LIVING 

Housing

Back in the day, one of Montreal’s selling points was the plethora of awesome, affordable abodes throughout the city. In the last few years, of course, the Plateau and other neighbourhoods have seen vacancy rates tumble, leading to significant rent hikes and duke-’em-up battles among desperate apartment seekers. But the situation has begun to look up this year with some landlords beginning to offer one month’s free rent again.

McGill Off-Campus Housing Computer housing listings for McGill students with valid student numbers. Listings are only available online and are updated daily: www.mcgill.ca/offcampus. For more housing advice drop by 3641 University (in the basement), Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm, 398-6010.

Concordia Off-Campus Housing and Job Bank Job and apartment listings. Online is best, as it is updated almost every day. http://hojo.csu.qc.ca. Or you can go in person - with valid Concordia ID - to 1455 de Maisonneuve W. #H260 (Hall bldg. mezzanine), 848-7476. Open Mon–Thu, 10am–6pm; Fri 11am–4pm. Printouts will be provided if you ask.

NDG Info Depot This user-oriented project of the NDG Community Council is an information centre on low-cost housing, welfare and more. 2121 Oxford (at de Maisonneuve), Wed and Fri, 10am–3pm, 483-5346 or www.ndg.montreal.qc.ca/ndgcc/english/info_depot_en.html

Government subsidized housing

With thousands of people currently on waiting lists for subsidized housing, this formerly viable option might not be as fruitful as it once was, but everything’s worth a try.

Societé d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM) Owns over 5,000 residential rental units that it rents out at slightly lower than market value. Students are eligible. 425 Sherbrooke E. #1. Open Mon-Fri. Call 380-7436 or go to www.shdm.qc.ca

Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM) Has about 20,000 subsidized rental units, offered to those below the poverty line. Full-time students are not eligible unless they have children. But remember it can take up to two and half years to get an apartment. 415 Saint-Antoine W., 872-2104 or www.omhm.qc.ca

Co-ops

Fédération des coopératives d’habitation de l’Île de Montréal (FÉCHIM) Represents co-op members and provides the master list of the housing co-ops on the Island of Montreal. They’ll provide this either in person or by mail. By mail, send a cheque or money order for $7 to FÉCHIM, 1000 Amherst #201, H2L 3K5. Include your name, address and phone number. You can also call to check the dates for upcoming information sessions, offered in French. Currently most co-ops have waiting lists of more than 100 names. Open Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm, service slow at lunchtime, 843-6929 or visit www.cooperativehabitation.coop

Tenants’ rights

Keeping abreast of your rights and obligations is even more advisable in today’s housing crunch.

It’s also good to keep in mind that Quebec leases make you and your roommates “jointly and severally responsible” for paying the rent and generally keeping your apartment in the condition you got it. Second, it’s a good idea to get any promises your landlord makes or other agreements between you on paper. There are many salient points worth having under your hat, and a number of places to seek advice. Contacting any of the following organizations before creating an open conflict or starting an official process is highly recommended.

Régie du logement This is a regional body of the Quebec government that exists to resolve landlord-tenant disputes in a court-like process. It also provides basic information on tenants’ and landlords’ rights and obligations. They’ll give you a general overview of what you can apply for and do, without getting into specifics. They also have a publicly accessible computer database of all previous Régie decisions, which means you can study your landlord before signing or messing with him or her. Re-read your lease and gather all relevant documents before attempting to deal with rental disputes. 5199 Sherbrooke E. #2095, among others, call 873-2245 for addresses and info or go to www.rdl.gouv.qc.ca

Arnold Bennett’s Housing Hotline Bennett’s name has become synonymous with tenants’ rights in Montreal. His Tenants’ Advisory Clinic is every Sat from 11am-1pm at 6462 Sherbrooke W. #2, Sun at 11am–1pm at the downtown YMCA, Rm 516 (1440 Stanley). Hotline is open weekdays from 9am–9pm, call 488-0412/990-0190

Regroupement des comités logements et associations de locataires du Québec An umbrella organization that can inform you of the Comité de logement closest to you. Each Comité offers information and advice on how to deal with housing problems from discrimination, to insects, to unreasonable rent increases. Call 521-7114 to get the local member group closest to you, or visit www.rclalq.qc.ca

Comité logement Centre-Sud Open Tue–Thu, 1:30-4:30pm. 1710 Beaudry #2.6 (metro Beaudry), 521-5992

Comité logement de la Petite Patrie Open Mon–Thu, 9:30am–4:30pm. 6747 St-Denis (metros Beaubien or Jean-Talon), 272-9006

Comité logement du Plateau Open Mon–Fri, 9am–12pm and 1:30–5pm but closed Tues mornings.4450 St-Hubert #328 (metro Mont-Royal), 527-3495

Comité logement Rosemont Open Mon–Fri, 9:30 am–12pm and 1:30-4:30pm. 5095 9th Ave., 597-2581

Association des locataires de Villeray Open Mon–Thur, 1:30–4:30pm. 7378 Lajeunesse #213 (metro Jean-Talon), 270-6703

Comiteé d’action de Parc Extension Open Mon–Thu, 9am–12:30pm and 1:30–5pm. 7745 Champagneur, #102. 278-6028 or www.cam.org/~cape

POPIR Open Mon–Thu, 9am–12pm and 1:30–4:30pm but closed Wed mornings. 4281 Notre-Dame W. (metro Place St-Henri), 935-4649 or www.cam.org/~popir

Other housing groups

Project Genesis A community activist group focusing on housing issues, particularly in Côte-des-Neiges. Offers services in English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, German, Greek, Italian, Dutch and Yiddish. Open Mon–Tue, 9am–5pm; Thu 9am–7pm; Fri 9am–3pm; closed Wed. 4735 Côte-Ste-Catherine, corner Victoria, 738-2036

L’OEIL de Côte-des-Neiges Advice on landlord-tenant disputes and issues. Open on a walk-in basis Mon 2-5pm, Wed 9:30am–12pm and 2–5pm, Fri 9:30am–12pm, or call to make an appointment for other times. 3600 Barclay #344 (metro Côte-des-Neiges then take 165 or 535 bus north to Barclay), 738-0101

NDG Community Council Landlord-tenant advice. Open Mon–Fri, 9am–12:30pm and 1:30–5pm. 6580 Sherbrooke W., 484-1471 or www.ndg.montreal.qc.ca

Other useful resources

City of Montreal Public Works Department Provides information about garbage collection, recycling, sidewalk repairs, information on drinking water and a schedule of dangerous materials collection etc. Call 872-1111, or 872-3434 (emergency) or follow the appropriate links at www.ville.montreal.qc.ca for fairly comprehensive coverage of these and other city services.

Tandem Montreal A city-run crime prevention service that sets up neighbourhood-watch programs and offers information and advice on home security. Call 872-1274 to find the one nearest you.

