan Canadian city rich with some of the country's most important history and has given birth to some amazing art & artists, athletes, pop culture, politicians, and ideas both french and english. Everyone there has a different opinion about everything and its such a mix of all sorts of opinions and cultures. Sort of an epitome of all that is Canadian in some ways.

Plus once you go there, it makes sense. An easy city to fall in love with.

[softee]

Originally Posted by roccerfeller

@ OP because its a fantastic, cosmopolitan Canadian city rich with some of the country's most important history and has given birth to some amazing art & artists, athletes, pop culture, politicians, and ideas

You could say the same about Toronto, yet everyone hates Toronto.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by softee

You could say the same about Toronto, yet everyone hates Toronto.

It's not hate. It's jealousy!

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

I don't know if it's because of climate change or what, but Montreal's winters have seem very mild to me for the past few years and with more rain (relative to snow) than usual. But I guess it's the same for the rest of the country...

You can see this if you compare 1961-1990 data to 1981-2010 data. The 1990 December high at Dorval/Trudeau was -2.9 for example but for 2010 it is listed as -1.4. The year-round mean temperature went up from 6.1 to 6.75. That 0.65 difference may not seem like much, but to put it into perspective the annual difference between New York and Atlanta is less than 4 degrees.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

It's not hate. It's jealousy!

To you and softee - I suspect you are joking but somehow I don't think that people are just being nice to Montreal because it sucks and harsher with Toronto because it is so far ahead in awesomeness. But that's just my hunch...

[Sam wa]

Mtlskyline: "Our spring and fall are also nice seasons (the fall colours in the surrounding Laurentians and Eastern Townships are not to be missed), although quite short. There really are only two seasons here."

Yes, winter and construction. Or so it was said back in my day in Mtl.

[Razor]

I don't know what's worse...I've seen mind numbing -48 with the wind in Northern Ontario, but you can dress for it..You just have to pack your chapstick..It's a dry cold.

I've never seen lows like that in my 15 years Ottawa, but I'll tell you what..
When It's grey, damp and only -12 it's just as bad, if not worse..You can't dress for it. Bone chilling.The humidity is what kills you. Ya toronto is warmer, but it gets those damp grey winter days as well.

[Blitz]

There are no frost warnings tonight anywhere in southwestern Ontario. No idea where he came up with that info. Our normal first date of frost is Oct 22nd in the extreme southwest.

I agree with an earlier poster who said that Montreal takes some time to warm up to. Of course it's a great setting and has beautiful architecture. It could be even better if they worked on some minor things though, for example I was surprised at how dirty and generally unkempt it seemed (and this is from somebody who has been to Detroit 100 times).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Blitz

There are no frost warnings tonight anywhere in southwestern Ontario. No idea where he came up with that info. Our normal first date of frost is Oct 22nd in the extreme southwest.

.

Environment Canada:


Chatham-Kent - Rondeau Park
Watford - Pinery Park - Eastern Lambton County.

Tonight..Clear. Wind north 20 km/h becoming light early this evening.
Low plus 4 with risk of frost.

[MTLskyline]

Originally Posted by Blitz

There are no frost warnings tonight anywhere in southwestern Ontario. No idea where he came up with that info. Our normal first date of frost is Oct 22nd in the extreme southwest.

I agree with an earlier poster who said that Montreal takes some time to warm up to. Of course it's a great setting and has beautiful architecture. It could be even better if they worked on some minor things though, for example I was surprised at how dirty and generally unkempt it seemed (and this is from somebody who has been to Detroit 100 times).

In terms of litter, graffiti or general grime? I definitely think that things could be cleaner (and graffiti is a huge problem). Although I would say that litter is less of a problem than it was, largely thanks to a program that hires homeless people to sweep the sidewalks.

[kool maudit]

i think my standards have been lowered, grit-wise, by living in pristina. montreal looked like geneva to me when i came back. of course, halifax then reminded me how uncluttered and spacious canadian cities normally are.

[MolsonExport]

One thing I like about Montreal is the grit. I love the old abandoned mills/factories (not many left, now that they are being rehabilitated) in the Pointe, along the Lachine Canal, near the Canal l'Aqueduc, LaSalle, etc.

[matthew6]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

One thing I like about Montreal is the grit. I love the old abandoned mills/factories (not many left, now that they are being rehabilitated) in the Pointe, along the Lachine Canal, near the Canal l'Aqueduc, LaSalle, etc.

Especially those old row houses to go along with the factories...very evocative... I like to pretend I'm in Liverpool or somewhere like that... In fact there is a street named Liverpool in the Point....

[niwell]

Originally Posted by Razor

I don't know what's worse...I've seen mind numbing -48 with the wind in Northern Ontario, but you can dress for it..You just have to pack your chapstick..It's a dry cold.

I've never seen lows like that in my 15 years Ottawa, but I'll tell you what..
When It's grey, damp and only -12 it's just as bad, if not worse..You can't dress for it. Bone chilling.The humidity is what kills you. Ya toronto is warmer, but it gets those damp grey winter days as well.

This is very true. I actually preferred the winter I spent in Iqaluit to most winters in Ottawa. The damp cold was the absolute worst - and the city seems to use so much road salt that you can never avoid slush. Toronto has this type of weather to a degree, but it is much, much more manageable.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by softee

You could say the same about Toronto, yet everyone hates Toronto.

Most people don't hate the city, but hate the ego. You guys sure pick some interesting characters for Mayor though...

[MolsonExport]

Montreal Winters (sunny, fluffy and crisp) > SW Ontario Winters (Dank and dismal)

[kool maudit]

really? montreal can be very humid and stifling in the summer.

[flar]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Montreal Winters (sunny, fluffy and crisp) > SW Ontario Winters (Dank and dismal)

You also live in pretty much the worst spot in SW Ontario during the winter. Constant snow and cloud cover from westerly winds over Lake Huron. London gets as much snow as Ottawa, maybe even more. It doesn't stick around as long though.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by flar

You also live in pretty much the worst spot in SW Ontario during the winter. Constant snow and cloud cover from westerly winds over Lake Huron. London gets as much snow as Ottawa, maybe even more. It doesn't stick around as long though.

Never thought of that but just looked it up - wow, really low winter sunshine totals for London compared to all of the major cities in southern Ontario and southern Quebec.

[north 42]

Winters here are fairly sunny, not overcast and cloudy all the time. Sometimes it snows and sometimes it rains, but we get a fair amount of sunny, bright days in between, usually on the coldest days though. January is really the only really wintery feeling month here as most of December and February have highs above freezing.