My car parked in Ridgewood :)
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
To rent an apartment in Canada
The best way to find an apartment in Canada is to be here, find a location, call them, go there, see the place, and then rent it. Unfortunately, this is not possible from Iran!
You can also look for an apartment in the internet. Here are a few possible ways:
- All of the universities have a webpage for international students and housing. Make sure you check this information on the webpage of the university you are intending to study at. They usually provide you with a quite a bit of useful of information about the cost, location, etc.
- Check the classified section of the local newspapers, e.g. Winnipeg Free Press in Winnipeg or Edmonton Sun in Edmonton. You may check http://www.canada.com/ and then check the classifieds related to your city of interest.
- check http://www.rentcanada.ca or similar webpages.
If you are single, there is another type of accommodation besides renting an apartment or suit. You can consider renting a room in house with a few other guys. This way, you will save some money since you pay less for rent and you do not buy the furniture (at least in the beginning). You will also be in a Canadian environment which helps you to get accustomed to the culture. The drawback is you may need to share the bathroom, kitchen, and dishes. If you are not too picky about the details, I would highly suggest this. The good thing is if you find out that the place was not as you thought, or you do not want to be there for any reason, you may leave with a one month notice to the landlord. If you have lived in dormitory in Iran, this way of living should not be that difficult (in fact, it may be a lot of fun, as well as learning experience).
Last point that I want to mention is about renting an apartment (or suite) is subletting. In Canada, you have to rent an apartment for one full year. "Subletting an apartment" means that somebody else had signed the contract and rented the apartment for a year, but for any reason, has decided to move before one full year (usually within the last 2 or 3 months of the contract). In this case, he/she will look for somebody to transfer the contract to him/her for whatever time that is remained on his/her contract with the landlord. If you find a sublet advertisement and you think the place is good enough, it is preferable to an empty apartment for which you have to sign a contract for a full year. If you like the place, you can extend the contract at the due date. However, if you decide to change your place, you do not have to stay there for one year.
Good luck
Behraad Bahreyni
You can also look for an apartment in the internet. Here are a few possible ways:
- All of the universities have a webpage for international students and housing. Make sure you check this information on the webpage of the university you are intending to study at. They usually provide you with a quite a bit of useful of information about the cost, location, etc.
- Check the classified section of the local newspapers, e.g. Winnipeg Free Press in Winnipeg or Edmonton Sun in Edmonton. You may check http://www.canada.com/ and then check the classifieds related to your city of interest.
- check http://www.rentcanada.ca or similar webpages.
If you are single, there is another type of accommodation besides renting an apartment or suit. You can consider renting a room in house with a few other guys. This way, you will save some money since you pay less for rent and you do not buy the furniture (at least in the beginning). You will also be in a Canadian environment which helps you to get accustomed to the culture. The drawback is you may need to share the bathroom, kitchen, and dishes. If you are not too picky about the details, I would highly suggest this. The good thing is if you find out that the place was not as you thought, or you do not want to be there for any reason, you may leave with a one month notice to the landlord. If you have lived in dormitory in Iran, this way of living should not be that difficult (in fact, it may be a lot of fun, as well as learning experience).
Last point that I want to mention is about renting an apartment (or suite) is subletting. In Canada, you have to rent an apartment for one full year. "Subletting an apartment" means that somebody else had signed the contract and rented the apartment for a year, but for any reason, has decided to move before one full year (usually within the last 2 or 3 months of the contract). In this case, he/she will look for somebody to transfer the contract to him/her for whatever time that is remained on his/her contract with the landlord. If you find a sublet advertisement and you think the place is good enough, it is preferable to an empty apartment for which you have to sign a contract for a full year. If you like the place, you can extend the contract at the due date. However, if you decide to change your place, you do not have to stay there for one year.
Good luck
Behraad Bahreyni
How is the weather in Montréal?
It has 3 months of very cold harsh winter and a very nice and sometimes hot and humid summer. Weather in Montréal is unpredictable. It's usually said that Montréal is WWW crazy where WWW stands for Weather, Work and Women. You can predict none of them! Fortunately, there are some websites that you can find weather predictions. One of them is: http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/forecast/city_e.html?yul . You can also find average temperature and also more detailed info on weather in Montreal in this website.
Good to know about tuition fee and your RA/TA salary
If you get an RA or TA, you'll get your money biweekly or monthly. However, you should pay your tuition fee at the begining of the semester when you register. Make sure that you have enough money to pay your first semester tuition fee. Otherwise, you have to talk to the office of student account services and ask them to get your tuition fee in installments. In this case, you should pay interest.
Moreover, it took about TWO MONTHS for me to get my first payment. I had to pay my tuition in installments and I had to pay my expenses for two months from my savings which wasn't too much. Make sure that you have enough money just in case you face a problem.