Access Montreal Storefront bureaucracy! Basically an agency set up by the city to allow Montreal residents to take care of business like paying taxes or tickets without going all the way down to city hall. The telephone information service is 24 hours, and gives the addresses of their 13 offices and info on other available services. The Access Montreal membership/discount card costs $7 and entitles you to discounts on both city and partner services, from tennis court rental to Centaur theatre tickets. You need to prove you’re a Montreal resident to get one. Call 87ACCES 24/7 or 872-1111, Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm

Communication Québec Offers info on Quebec government programs and services. 800 de Maisonneuve E. Call 1-800-363-1363, or for more complete info but limited English options, check out their Web site at www.comm-qc.gouv.qc.ca

O Canada Toll-free info service offers information and referrals on federal programs and services. Also gives names and office numbers of Government of Canada employees and departments. National Call Center: 1-800-622-6232 (1-800-O-Canada) or check out http://canada.gc.ca

WORKING 

Finding a job

Finding a job can be pretty tough for those who don’t speak French. Jobs in phone sales are popular with students and Montreal has no shortage of telemarketing positions up for grabs. Unfortunately, a lot of them are carefully disguised commission-only sales gigs and the best thing to do might be to hone your French skills and try to avoid them altogether. The best job opportunities will always come through personal contacts, although most newspapers now put their job ads on the Web for all to see and there are of course the usual online job sites, which relieve the job searcher of a bit of leg work.

Canada Employment Centre It’s wise to check in every few days at your local branch. Call 1-800-206-7218 for locations or to speak to someone about employment insurance or a SIN card. Posted listings and computerized job bank machines are available at each of the HRDJB locations. You can also find Job Bank listings on the Web at http://www.jobbank.gc.ca or www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca

Emploi-Québec Has many listings not on the federal site, as well as employment and training programs that are administered provincially. Call 499-6565 or check out http://emploiquebec.net

Access Montreal (see Tenants’ rights for details)

Concordia Off-Campus Housing and Job Bank (see Housing for details)

McGill Career and Placement Service Job service for McGill students. Job listings are only available on their Web site, but they have numerous programs at their office including free computer use for Internet access and CV creation. Open Mon–Thu, 9am–5pm, 3600 McTavish #2200. 398-3304 or www.caps.mcgill.ca

Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi A free employment and internship service for anyone between 16–25, including an online job bank and other services. 6370 Sherbrooke W., 482-6665 or www.cje-ndg.com

Youth Employment Services Started by Alliance Quebec, this group caters specifically to anglophones, usually between 18–35, looking for jobs. Besides the job search, they offer an entrepreneurship program, a career mentorship program, an artist’s program and an introductory business French course. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, 630 René-Lévesque #185 (metro Square-Victoria). Call 878-9788 or www.yesmontreal.ca

CV creation and copy centres

Don’t go a-hunting without a snappy résumé. There are countless options for making copies of your existing CV, but if you need to make one from scratch and don’t have a computer or printer at home, there are a number of options beyond your school’s computer lab.

Atwater Library Provides on-site rental of computers and printers - perfect for putting together your CV. They have 12 PC computers with high-speed Internet access and Windows XP and Office XP software. Wireless Internet is available for laptops having compatible wireless capabilities. Prices are $4/hour for non-members, $2/hour for members. Student memberships are $25 per year for a library membership that includes computer access. Printing costs 15¢/page for black-and-white and 30¢/page for colour. No time limit but they highly recommend calling to make an appointment and for hours. 1200 Atwater (metro Atwater), 935-7344 or www.atwaterlibrary.ca

Concordia Copy Centres Concordia students have access to three university copy centres. Beyond mere photocopying services, they’ll print your CV from a PC file (common applications supported) and can also scan images. Library Copy Centre LB-115 (1453 de Maisonneuve W.), 848-2424 ext 3483; Loyola Copy Centre CC-201 (7141 Sherbrooke W.), 848-2424 ext 3484; Super

Centre LB-119 (1400 de Maisonneuve W.), 848-2424 ext 3488

Jonathan and Elyce Joy Berman Multimedia-Centre At the Jewish Public Library, members presenting a valid library card can surf the net for free and have access to Windows XP software, CD-ROMs and databases. Non-members are welcome to use the Internet and e-mail for $2/hour and use Windows XP programs also for $2/hour. Other services include scanning, laser printing and computer courses. Closed Saturdays. 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine, 345-2627 ext 3001 or www.jewishpubliclibrary.org

Youth Employment Services (see Finding a Job) Offers one hour/day of free computer use for job-hunting on the Web and word processing. $5 deposit required. They’ll also translate your CV into French; the charge is $25 for a two-page CV and $15 for a one-page cover letter. Pay in advance, translation takes about one week.

Try also: Copies Ressources (3822 St-Laurent, 982-9435) It has everything you need to make a document or CV look great, including Mac services by the hour. They can laserprint from your disk in most formats, and fax out a copy as well. There are also several other good copy centres on St-Laurent between des Pins and Rachel. Synergie (2019 Bishop, 842-6817) provides copy services and computer/Internet use right by Concordia’s downtown campus; Copie 2000 rents computer time as well, at 5041 du Parc, 277-2000. Students will be familiar with either Copies Nova (1015 Sherbrooke W., 848-0423) or Copies Concordia (1520 de Maisonneuve W., 931-3063), and Copie Express has several locations around Montreal, including 680 Sherbrooke W., 288-0288; and 945 de Maisonneuve E., 526-0057. Those living further west can also try CORE Business Center at 5764 Monkland, 483-6869

Keeping a job

Commission des normes du travail Provincial office meant to ensure employment laws are observed, investigates complaints and offers employee mediation. Provides information on vacation pay, salaries, wrongful dismissal. Call 873-7061 or go to www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) The Quebec equivalent of the Workers’ Compensation Board. As the provincial agency mandated to improve health and safety in the workplace, it provides compensation for work accidents and parental-leave benefits, and investigates accidents. English communication is sometimes a problem. 1 Complexe Desjardins, South Tower, 31st fl., 906-3000, www.csst.qc.ca (currently French-only)

Action travail des femmes du Québec Resources and support for women workers in non-traditional jobs. 911 Jean-Talon E. #224, 768-7233

Centre d’aide aux travailleurs et travailleuses accidenté(e)s de Montréal Lobbies the government for better labour laws and provides aid for injured workers. The Centre d’aide also deals directly with the public through education, information sessions and consultations on workplace safety and labour laws. They’ll also help claimants at CSST hearings, distributes newsletters and pamphlets. 2570 Nicolet #202, 529-7942

Welfare/EI

If you are a student and wish to apply for welfare or employment insurance, it’s a good idea to consult with one of the following groups before contacting a government office. Unfortunately, many of the Web sites listed below are in French only.

