Hawkesbury-Montreal

[FFX-ME]

I am considering taking a job in Montreal but would prefer to live in Ontario. Does anyone know how the Hawkesburry-Montreal commute is?

[franktko]

Hell!!

Use GoogleMaps to get directions (and commute time) and change the depart time to get an idea, going and coming back. Use a Tuesday or Wednesday because these are typically the busiest. Leaving at 5am would be your best bet!

Hope that job is in Kirkland and not downtown.

And then there will be accidents, rain storms, snow storms, construction on that 40 Highway bridge to the island in a not to distant future, and on and on...

I can't even imagine passing so much time in a car. I prefer my 17 minutes bike ride to work or the 25 minutes bus/métro ride

[MTLskyline]

I know a few people who do this. It is possible, but it's a brutal lifestyle/commute. They drive to Hudson or Vaudreuil (something like 45 minutes to an hour) and take the commuter train the rest of the way (another hour).

If you could stand a commute that's 2hrs each way, then go for it! (but if you think about it, you have 4 hrs a day that's kind of lost... assuming you have an 8hr work day and sleep 8 hours, that leaves you with 4 hours for everything else)

[Acajack]

I really don't think it's worth the hassle.

If I may ask: why must the OP absolutely live in Ontario?

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

I am considering taking a job in Montreal but would prefer to live in Ontario. Does anyone know how the Hawkesburry-Montreal commute is?

Really difficult during Winter. My house is in rural Alexandria, and there is a monthly VIA rail pass for Montreal and the commute is even shorter than some suburban trains in Montreal. The commute is around an hour. While the pass is expensive, with the reduced income tax in Ontario, it is about even net income. I also have a small loft in Montreal if I have late meetings or events. On weekends I'm in Ottawa so I love to have a house in between.

You can also take the Vaudreuil train to Montreal if you want to reduce your car commute, but it will be a longer ride.

[Beedok]

Why? The big advantage of Quebec is how cheap it is to live there compared to Ontario...

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Why? The big advantage of Quebec is how cheap it is to live there compared to Ontario...

Eastern Ontario is lots cheaper than in Québec... My house would have been at least double the price in the Montréal region.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Eastern Ontario is lots cheaper than in Québec... My house would have been at least double the price in the Montréal region.

Wouldn't there be cheaper (or at least as cheap) places in Quebec itself that are closer/more accessible to Montreal than Alexandria or Hawkesbury?

Both Ontario towns are 100 km from Montreal. That casts a pretty wide radius of potential places to live in Quebec. (I realize the income tax aspect factors into it too.)

[Acajack]

Pause musicale de circonstance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzN9RsaGMbw

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Wouldn't there be cheaper (or at least as cheap) places in Quebec itself that are closer/more accessible to Montreal than Alexandria or Hawkesbury?

Both Ontario towns are 100 km from Montreal. That casts a pretty wide radius of potential places to live in Quebec. (I realize the income tax aspect factors into it too.)

Alexandria for me is a short train ride away with multiple departures each day, even more than the RTM trains. The income tax difference much than pays the difference in commuting fares. I get about $13 000 tax back each year, which permits me to pay the train fare AND a pied-à-terre in Montréal for emergencies.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Alexandria for me is a short train ride away with multiple departures each day, even more than the RTM trains. The income tax difference much than pays the difference in commuting fares. I get about $13 000 tax back each year, which permits me to pay the train fare AND a pied-à-terre in Montréal for emergencies.

OK, sounds like it works for you.

You don't have to answer but I am curious as to what the appeal of Alexandria is over Montreal or places closer to it.

[FFX-ME]

Thanks, Alexandria sound like a great option. Do you have information regarding this pass?

Really we'd prefer to live in Ontario due to the lower taxes and the better health care. A Quebec health care card only covers you in Quebec while in other provinces you are only covered partially. All other provinces cover the costs of the other provinces fully. We'd also be closer to family.

[begratto]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

Thanks, Alexandria sound like a great option. Do you have information regarding this pass?

Really we'd prefer to live in Ontario due to the lower taxes and the better health care. A Quebec health care card only covers you in Quebec while in other provinces you are only covered partially. All other provinces cover the costs of the other provinces fully. We'd also be closer to family.