Moreover, it took about TWO MONTHS for me to get my first payment. I had to pay my tuition in installments and I had to pay my expenses for two months from my savings which wasn't too much. Make sure that you have enough money just in case you face a problem.
If someone has an admission, can his/her spouse get visa?
If the student has financial support, usually there is no problem for her/his spouse's visa. As you may know, spouse of a student can get an off-campus job and usually when the student has enough financial support, they can make ends meet.
Never send cash for your CAQ application fee
Never send cash for CAQ application fee, they will
return your money and your documents.
return your money and your documents.
One important thing to do before your departure
As You may know, most of Canadian universities do not offer dental health insurance. It is better to make your teeth checked before coming to Canada.
How can I get a certified check?
You can get certified checks from the main branch of Bank Melli in front of Germany Embassy in Istanbul intersection, Jomhouri Ave. You pay the amount you like to them in US Dollars and they will issue a certified check after 1 day. It is valid for every purpose in Canada including university and CAQ application fee. Remember you should mention the name of recipient. You can see a sample certified check in "Files > 02- CAQ" section of irancanada2003.
How can I get a job as a student?
You can work on-campus but not off-campus. However, a spouse of a student is able to get off-campus jobs. There are centers in each university that help students to find part-time jobs inside the university. One of the most common jobs for the students is teaching assistantship (TA). Your department informs you how you can apply for a TA position.
How can I find an apartment in Montreal?
You can reserve a temporary residence before coming here and if you spend some time you'll find a good apartment very soon. In order to start, just join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iraniansinmontreal and take a look at "Links > Montreal > Apartments". I recommend the following links:
http://classifieds.canada.com/montreal/
http://www.mcgill.ca/classified
http://english.montrealplus.ca/portal/index.jsp
http://hojo.csu.qc.ca/dev/
http://www.mcgill.ca/offcampus/
http://www.laberge.qc.ca/default.asp?Lg=en
Off-Campus housing (from Concordia University Website)
If most of your classes are downtown, or you’re an older student, or you simply prefer choosing your own type of living accommodations, then the off-campus option may be best for you. The Concordia Student Union (CSU) maintains an off-campus housing bank.
While Montreal is still surprisingly affordable for a major North American city, rents have been increasing steadily and apartments have become harder to find than in the past.
In general, apartments can be found close to both Concordia campuses (NDG and around Guy St. downtown, or in areas nearby). Here is a short description of some popular student areas:
NDG and environs: This is an affordable, fairly clean and quiet residential area, with a good sense of community. It’s great for students at Loyola, not as convenient for those studying downtown. Public transportation is available, however. Note that there’s not much of a nightlife here.
Downtown: Apartments near Guy St. are usually in high-rise type buildings, and a couple minutes’ walk to campus. Further east, there’s the ‘McGill ghetto,’ where walk-ups are available. Downtown apartments tend to be expensive, and their level of cleanliness varies greatly. However, you have access to great nightlife and transportation.
Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End: The Plateau is many students’ preferred location because of its access to nightlife, shopping and more attractive living spaces. However, gentrification has meant that prices have increased dramatically, yet apartments are harder than ever to find. The spillover has gone further north, to Mile End.
Little Burgundy/St. Henri/Verdun: These areas still have cheap housing available, and they’re near metro lines.
Montreal peculiarities
1- Find out if major appliances, such as refrigerator and stove, are included, or if you will have to find your own.
2- Apartment sizes come in the following: a 1 1/2 is a large room with kitchenette and bathroom; a 2 1/2 is larger, or has a double room or is L-shaped; a 3 1/2 has a separate bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom; a 4 1/2 has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom; a 5 1/2 usually has three bedrooms, and so on.
3- Find out whether heating is included. If not, plan for winter costs.
http://classifieds.canada.com/montreal/
http://www.mcgill.ca/classified
http://english.montrealplus.ca/portal/index.jsp
http://hojo.csu.qc.ca/dev/
http://www.mcgill.ca/offcampus/
http://www.laberge.qc.ca/default.asp?Lg=en
Off-Campus housing (from Concordia University Website)
If most of your classes are downtown, or you’re an older student, or you simply prefer choosing your own type of living accommodations, then the off-campus option may be best for you. The Concordia Student Union (CSU) maintains an off-campus housing bank.
While Montreal is still surprisingly affordable for a major North American city, rents have been increasing steadily and apartments have become harder to find than in the past.
In general, apartments can be found close to both Concordia campuses (NDG and around Guy St. downtown, or in areas nearby). Here is a short description of some popular student areas:
NDG and environs: This is an affordable, fairly clean and quiet residential area, with a good sense of community. It’s great for students at Loyola, not as convenient for those studying downtown. Public transportation is available, however. Note that there’s not much of a nightlife here.
Downtown: Apartments near Guy St. are usually in high-rise type buildings, and a couple minutes’ walk to campus. Further east, there’s the ‘McGill ghetto,’ where walk-ups are available. Downtown apartments tend to be expensive, and their level of cleanliness varies greatly. However, you have access to great nightlife and transportation.
Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End: The Plateau is many students’ preferred location because of its access to nightlife, shopping and more attractive living spaces. However, gentrification has meant that prices have increased dramatically, yet apartments are harder than ever to find. The spillover has gone further north, to Mile End.
Little Burgundy/St. Henri/Verdun: These areas still have cheap housing available, and they’re near metro lines.
Montreal peculiarities
1- Find out if major appliances, such as refrigerator and stove, are included, or if you will have to find your own.
2- Apartment sizes come in the following: a 1 1/2 is a large room with kitchenette and bathroom; a 2 1/2 is larger, or has a double room or is L-shaped; a 3 1/2 has a separate bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom; a 4 1/2 has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom; a 5 1/2 usually has three bedrooms, and so on.
3- Find out whether heating is included. If not, plan for winter costs.
What should I bring to Canada?
1. Documents: Have all of your important documents/certificates/licenses translated and bring them.
2. Your books and notes: Bring your essential books and notes. You know that books are really expensive over here. Although, even here, some people use copies of books.
3. Clothes: I think clothes are the most important thing you'd better to bring with yourself. By clothes, I mean regular trousers, jeans, T shirts, Formal and sport clothes. Don't bring many warm clothes because you won't need it. You'll buy a very good winter overcoat when you get here and all you need after is normal clothes which you can wear in normal room temperature. The main problem with clothes here is the sizing. You can hardly find something which fits you and usually you should pay about $15 to make it fit. Of course, this is my experience. I'm not sure if ladies or my tall athletic friends have the same problem.
4. Food: You don't need to bring food or any other eatable stuff :) Just bring "tanaghollat" if you like. I don know how to cook but I know that you can find almost every thing needed for any kind of Iranian food here, Halal Meat, Lappeh, Adas, Sabzie Ghormeie, Zard choube,Darchin, Limo Amani, Sauce Mahram, Ablimouie Yek-o-Yek,...You may want to bring Pistachio, Zereshk and Saffron. You may also want to bring a rice-cooker. Rice-cookers that you can find in Canadian stores are not as good as Iranian versions :) However, electricity voltage in Canada is 110V. I think a 110V Pars-Khazar rice-cooker is a good option.
It's also recommended to take a look at this page (Thanks to Hamid Younesy).
Comments by Alireza Tadayoni
Everything that behzad has told is true, except about bringing "Sabzijat" (because he does not cook ;) ). Vegetables are VERY VERY EXPENSIVE here. A packet of only 100g of any kind of "SabziKhoshk" like "Ghorme Sabzi", "Sabzieh Polo",.... is about $3 or $4, it means 30$-$40/kg. While you can buy or make it in Iran for only 0.1$/kg. So in my opinion the most important thing you must have is "Sabzi Khoshk". Bring cloths and trousers for your mid-term use only and not long-term, because you can find cloths a much lower price that what is in Iran in auctions. I saw so many auctions in Montreal from the time I have arrived (about 2.5months). You can buy Lee trousers for only $15 or less. Or T-shirts for only $2!!!!! It's true $2....
Everything that behzad has told is true, except about bringing "Sabzijat" (because he does not cook ;) ). Vegetables are VERY VERY EXPENSIVE here. A packet of only 100g of any kind of "SabziKhoshk" like "Ghorme Sabzi", "Sabzieh Polo",.... is about $3 or $4, it means 30$-$40/kg. While you can buy or make it in Iran for only 0.1$/kg. So in my opinion the most important thing you must have is "Sabzi Khoshk". Bring cloths and trousers for your mid-term use only and not long-term, because you can find cloths a much lower price that what is in Iran in auctions. I saw so many auctions in Montreal from the time I have arrived (about 2.5months). You can buy Lee trousers for only $15 or less. Or T-shirts for only $2!!!!! It's true $2....
Good Luck
Alireza Tadayoni
Friday, July 16, 2004
Living costs in Montreal
Gernerally, you can have a normal life with $7000-$10000 a year (without university tuition which is about $8000). It depends on your life style. You can compare Montreal with a few other cities here or here. More details are as follows:
Apartment: The rent will be about $300 if you share an apartment and about $500 and more, if you choose to live independently. You can check this website to find more detailed data.
Food: about $150
Transportation: $59.00 ($31.00 if you're under 25 years old). In montreal, you buy a monthly pass and you can use metro and bus services as much as you want. That's why your transportation expenses are fixed. For more information see http://www.stm.info/.
Apartment: The rent will be about $300 if you share an apartment and about $500 and more, if you choose to live independently. You can check this website to find more detailed data.
Food: about $150
Transportation: $59.00 ($31.00 if you're under 25 years old). In montreal, you buy a monthly pass and you can use metro and bus services as much as you want. That's why your transportation expenses are fixed. For more information see http://www.stm.info/.
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