Comité chômage de l’est de Montréal Information on unemployment and welfare laws as well as free legal representation. 1691 Pie-IX #302, 521-3283, www.ccem.ca

Comité chômage de Montréal Publishes a guide to Employment Insurance in English and French. Organized information sessions on employment law available on request. Web site includes a condensed version of their guide including info on student EI regulations. Open Mon–Fri, 9am–4:30pm, 3734 du Parc, 933-5915 (telephone service after 1pm only), www.comitechomage.qc.ca

Mile-End Community Mission Welfare rights info, advocacy and referrals. They’ll also help you fill out applications. Call first. 99 Bernard W., 274-3401 or montreal.anglican.org/parish/mile-end

Mouvement action-chômage de Montréal Informs you of your rights while receiving EI benefits. Weekly information meetings. 6839 Drolet #304, 271-4099

St. Columba House Welfare Rights Committee Run by and for people who are either on welfare or have been. Info and advocacy services. In Pointe St-Charles at 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202

Association pour la defense des droits sociaux A politically oriented group that will advise and assist individuals. 1691 Pie-IX Rm. S-02, 252-0788

Centre sociale d’aide aux immigrants Helps immigrants and refugees with welfare, EI and other issues. 4285 de Maisonneuve W., 932-2953

Welfare Hotline Social-aid info and complaints line run by Quebec’s Ministère de l’emploi et de la solidarité sociale. 1-888-643-4721 or try www.mess.gouv.qc.ca for extensive info offered in both languages.

GETTING THERE 

Transportation

Montreal is a fairly easy city to navigate and, with an extensive transportation system, it’s manageable even in the depths of winter. There are over 300 kilometres of bike paths crossing the city, and bus, commuter trains and metro lines covering most of the island and beyond.

STM (formerly STCUM) The Société de transport de Montréal, our bus and metro system, now offers a Monday-to-Sunday pass at $18. A strip of six tickets ($11.25) is still the budget option, but if you commute every other day or more, a $61 monthly pass works out cheapest. If you’re under 18 and a student, you can use public transit for about half the regular adult fares if you have the appropriate STM ID. If you’re a full-time student between the ages of 18 and 25 and a Montreal resident, you can take advantage of the Privilège card. Present appropriate proof of residence and student status and pay $9.50 for a photo ID to be eligible for half-price fares (the Privilège card is available year-round at the Berri-UQÀM metro). Card-issuing sessions will also be taking place at various schools this fall; you can check out the STM Web site for details. For other information, dial A-U-T-O-B-U-S (288-6287), and to know when a bus is coming before running out to catch it, dial the number on your bus stop sign. The phone service is often subject to agonizingly long delays, so a better bet for route and schedule information is their Web site: www.stm.info

AMT commuter trains Should ever you need to make it to the extreme edges of the city, from the South Shore to the West Island, or even to Mirabel, the Agence métropolitaine de transport’s commuter trains (trains de banlieue) are a viable option - faster than the bus, but with more limited schedules. Trains link up with the city metro system at various stations depending on the route. Prices vary based on your start and end zones—”intermediate” fares are offered to full-time students 18–21 years of age, and while you can transfer onto the STM system with the right ticket, bus drivers may occasionally look bewildered when you hand them your transfer. Check www.amt.qc.ca for details (limited info in English).

Buses

Bus lines are less expensive than taking a plane or train out of the city, but not necessarily by as much as you might like. Student reductions are available for many return fare tickets (ISIC not required); a round-trip ticket to T.O. costs just under $170 with the standard student discount of 25 per cent, down to just under $100 at special “excursion” rates. Companion fares and discounts are also available for many trips to the U.S. and Western Canada (always better to book seven days in advance for these). Buses leave from the Station Centrale at 505 de Maisonneuve E., (metro Berri-UQÀM). Call 842-2281 for schedules and prices.

Trains

Via Rail An international student identification card (ISIC) will get you a 33 per cent discount off regular prices for destinations in Canada. Other student ID won’t get you discounts with Via. However, anybody can get 30 per cent off economy fares for a return trip and 20 per cent off a one-way trip if they book at least five days in advance, provided economy seats are still available. If you travel to one destination frequently, you might consider the VIA 6 pak. Purchase three round-trip tickets to the same destination upfront and you’ll save around 50 per cent off the full price—a T.O. 6 pak, for instance, will set you back $342 (plus tax). Station Centrale (metro Bonaventure), 989-2626, www.viarail.ca

Planes

Trudeau (Dorval) Airport If you are beginning your journey from downtown Montreal, airport shuttle buses cost much less than a taxi, which can cost $30+ to Dorval or $50+ to Mirabel. For Dorval, buses leave every 20 mins from 7am–2am from the Berri bus station (Station Centrale, see Buses) and 10 minutes after the Station Centrale departure from 777 de la Gauchetière (394-7200). The trip to Dorval costs $13 one way or $22.75 for the round-trip; another option is to take the 211 or 221 bus lines from Lionel Groulx to Dorval, then switch to the STM airport shuttle.

Automobiles

Many car rental agencies require that you have a credit card, be 21 to 25 years of age, and they might also freeze anywhere from $500–$1,000 on your credit card depending on your age. However, there are a few other options.

Driveaway Call three or four days before you want to leave for a distant destination and they just might have someone else’s car for you to drive. The trips are usually one-way and destinations are more often westward. But all you pay is a refundable deposit and gas, which differs depending on the car. Know when you want to go before you call. You must be 21 or older. 345 Victoria, 489-3861.

Allô Stop A carpool organization that matches riders with drivers at cheap rates. It costs $6 a year to become a member as a rider plus a small variable fee for each trip, which is paid to the driver. Joining as a driver costs $7. The service only offers trips within Quebec. They also have a classifieds posting on their Web site where you can check for others looking for long-distance travelling companions and even house-swapping in other cities. Allô Stop assumes no responsibility for contacts made via their classified section. 4317 St-Denis, 985-3032, www.allostop.com

CommunAuto This car-sharing service can help if you’re the type who can’t afford a car, but needs one now and again at lower-than-rental rates. Based in the Plateau, they have about 60 cars to share for errands, day trips or short holidays. A $500 deposit - refundable after one year if you opt out - is the daunting initial expense, but you’re charged just $1.50–$2 per hour for trips within the city (max $15–$20 per day) plus a few cents per kilometre. Gas, insurance and other perks are included. Call 842-4545 or try www.communauto.com

Cycling

If you have a bike, chances are you’ll find it to be one of the handier modes of transportation in Montreal. For one, it’ll save you bus/metro fare and cut your walking time by hours. Below are some of the places to go for new or used bikes, and you’ll find a few places that do cheap tune-ups and even store your bike for the winter months. Beware that Montreal is notorious for bike thievery, so do everything in your power to protect your wheels.

