Montreal is the second largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. It’s one of the biggest French-speaking cities in the world.  The island sits at the confluence of three rivers: the mighty St. Lawrence, the Rivière des Prairies and the Ottawa. Montrealers talk of their streets as going north-south and east-west, but the island itself is askew, tilted to the northeast. Montreal is situated in the southwest of the province of Quebec, approximately 168 miles southwest of Quebec City, the provincial capital, and 118 miles east of Ottawa, the federal capital, 539 335 miles northeast of Toronto, 380 miles north of New York City.

Montreal lies at the confluence of several climatic regions and thus the climate in Montreal varies greatly.  Precipitation is abundant with an average snowfall of 2.14 84 inches per year in the winter. It snows on average more in Montreal, than Moscow, Russia. Regular rainfall throughout the year averages 35.3 inches. Moderate to high humidity is common in the summer. In spring and autumn, rainfall averages between 2.2 and 3.7 inches a month. Some snow in spring and autumn is normal. Similarly, late heat waves as well as “Indian summers” are a regular feature of the climate.

Montreal is an important regional centre of commerce, industry, culture, finance, and world affairs. Prior to the completion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, Montreal was the most inland port for seagoing vessels and therefore served as the principal Atlantic port for a vast region of North America’s grain and raw materials.

Montreal remains a major port city along the Seaway; a deep-draft inland waterway links it to the industrial centers of the Great Lakes. It is still the largest inland port in the world. As one of the most important ports in Canada, it remains a trans-shipment point for grain, sugar, petroleum products, machinery, and consumer goods. For this reason, it is still part of the railway backbone of Canada and has always been an extremely important rail city; it is the eastern terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway and home to the headquarters of the Canadian National Railway.

Montreal industries include pharmaceuticals, high technology, finance, textile and clothing manufacturing, higher education, electronic goods, software engineering, building and city engineering, transportation devices, printed goods, aerospace and tobacco.

One of Montreal’s most valuable assets is unquestionably its low cost of living. Compared to other major world metropolises, the cost of living in Montreal is among the lowest. Housing is readily available at competitive prices, purchasing power in the region is high, a first-rate public school system offers quality education from elementary to college at no cost and the public healthcare system guarantees access to free medical care for all Quebec residents.

Foreign workers who settle in Montreal may also benefit from these services. From a fiscal standpoint, they are entitled to the same personal exemptions that apply to Quebec taxpayers, as well as to exemptions in respect of taxes paid abroad. In addition, foreign researchers and experts who conduct research and development in a company are entitled to a five-year tax holiday on provincial income taxes.  The cost of living index for Montreal as of 2004 was 100.

Compared to other major North American and European urban centers, it costs relatively little to own property or rent in Metro Montreal.  In addition to the low cost of owning property or renting an apartment, buyers have a vast range of styles to choose from: modern single-family dwellings, magnificent traditional homes, fully equipped apartments in the downtown area, post-industrial-style lofts and even attractive houses complete with gardens on Montreal’s North and South shores. Very reasonably priced countryside houses located less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from downtown Montreal are also available for anyone who has ever dreamed of owning a charming home in the country.