Generally, for families with children, taxes are lower in Quebec. Just keep that in mind...

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by begratto

Generally, for families with children, taxes are lower in Quebec. Just keep that in mind...

Are you sure that's true? I know we get child support payments four times a year (based on income) that they don't get in Ontario. And there is of course the subsidized daycare, and also more stuff is covered for kids under RAMQ like certain vaccinations, eye exams, etc., but as for actually paying lower taxes... that does not appear to be my case. AFAIK.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

Thanks, Alexandria sound like a great option. Do you have information regarding this pass?

Really we'd prefer to live in Ontario due to the lower taxes and the better health care.

I am not sure that health care in Alexandria-Hawkesbury-Cornwall trumps health care in the Greater Montreal area.

Obviously lots of people in rural E Ontario go to Ottawa for care but it's a good hour away.

I readily admit that Quebec health care in Gatineau vs. Ontario health care in Ontario is a legitimate consideration, but Ottawa vs. Montreal is probably a wash. Maybe even in Montreal's favour depending...

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

A Quebec health care card only covers you in Quebec while in other provinces you are only covered partially. All other provinces cover the costs of the other provinces fully. .

I am not sure about this. At least not with respect to hospitals. (Maybe individual doctors and private clinics are different though.)

I know that my immediate family members (wife and kids) have used Quebec health care cards at hospitals outside Quebec without any problems.

This includes hospitals outside of Ottawa (which I know is a bit of special case) in northern Ontario (not on the border with Quebec) and in the Maritime provinces.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

OK, sounds like it works for you.

You don't have to answer but I am curious as to what the appeal of Alexandria is over Montreal or places closer to it.

It's a small mostly French speaking town with the same good neighbourly attitude that I loved in New Brunswick. It's only an hour train ride to my work. Plus it's in Ontario, which automatically means less traumatizing bureaucracy. (my health card was revoked in Québec in 2013 for a stupid reason, which then I bought a condo in Ottawa which I still go to on weekends, only got approved by for a health card in Québec mid 2014 which then I said fuck it).

Alexandria is a poor but honest town, which is fine by me.

Originally Posted by FFX-ME

Thanks, Alexandria sound like a great option. Do you have information regarding this pass?

Really we'd prefer to live in Ontario due to the lower taxes and the better health care. A Quebec health care card only covers you in Quebec while in other provinces you are only covered partially. All other provinces cover the costs of the other provinces fully. We'd also be closer to family.

Yes, I can get health care in Montréal when I need to. There is a small hospital in Alexandria too.

Here is the pass:
https://reservia.viarail.ca/discount...&pt=rp&tpass=5

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am not sure about this. At least not with respect to hospitals. (Maybe individual doctors and private clinics are different though.)

I know that my immediate family members (wife and kids) have used Quebec health care cards at hospitals outside Quebec without any problems.

This includes hospitals outside of Ottawa (which I know is a bit of special case) in northern Ontario (not on the border with Quebec) and in the Maritime provinces.

He his absolutely right, Québec only covers what it would cover in Québec and other provinces cover the entire costs.

[FFX-ME]

Are there a lot of people that do this daily commute?

[begratto]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Are you sure that's true? I know we get child support payments four times a year (based on income) that they don't get in Ontario. And there is of course the subsidized daycare, and also more stuff is covered for kids under RAMQ like certain vaccinations, eye exams, etc., but as for actually paying lower taxes... that does not appear to be my case. AFAIK.

It depends on the tax bracket you're in.

Here's an interesting comparison I found (from 2013 though) : Étude comparative du fardeau fiscal des Québécois et des Ontariens
et de certains biens et services fournis par les gouvernements, leurs
sociétés d’état et leurs organismes publics

Overall, the conclusions were that a typical couple with 2 children living in Quebec pays less income taxes on the first $120K than their Ontario counterparts, but tax payers with higher revenues pay more taxes than their Ontario equivalents.

However, the study also concluded that Quebec residents pay much less for car insurance, daycare, university tuitions, electricity and have a better medication insurance plan.

So it all depends on your personal financial situation I guess, but it's certainly not a clear-cut win for Ontario.