ABC Cycle and Sports Upscale shop that’s been around since 1932. Pricey, but they do have top-of-the-line equipment. 5584 du Parc (corner St-Viateur), 276-1305

Bicycletterie JR Cyclery Offers repairs, parts and accessories. 151 Rachel E., 843-6989

Cycle Pop The people’s bike shop. Buys and sells used bikes (at Recycle Pop). Cheap repairs (maximum $24/hour) and for $39.95 you get a complete tune-up. Also offers bike storage and “spinning” - or indoor bicycling with your bike on special rollers - for $10 a session. 1000 Rachel E. (by Parc Lafontaine), 526-2525

D’un sport à l’autre A Mile-End treasure chest of used sporting goods including bikes, biking gear and accessories. Regular tune-ups are $24.95. 173 Bernard W., 278-1909

Right to Move (La Voie Libre) A working group of Concordia QPIRG, RTM offers bike repair workshops to the general public. Workshops are free, but the organization will gratefully accept donations. Volunteers are on hand to help you fix your bike on the spot. They also recycle bikes. Located at Concordia’s downtown campus, call 999-4885 or 848-7584 (open nights Mon-Fri, 6-9pm) or go to www.rtm-lvl.org

Techno Cycle Prices are competitive at this small shop near Atwater Market, and they teach a range of courses on bike mechanics and repair. Spring tune-ups start at $30. Winter storage is available. 2717 Notre-Dame W., 937-3626

V-Low Specializes in low-rider bikes and accessories. For those who like being the coolest retro kid on the block. 93 Rachel W., 849-8659

Skateboards

Skateboards have become a real (if technically illegal) alternative to legging it in this city. And while Montreal has suffered a lacklustre rep when it comes to skatepark facilities, things are starting to come around. The City of Montreal (www.ville.montreal.qc.ca) publishes a map of skate parks throughout the city, including basic module stats, available online in pdf format. For serious indoor options, on the South Shore there’s the 26,000-square-foot South Parc (8100 Taschereau, Brossard, (450) 672-4884, www.south-parc.com), in Laval there’s D-Rooch (450) 681-7800) - which, although temporarily closed, expects to re-open in a new location in the next couple of months - and newly opened Orkus skatepark (4300 Chemin Cote de Liesse (514) 789-6759, www.orkus.ca), on the island no less, offers 30,000 square feet of skateboard heaven. Check www.info-skate.com or www.pvr-zone.com for info on shops, parks and events throughout Quebec. Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention both the illegal but much ballyhooed pedestrian walkways at Parc Olympique, which has been a long time favourite location among local skate enthusiasts, and the Ripper Sk8 nights (www.rippersk8.com), Wednesdays at Foufounes Électriques (37 Ste-Catherine E.)—complete with cheap beer, DJ Dirt, extreme stunts on the big screen and a bona fide indoor halfpipe.

Diz Decks, longboards - you need it, they got it. 48 Westminster, 486-9123

Empire Skateboards, snowboards and related paraphernalia. 365 St-Antoine E., 390-1212

Obsession En Ligne Skate, snow and inline goods from high-end to last year’s deal. 4084 St-Laurent, 282-6353

Temple A Chinatown skater haunt that’s been around a good 20 years. 1007 St-Laurent (2nd floor), 875-8838

Underworld Two stores in Greater Montreal, or shop online; skateboards, clothing and accessories plus skater DVDs and videos. 289 Ste-Catherine E., 284-6473; 10738 Millen, 383-4656; www.underworld-shop.com

EATING 

GROCERIES

Markets

Fresh produce is never far off. Four markets in Montreal give farmers a chance to sell their stock - home-grown fruit and vegetables as well as local cheese, meat, fish. The big two are Marché Atwater (138 Atwater; metro Lionel-Groulx) and Marché Jean-Talon (7075 Casgrain; metro Jean-Talon). Other markets are Marché Maisonneuve (4445 Ontario E.; metro Pie-IX) and Marché Saint-Jacques (1125 Ontario E.; metro Berri-UQÀM). Official hours are Mon–Wed, 8am–6pm, Thu–Fri, 8am–9pm, weekends 8am–5pm, although some farm-stalls may open earlier. The markets are open year round.

Health-food stores

À Votre Santé As well-stocked as any good grocery, except everything’s organic. 5126 Sherbrooke W., 482-8233

Club Organic Specializes in organically raised vegetables, some meats, and sells bulk foods. 4341 Frontenac, 523-0223

Fleur Sauvage Also has cosmetics, supplements, herbs. 5561 Monkland, 482-5193

Frenco Bulk food with vitamins, herbs and spices and some organic foods. 3985 St-Laurent, 285-1319

Health Tree Specializes in vitamins and supplements. 7133 Côte-St-Luc, 484-5031

Bio-Naturel 201 St-Viateur W., 278-3377

Le Frigo Vert A non-profit health-food co-op operated by Concordia University’s student associations boasts the lowest prices on health foods and organic produce in town. 2130 Mackay, 848-7586

Rachelle-Béry Organic foods, cosmetics and vitamins. 505 Rachel E., 524-0725; 2510 Beaubien E., 727-2327; 4660 St-Laurent, 849-4118; 1332 Fleury E., 388-5793, and new location in the Village at 2005 Ste-Catherine E., 525-2215

Tau 4238 St-Denis, 843-4420

Teva 5143 Décarie, 486-5542

Ethnic foods

There’s no sense alternating between Kraft Dinner and burgers all year in a city so abundantly stocked with the foods of the world. And though it would be nice, you can’t possibly eat out every day. Success lies in finding the right ingredients which, in Montreal, simply means knowing which area to shop in.

Chinatown is an obvious place to start when looking for Asian ingredients; there are countless groceries and specialty shops between Viger, St-Denis, René-Lévèsque and St-Urbain. Authentic Japanese products can also be found at Miyamoto (382 Victoria, 481-1952).

If you’re looking for the real Italian thing, then take a trip to Little Italy (St-Laurent just south of Jean-Talon) and the nearby Jean-Talon Market. Many groceries, butchers and cheese shops can be found in the area, with plenty of places to stop for an espresso along the way. Italian grocery Latina in Mile-End (185 St-Viateur W., 273-6561) is also a lovely, if high-end, place to shop.

Heading north from Fairmount, the Mile-End district is packed with great restos, cafés, groceries and several infamous bagel shops including Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount W., 272-0667) and St-Viateur Bagels (263 St-Viateur W., 276-8044), both open 24 hours. St-Viateur is home to restaurants plus several groceries: Latina (see above), a great little Polish deli called Euro-Deli Batory (115 St-Viateur W., 948-2161) and Bio-Naturel (see Health Food), as well as numerous cafés in the five-block stretch between the Main and du Parc. Get your fresh tortillas, nachos and chipotles at Tortilleria Maya (5274 St-Laurent, 495-0606). It makes the neighbourhood a relaxing alternative to the plentiful but crowded strip of St-Laurent between des Pins and Mont-Royal. If you are in that area, stop by La Vieille Europe (3855 St-Laurent, 842-5773) for a lively and affordable delicatessen, cheese shop and specialty store.

Other specialty food stores include Les Aliments Exotiques (733-7577, 6695 Victoria) for West Indian products and Marché Adonis (2001 Sauvé W., 382-8606) and Marché Akhavan (6170 Sherbrooke W., 485-4744) for Middle Eastern fare. Don’t try going to either Kosher City (4765 Van Horne, 733-2838) or the Kosher Quality Bakery (5855 Victoria, 731-7883) after sundown on Friday. You can find the world pour emporter at Le Faubourg Ste-Catherine (1616 Ste-Catherine W., 939-3663). P.A. Super Marché (5029 du Parc, 273-8782) sells some organic meat and produce, stays open to 11pm nightly and offers free delivery within the neighbourhood if your grocery load is too heavy to carry.

Late-night groceries

4 Frères Late-night hunger has met its match: leave the club and head straight there. Open 24 hours at 3701 St-Laurent, 844-1874. Up in Mile-End, the other 4 Frères at 5600 du Parc, 272-5258 is open 8am–11pm every day, though selection is more limited. Neither comes highly recommended for fresh produce (see above sections).

