Toronto and Montreal: suburbs?

Ruchel

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 11:53 am

Hi!
So early on we discarded Toronto because of the prices (rent or buy).
But I now wonder if there may be "Jewish" suburbs that would be more affordable (frankly even Montréal is almost out of budget from what we saw so Toronto proper is impossible).

Montreal: does it have a suburb too that would be a fit for yiddn?

Tizku lemitsvos

Last edited by Ruchel on Tue, Jan 13 2015, 12:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

lech lecha08

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 12:42 pm

Maybe Clanton Park in Toronto

There's also a Jewish immigration organization that may be able to help answer questions
Jewish Immigration Aid Services

nylon

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 8:29 pm

Clanton Park is in Toronto and is very expensive. Thornhill is just north of the city line, and cheaper, but only relatively. If you think Montreal is pricey, then Thornhill is likely out of budget. Schools in Quebec can get a subsidy, but have to abide by Bill 101, so you will need a section française.

b from nj

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 8:45 pm

Ruchel, do you think you would be more comfortable in more of a Yeshivish community or more of MO one? The Yeshivish community is in the De Vimy area (near the BY & Yeshiva Gedola) but if you would want more of a MO community then Cote St. Luc would be better but CSL is typically pricier than the Yeshiva Gedola/BY area.

There is also Bais Rivka which is Lubavitch in the Lubavitch part of town. Bais Rivka is a francophone school which may be better for your kids if they mostly speak French even though the hashkafa might be different than yours.

There is another French frum school called Yeshiva Yavne but I don't know much about it other than that it's a yeshivish, sefardi-type school.

Hatzlacha with your decision.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 9:06 pm

there is a suburb of montreal about 15-45 min away, depending on traffic, called dollard.
it is much cheaper to buy a house, but you would have to drive your kids in and out to the regular montreal schools. dollard has shuls, and a large jewish community, not so many frum ones though.

montreal isnt that expensive. certainly not even close to toronto or its cheapest suburb!

Chana Miriam S

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 9:45 pm

when ppl want less expensive, they go to hamilton which is an hour from toronto. I heard they want to start a kollel in our yeshiva building so it might be worth a call or email to rabbi dani green who is the orthodox rav of the shul adas israel. Shul web site adasisrael.ca

Ruchel

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 7:07 am

Ideally in Montreal we aimed indeed for the BY/Yeshiva area but it's VERY VERY expensive, as in we may not be able to get two rooms for the children.

That's why I wondered maybe a suburb of Toronto or Montréal would be cheaper. My husband would drive the kids if there isn't a bus or pay someone to (he can't if he works as an employee for exemple).

15-45 is totally fine, the kids go 35/50 mins away now because we want a certain type of schooling.

BY and Yeshiva have a Francophone section according to what I was told, but I don't know if they have a bus going to Dollard.

Thanks ladies!!

b from nj

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 7:24 am

I don't think you or your kids would have too many like-minded friends in Dollard which is a very MO community & has/had a day school called the Jewish Foundation School if I remember correctly.

I really wonder how much less expensive living in Dollard would be. I would assume that you would be better off renting a 2-3 BR duplex in either the Yeshiva/BY area or even the Lubavitch area (which may be cheaper than the Yeshiva/BY area) b/c in the Lubavitch area you will still be not far from kosher shopping & other frum ppl. more-so than I would think in Dollard.

Another suburb that you may want to consider is Ville St. Laurent. It is further away than the Lubavitch area but closer than Dollard I think...

amother

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 7:26 am

andrea levy wrote:

As an ex-hamiltonion who loves where I grew up but think it's not for everyone. Moreso for the way it has changed from my youth. You should know it is way more OOT style. Especially in terms of schooling. Not sure if that's what you're looking for. Ottawa might be an interesting option because being French-speaking might give you an extra in for jobs etc.
If you're looking for proper school options then stick with Montreal or Toronto.

Ruchel

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 8:14 am

Thanks!!

If we chose Dollard we wouldn't school there (unless we homeschool which is not a first choice at all but a possibility if needed). Is it too far to drive them to Montreal for school if they're used to easily 45 mins each way here? is there an eruv (we can do without if need be, as it's also what we're used to).

Someone told me there is a "cheap, not so classy" place with "little houses and many chassidim", where is that?

What about Ottawa, close enough to send a first grader (say) to Montréal or Toronto?

The Lub area: what's the name?

b from nj

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 8:23 am

I don't know but Dollard is really far from Montreal & the cost of gas for your husband to drive them to school would probably not be worth it IMHO. Gas is quite expensive in Montreal/Quebec.

There is the chassidish area downtown which might be cheaper or maybe the person was talking about Tosh in Boisbriand, Quebec which is even further from Montreal & I doubt you'd be comfortable there. Not sure if the costs are lower though...

The Lubavitch area is also known as the Westbury area (which is where the Lubavitch yeshiva is located & the Bais Rivka school is located. The 2 are one avenue block away from the other.

I grew up in the Lubavitch area but took the city bus to BY for HS. It was not such a big deal (maybe 1/2 hr drive) & I had a friend who commuted from Ville St. Laurent (VSL) but you wouldn't want to be much further away from BY than VSL & again, I don't know if you'd be so keen with the community there.

Raisin

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 8:57 am

I don't know much about montreal but if you have settled on a city maybe find a short term rental till you see what area will suit you best?

Hatzlacha!

When are you planning to move?

Ruchel

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 8:59 am

We are looking into America first. If we see dh can't get a job (hence a visa), then we'll start the process for Canada. It will take months also but fewer.

We're trying to assess what areas could be affordable and what others totally not to concentrate the search there.

self-actualization

Wed, Jan 14 2015, 10:18 am

Hi Ruchel -

I think that everyone on imamother.com is concerned about you and your family.

One thing to consider is that you may acclimate to the new area - I.e. if families that do a similar job to you & your husband earn a certain amount and live in a certain kind of housing, then your family can probably do the same. Meaning, in France the tuition may be lower, but the salaries are likely lower as well.

In America right now the economy is good, unemployment is going down and wages are going up (slowly, but it's better than nothing). Of course you may consider the Americans not to be as classy as the French, but we are kind and friendly. Good luck!