Provigo A late-night grocery to satisfy the most monstrous munchie sufferers. Open 8am–2am daily at 1953 Ste-Catherine W., 932-3756; until midnight at 3421 du Parc, 281-0488. A new mega location on the Plateau is convenient but don’t forget the little guys in the hood, 50 Mont-Royal W, 849-8028, open until 11pm.

RESTOS

Given that these lists are by no means exhaustive, with priority given to restos near student areas, you can always visit our Web site at www.montrealmirror.com and follow the links to look through archived restaurant reviews. Also in our archives you can find a link to this year’s Best of Montreal (BOM) issue, where Mirror readers listed their favourite restos.

Cheap eats

Another Montreal blessing is that it’s not hard to get fed for less than a tenner. This, plus the great selection of ethnic restaurants, means even those on a modest budget can afford a good sit-down meal now and again.

For those budgeters who can’t be bothered to cook at all, there are a couple of books to help you out. Simon Dardick and Nancy Marrelli’s book Cheap Thrills, published by Véhicule Press, includes nearly 100 listings of Montreal restos where you can eat for under $15. Also, check out former Mirror resto critic Sarah Musgrave’s book Resto a Go-Go: 180 Cheap and Fun Places to Eat and Drink in Montreal (ECW, 2002). In it find info on meals under $15 and where to booze it up.

Al-Taib Great for Concordia students looking for a quick, cheap hunger fix. 2125 Guy, 931-1999

Amazona Family-style Greek place with great prices and better food. Among the best tzatziki in town. Not to be confused with other Amazonas. 5525 Côte-St-Luc, 484-2612

Amelio’s An institution in the McGill Ghetto for several decades. Their specialties are pizza and pastas served in generous portions and at student-friendly prices. 201 Milton, 845-8396

Arahova Souvlaki heaven. 1425 Crescent (499-0262) and other locations

Basha A Montreal centre for shawarma, falafel and shish taouk. The best is their flagship location across from the Paramount Cinema, 930 Ste-Catherine W., 866-4272

Binerie Mont-Royal 1940s-style diner where you can eat like a lumberjack. Very small place with cheap, homey, meat-oriented food. 367 Mont-Royal E., 285-9078

Boustan Notable falafel two steps from Concordia. 2020A Crescent, 843-3576

Bombay Mahal Indian resto in the heart of downtown, open for lunch and dinner. Well-priced buffet offerings. 1242 Crescent, 392-3888

Breads of India Awesome veggie thali. Student specials. 2027 St-Laurent, 982-3724

Buffet Maharaja Limited vegetarian offerings but everything else: very yummy. Buffet will be budget-friendly if you come with an empty stomach to fill. 1481 René-Lévesque W., 934-0655

Casse-Croute du Coin Affectionately known as Moe’s, this spot on de Maisonneuve behind the old Forum is a staple for students looking to get their grease quota between classes or post-party. All day breakfast and the usual fare, open until the wee hours. Not listed, but don’t fear, it ain’t going anywhere.

Chez Gatsé A Tibetan restaurant offering exotic food from the “Roof of the World,” at low-altitude prices. 317 Ontario E., 985-2494

Cristal no. 1 This Vietnamese diner is often packed with an assortment of local Chinatown residents and visitors. Disarmingly inexpensive, the meal-sized Tonkinoise soups contain all the necessary life-sustaining ingredients. 1068 St-Laurent, 875-4275

Euro-Deli A lower St-Laurent mainstay, cheap pasta, pizza, calzone... 3619 St-Laurent, 843-7853

Le Faubourg Technically speaking it’s a mall, but their international 3rd floor food-court has a few gems, including Bangkok, a Thai delight and Maison du Bédouin, which offers North African food (see Ethnic Foods)

Ganges Arguably the best Indian food in Montreal – at a price that can’t be beat. Well worth a trip to N.D.G. 6079 Sherbrooke W., 488-8850

Just Noodles Watch your food being prepared at these noodle emporiums. The price is right and the food’s always fresh. 2061 Ste-Catherine W., 989-5826; 3711 St-Laurent, 288-9593; and there’s a similar Mr. Noodles at 355 Bernard W., 274-7452

Kilo A nice place to meet and eat, especially if you like coffee and decadent desserts. 5206 St-Laurent, 277-5039; 1495 Ste-Catherine E., 596-3933

Luck Hop Foo Quality Chinese for the right price. Delivery also. 5214 St-Laurent, 948-5503

Ma’s Place Inexpensive, wholesome Caribbean fare. 5889 Sherbrooke W., 487-7488

Maison VIP Great Chinese food for a small small price. Arrive earlier than 11:45pm for a seat. 1077 Clark, 861-1943

Mazurka Like having a home-cooked meal prepared by Polish relatives. This family-run restaurant has been around since the ‘60s. Some vegetarian dishes have been added to the menu. The $7.25 special ($8.75 on weekends) is a real bargain. 64 Prince-Arthur E., 844-3539 .

La Paryse Enjoy one of the best burgers in town in comfortable neo-retro surroundings. 302 Ontario E., 842-2040

Patati-Patata A healthy casse-croute for the broke; get a burger, fries and salad for $4 - veggie, fish and chicken options to boot. Fries are Belgian-style, and the poutine is made with stir-fry (sounds weird, tastes good). 4177 St-Laurent, 844-0216

Pur Amore Enormo-portions of first rate Italian dishes at bargain basement prices. One of the best deals in town. 5058 du Parc, 272-0773

Sara Once a dingy little falafel dive in a prime location, has moved across the street into a Blockbuster-style locale. Still great for post-party munchies; last call here also at 3am. 1 Mont-Royal W., 844-7575

Schwartz’s Legendary for its smoked meat. The tables are crammed together, the waiters are often surly and line-ups aren’t uncommon, but regulars will swear it’s all worth it. 3895 St-Laurent, 842-4813

La Taqueria Mexicaine Quality authentic Mexican food at darn good prices. 4306 St-Laurent, 982-9462

Wilensky’s Light Lunch Where Mordecai Richler hung out as a kid. This 60-year-old institution is famous for its hand-pumped sodas, rickety wooden stools, and “The Special,” basically salami on a bun. Closes early and is never open on the weekend. 34 Fairmount W., 271-0247

Vegetarian restos

Good listings of Montreal restos and other vege-head resources are available online at various locations. Try www.montreal.com/tourism/veggie.html.

Aux Vivres Leisurely organic vegan restaurant with specialties like mock bacon, mock lox and home-made chapatis. 4631 St-Laurent, 842-3479

Café les Entretiens A small café that has a large menu with a variety of salads and a table d’hôte every day. 1577 Laurier E. (near Papineau), 521-2934

Café Lola Rosa Quality food, reasonable prices, great location for McGill students and it always smells so good when you walk by. 545 Milton, 287-9337

Casa del Popolo This popular bar and venue could just as easily fit into the Cheap Eats category - they offer a tasty if small selection of vegetarian sandwiches ($5), salads plus a soup of the day. A soup/salad/sandwich plate goes for $9. 4873 St-Laurent, 284-3804

ChuChai An all-vegetarian Thai restaurant, specializes in fake vege-meats. You won’t believe it’s not chicken. 4088 St-Denis, 843-4194

Le Commensal A tasty variety of foods, but be aware that you pay for this vegetarian buffet by the gram. 1720 St-Denis, 845-2627; 1204 McGill-College, 871-1480; 5199 Côte-des-Neiges, 733-9755; and a few other locations.

Pushap Exotic Indian fare including lotus root and great Indian desserts made on-site. 5195 Paré (Namur metro) 737-4527 and new location at 975 Jean-Talon O. (Parc metro) 274-3003

Spirite Restaurant and Lounge Now entirely vegan and no longer charging a ‘fine’ for not finishing your food but still offering only one thing on the menu each day. The cost for students, including appetizer, is $12.95 and you’ll be given a personalized portion. Good luck trying not to finish the food on your plate. 1205 Ontario E., 522-5353

Végé-Deli Sandwiches, salads. 845 Ste-Catherine E. (Place Dupuis), 287-3564

Yuan Similar to ChuChai but even cheaper. Cuisine is “Pan-Asian.” Also has a tea room, a grocery and take out. 400 Sherbrooke E. (at St-Denis), 848-0513

Study-friendly cafés

Brainwash Café (see Laundry)

Café Vienne Has about 14 other outlets on the island, many within other student areas. This one near Concordia has student specials and a sunny terrasse when the weather permits. Smoking. 7am–9pm, 8pm on weekends. 2153 Guy (corner de Maisonneuve), 932-4832

Café Santropol Unique setting, ideal for reading, writing term papers or just procrastinating. Filling sandwiches with exotic ingredients, hearty soups and famed selection of house-blended herb teas. Beautiful garden in back when the weather’s nice. Fifteen per cent of all profits goes to charity. Open 11:30am–midnight, 3990 St-Urbain, 842-3110

Ciné Express Whether you need coffee around the clock, a place to screen the film you made in school or just somewhere to watch TV between classes, Ciné Express is the place. Frequently hosts art exhibitions and stand-up comedy, and they show a movie every night. They have chess and backgammon boards. Licensed, with student specials. Smoking. Open until 1am weekdays, 3pm weekends. 1926 Ste-Catherine W. (corner St-Marc), 939-CINE

Open Da Night This laid-back neighbourhood hangout is now something of a Mile-End institution. Open 7am–midnight seven days a week. Don’t be confused by the “Café Olimpico” sign, you’re at the right place. 124 St-Viateur W., 495-0746

Pharmacie Esperanza A café with a conscience. All coffees and teas here are fair trade, and they serve food. At night it turns into a bar. Hosts events of the change-the-world-variety. Sunny and quiet for daytime studying. 5490 St-Laurent (corner St-Viateur), 948-3303

Second Cup There’s a 24-hour café in the McGill Ghetto, which has a lot of terrasse space. 3498 du Parc (corner Milton), 288-2903.

Tim Hortons With locations next to both Concordia and McGill, a handy place to cram throughout the night. 24 hours. 2081 Guy, 935-1942; 674 Sherbrooke W., 286-0404

Starbucks Some central locations are 1171 Ste-Catherine W., 843-4418, 5526 Monkland, 904-2233, 5101 du Parc, 907-7827, 1709 St-Denis, 904-5288

Cybercafés

Presse Café Computers with Internet access for $5/hour or $3.50 for a half an hour. Open 24 hours. 1263 Ste-Catherine E., 528-9530

Intertainment Café Karaoke, bubble tea and high speed internet – who needs more? Open late. 1425 René-Lévesque W. (corner Bishop), 788-8008

Café Planète A cozy Plateau cybercafé with nice espresso and terminals. 163 Mont-Royal E., 844-2233

Netopia 24/7 in the Quartier Latin. 1737 Saint-Denis, 286-5446

WiFi hotspots

Studying in a WiFi hotspot café (where wireless Internet access is available) is an attractive option if you own a laptop. Some locations will charge you, some have limited free access if you make a purchase, and a very few are all-around free. Note that you need to have purchased a wireless card in order to connect, although some cafés lend cards. WiFi locales are sprouting up quickly around town, so take the below listing as by no means exhaustive and check out www.ilesansfil.org/tiki-index.php

A.L. Van Houtte $3.44 (tax incl) for half an hour or $5.14 (tax incl) for an hour. Definitely proche for UdM students. 165 St-Paul W., 288-9387, and other locations

Café Dépôt A bit pricey at $4 for half an hour, but convenient for Concordia students. 1490 Maisonneuve W., 931-1570

Café Café Free access on the Main. ‘Nuff said. 3685 St-Laurent, 284-9579

Java U Feel free to bring your laptop and have a java. Free Wi-Fi 4914 Sherbrooke W., 482-7077, and other locations

All-night & late-night eats

Arahova Souvlaki A plethora of tasty Greek delights in simple surroundings. These two locations have different owners. Open until 2am Sun–Thu, until 5am Fri–Sat. 256 St-Viateur W., 274-7828; 1425 Crescent, 499-0262

Ben’s A mainstay of late-night eateries, where the all-night crowd used to wait for the morning papers to read the racing results. Smoked meat, photos of stars who’ve visited and stuffy waiters who look like they’ve been there since the beginning of time. Open Sun–Wed 7:30am–2am, Thu 7:30am–3am, Fri–Sat 7:30am–4am. 990 de Maisonneuve W., 844-1000

Casse-Croute du Coin (see Cheap Eats)

Chez Claudette Diner food with vegetarian touches. 24 hours on weekends only. They serve breakfast all day and have a selection of freshly squeezed juice drinks. 351 Laurier E., 279-5173

La Banquise Poutine heaven, open 24/7. 994 Rachel E., 525-2415

Euro Deli Offers good, cheap, Italian-style eats for the hipster crowd. Open Mon–Wed 8:30am–midnight, Thu–Fri from 8:30am–2am, Sat 9am–2am, Sun 10am–midnight. 3619 St-Laurent, 843-7853.

Fameux Viande Fumée et Charcuterie A great diner for late-night cramming; friendly waitresses will hook you up to a coffee IV if you ask nice. The biggest, baddest poutines, including one that’s piled high with smoked meat. Smoking section and lots of neighbourhood weirdos. 4500 St-Denis, corner Mont-Royal, open nightly until 4am, 4:30am on weekends, 845-8732

Green Spot Classic casse-croute fare in the liveliest part of St-Henri. Open 5am–midnight Mon–Thu, 24 hours on weekends. 3041 Notre-Dame W., 931-6473

The Main Good smoked meat, blintzes and latkes, or breakfast depending on your mood. Open Sun–Thu 10am–5am, Fri–Sat 10am–5:00am. 3864 St-Laurent, 843-8126

Picasso Lots of variety and open 24/7. 6810 St-Jacques, 484-2832

Presse Café (see Cybercafés)

Salonica An all-night casse-croute with a variety of poutines and other decent, debauched fare - their “small” poutine feeds at least two. Delivery until 6am. 5261 St-Denis (one block north of Laurier), 274-9319/274-9310

Breakfast/Brunch

A Montreal tradition, and a great way for students to get their essential vitamins and nutrients for the day at a minimal cost.

Bagel Etc From the basic to blintzes, this jazzy spot offers up breakfast with style. 4320 St-Laurent, 845-9462

Beauty’s A Jewish-Montreal landmark with a ‘50s diner feel. Offers every breakfast variation. 93 Mont-Royal W., 849-8883

Byblos One does not think Iranian when thinking of brunch—this place will change that. Breakfast until 4pm on weekends; magic egg scrambles served with home-made breads and jams. 1499 Laurier E., 523-9396

Cosmos Snack Bar A noisy, friendly greasy-spoon specializing in crude but effective mega-calorie breakfasts. 5843 Sherbrooke W., 486-3814

Dusty’s Now bigger but prices still so low you’ll think that you’ve gone back in time. 4510 du Parc, 276-8525

Oxford Café While the original Oxford is something of a West-end institution, there’s now a second location at Atwater metro. All-day brunch options from French toast to eggs bennie. 5630 Sherbrooke W., 485-5720 (Vendôme); 2170 Ste-Catherine W., 939-1600 (Atwater)

Place Milton Breakfast served until closing time, which is around 3pm every day. Worth waiting in line for. 220 Milton, 285-0011

Senzala Weekend brunch Brazilian-style. Often a wait, but where else will you find poached eggs in an avocado? 177 Bernard W., 274-1464

Already mentioned (see above), of the all-day-breakfast-greasy-spoon variety: Casse-Croute du Coin, Fameux, Greenspot, The Main, and Picasso.

SHOPPING 

Low-budget clothes

Avenue du Mont-Royal The blocks on this street between St-Laurent and St-Denis are lined with second-hand stores. Stock varies wildly, so it’s hard to recommend one shop over another. As the strip’s popularity has risen over the years, so have the prices.

Chabanel Street Just north of the Metropolitain between St-Laurent and du Parc is shmataland. Montreal still has a large textile industry, most of which is located in this district. Here you’ll find factory outlets that sell to the public directly, but only on Saturday mornings.

Local 23 It’s a friperie with a unique concept; part affordable vintage, part boutique featuring items from local designer Jennifer Glasgow. 23 Bernard W., 270-9333

Eva B Both new and used, offers a great selection of leather and women’s clothing, much of which is made on-site. For the theatrically minded, they also rent costumes at reasonable rates. 2013 St-Laurent (at Ontario), 849-8246

Friperie St-Laurent Second-hand clothing boutique with great ‘40s ties and other treats. 3976 St-Laurent, 842-3893

Fripe-Prix Renaissance This smaller, lesser-known discount chain is actually cheaper than Village des Valeurs, with a $1–$10 price range tax included. At the branch on the Main, there’s the bonus of a used book, record and computer basement. Various locations including 7250 St-Laurent, (corner Jean-Talon), 276-3626

Le Château Warehouse All the stuff you saw in the regular outlets that didn’t sell. They slash the prices. 5255 Jean-Talon W., 341-5301

Salvation Army A wicked array of clothes at insanely low prices. Also sells used furniture and household goods. Get everything you need, and the cash goes to a good cause. 1620 Notre Dame W, 935-7425;6180 Côte-des-Neiges, 344-9646; 5762 Sherbrooke W., 488-8714

Village des Valeurs An institution for Montrealers on a budget, there are five locations in the greater Montreal area and stock is not limited to clothing. Try to head over early—things are picked over by the end of the day. 4906 Jean-Talon W. (metro Namur), 739-1962; 6779 Jean-Talon E. (metro Langelier to connecting Northbound bus), 254-0433; 2033 Pie-IX, 528-8604; 5630 Henri-Bourassa (corner Lacordaire), 327-7447

Also, Montreal has a ton of fashion outlets and liquidation centres that feature merchandise from big retail stores going for considerably lower prices. Consult Sandra Phillips’ Smart Shopping Montreal for details on where to find more budget-friendly fashion.

Low-budget furniture

City of Montreal Public Auctions Call for the schedules and details. 969 Louvain E., 872-2340

Le Coffre aux Trésors du Châinon Secondhand furniture. 4375 St-Laurent, 843-4354

Duvet Ungava Good selection and prices for futons and duvets. 10 des Pins W., ground floor, 287-9276

Ikea Hard to get to without a car (if you’re going by bus it’s a good idea to call their switchboard for detailed directions before setting out). The usual do-it-yourself furniture fare at moderate prices awaits. 9191 Cavendish (off the Metropolitain), 738-2167

Fly Trade your meatballs in for brie. Just off the Autoroute 15 in Laval, this affordable French home decor chain (Ikea-like in concept) has only recently reached North American shores—and la belle province is its first stop. 2888 Cosmodome, (450) 687-3361

Futon d’Or Futons galore. 3855 St-Denis, 499-0438

Salvation Army (see Low-budget Clothes)

Books

Academic and General Book Shop New and used books on a range of topics, and what they don’t have, they can order. 385 Sherbrooke W., 849-3833

Argo Eclectic Main focus here on literature. 1915 Ste-Catherine W., 931-3442

Artexte Art Library with focus on Canadian contemporary. 460 Ste-Catherine W. #508, 874-0049

Chapters Three huge floors of books, magazines and a Starbucks café. Occasional launches and signings. Open late. Downtown location is at 1171 Ste-Catherine W., 849-8825

Cheap Thrills Used books, as well as new and used CDs. 2044 Metcalfe, 844-8988.

Diamond Bookstore Second-hand, remaindered and rare stock. 5035 Sherbrooke W., 481-3000

L’Échange Buy and sell books (mostly French) as well as music and comics. 713 Mont-Royal E., 523-6389 or 3694 St-Denis, 849-1913

Indigo As they say, it’s “books, music and café.” The store at McGill-College & Ste-Catherine is roomy and open to 11pm nightly. 1500 McGill, 281-5549

Librairie Astro Used books, comics (new and used), trading cards, videos and CDs. 1844 Ste-Catherine W., 932-1139

Librairie Italiana Italian books, magazines, video rentals and records. 6792 St-Laurent, 277-2955

Librairie Las Americas Spanish books. 10 St-Norbert (off St-Laurent just below Sherbrooke), 844-5994

Librairie Michel Fortin Inc. Specializes in language books, but also serves as a general bookstore. 3714 St-Denis, 849-5719

Librairie du Moyen-Orient Specializes in books from the Arab world. 877 Décarie, 744-4886

Librairie Ulysse Excellent selection of travel books, guides and maps. 560 President Kennedy, 843-7222

McGill Bookstore A comprehensive selection with a cybercafé upstairs. Closed Sundays. 3420 McTavish, 398-7444

Mélange Magique Metaphysical, holistic and occult books. They also carry incense and crystals. 1928 Ste-Catherine W., 938-1458 or visit www.themagicalblend.com

Nicholas Hoare Highbrow champions of bookstore feng shui. Also sell CDs. Ogilvy basement, 1307 Ste-Catherine W., 499-2005; 1366 Greene, 933-4201

Odyssey Buys and sells used and rare English-language books, especially art, literature and history, plus used and classical and jazz records. 1439 Stanley, 844-4843

Paragraphe Good selection of new books, including a great children’s section; if it’s not in stock, they’ll order it for you. Attached to a Second Cup. 2220 McGill-College, 845-5811

Renaud Bray With locations all over the city, this mainly franco bookstore (does have a limited English section), also carries mags and music. 4380 St-Denis, 844-2587, 5117 Parc, 276-7651, as well as in the Complexe Desjardins at 150 Ste-Catherine W., 288-4844

S.W. Welch Used and rare books bought and sold; good prices offered for used books., but can be picky about what they take. 3878 St-Laurent, 848-9358

Vortex Mostly used books, but the owners take great care to make sure they’re in the best condition. A lot of rare and first-edition stock. Name your subject. 1855 Ste-Catherine W., 935-7869

The Word Buys and sells art, philosophy and literature books, and has all of last year’s McGill textbooks. There’s also a wall of classic must-reads for only a dollar, and a comprehensive supply of zines and literary mags. 469 Milton, 845-5640

Magazines/Newspapers

Maison de la presse internationale A great selection of up-to-date newspapers and magazines from around the world. Found all over the city. 550 Ste-Catherine E., 1393 Ste-Catherine W. and 1645 Ste-Catherine W.

Medi@phile Independent newsstand with excellent selection of international newspapers and magazines, as well as gifts, greeting cards and cigars. Will do special orders. 1901 Ste-Catherine W., 939-3676

Metropolitan News Agency The place is tucked away, the shop is small and messy, but they have just about any newspaper and lots of foreign-language magazines. 1109 Cypress (south of Ste-Catherine between Peel and Stanley), 866-9227

Multimags Magazines and newspapers from all over the globe. All over Montreal including 1570 de Maisonneuve W., 370 Laurier W., 652 Ste-Catherine W., 2085 Ste-Catherine W., 3552 St-Laurent and 825 Mont-Royal E

Point Vert Strong on artsy mags, design & music. May have titles the others don’t. 4040 St-Laurent, 982-9195

CDs/Records

Archambault A huge selection of CDs, from classical, jazz and world to francophone, rock and pop. 500 Ste-Catherine E., 849-6201

Atom Heart Mostly CDs with focus on imports and independents. 364B, Sherbrooke E., 843-8484

Beatnick Used CDs covering pretty much all genres and sub-genres out there. 3770 St-Denis, 842-0664

CD Plus Second-hand CDs. 5128 du Parc, 273-1088

CDément Mostly used, and some new rare stuff. Good prices. 388 Ste-Catherine W., 866-7616 or www.cdement.com/index_magasin.html

Cheap Thrills (see Books)

DNA Records Specialists in electro, drum & bass, hip hop and house. 3828 St-Laurent, 288-9362

L’Échange (see Books)

HMV You’ll have to forge past the Top-40 display units at the front to get to the CDs, but the selection is good for all tastes. Many locations including 1020 Ste-Catherine W., 875-0765

Inbeat Records Focus here on vinyl and CD comps from around the world. 3814 St-Laurent, 499-2063 or www.inbeatmusic.com

L’Oblique A touchstone for musicians and scenesters looking to upgrade their collection with new, used and rare discs. 4333 Rivard, 499-1323

Le Pick-Up Buys and sells everything from CDs and 45s to vintage magazines and posters. Big funk and soul selection. 262 Mont-Royal E., 849-9484

Marché du disque Cheap vinyl, and a great selection of CDs from soundtracks to rockabilly to exotica. 793 Mont-Royal E., 526-3575

Mars The store is like a spooky attic, but has some finds. Also posters, magazines etc. 460 Ste-Catherine W., 844-4329

Phantasmagoria Alternative, classical and jazz specialist, has some hidden treasures. 5018 Sherbrooke W, 488-2004.

Pop Shop In the former location of Rayon Laser, this store has CDs and vinyl. 3656 St-Laurent, 848-6300

Primitive Second-hand CDs, tapes and records. Great prices. 3828 St-Denis, 845-6017

Tabou International DJ Club The city’s HQ for club DJs: techno, house, jungle, rap, R&B, dance. 1021-A Ste-Catherine W., 288-5609

Instruments & equipment

Archambault The one stop for all the classical music you could ever want to have on paper. Instruments too, including pianos. 500 Ste-Catherine E., 849-6201

Italmelodie Inc. Sales, leasing, service, trade-ins and lessons. Large selection of instruments and sound systems. 274 Jean-Talon E., 273-3224 or www.italmelodie.com

MOOG Audio Rent or buy all manner of sound equipment, DJ/VJ gear and keyboards at 3828 St-Laurent, 284-7434, or shop online at www.moogaudio.com.

Steve’s Music Guitars, drums, keyboards, rock songbooks and rental sound equipment. 51 St-Antoine W., 878-2216

Head Shops

If Mom and Dad were standing around teary-eyed while you packed and you didn’t have the heart to take your bong out of its hiding place, then it’s essential to know where you can pick up the second most important back-to-school supply going. Here are a few establishments where no one will ever remember your name.

Boutique Rock 5522 Sherbrooke St. W., 481-6227

High Times Smoke Shop 1387 Ste-Catherine W., 849-4446

Je l’ai 159 Duluth E., 284-5393

Labyrinthe 486 Ste. Catherine W., 861-3697

Montreal Seed Bank 72 Rachel E.

Psychonaut 154 Prince Arthur E., 844-8998

TIME OUT 

Bars and Clubs

It’s simply impossible to give a short guide to drinking in this town. There are far too many options, from watering holes to do-it-up afterhours clubs. The three major areas to check out are the St-Laurent strip, the St-Denis strip and downtown along Ste-Catherine from Atwater right on east into the Village (and many of the perpendicular streets in between). Don’t limit your knowledge to pub crawls, they can’t possibly hit all the prime spots. The Mirror provides a rundown of venues in the music listings section each week.

Repertory cinemas

Cinéma du Parc A great mix of second-run flicks, new indie films, documentaries and re-released classics. Parc After Dark late-night screenings mix eclectic and classic. A $48 membership card gets you 8 movies. Otherwise, students $7, general admission $10 for first-run and $7 for all other films ($6 on Tues, weekday afternoons). 3575 du Parc (basement of Galeries du Parc), 281-1900 or www.cinemaduparc.com

Cinéma Impériale The headquarters for 3D movies and film fests. 1432 de Bleury, 848-0300

Cinémathèque québécoise Originally fashioned after the Cinémathèque française in Paris, our version screens an eclectic mix of rare foreign and documentary films, animation, mini-retrospectives and classic québécois TV. The annual membership card is $100 for students and gives you 50 per cent off on a Boîte Noire membership, as well as other discount benefits. Admission for most screenings is $5 for students, cine-carte for $40 allows you 10 screenings over the year. Also has exhibits. 335 de Maisonneuve E., 842-9763 or www.cinematheque.qc.ca

Dollar Cinema The $1 tix and concession stand goodies, as well as the old-style screening rooms, make this second-run cinema well worth the extra travel time. 6900 Decarie (in the Decarie Square Mall south of the Hippodrome, metro Namur), 739-0536 or www.dollarcinema.ca

Ex-Centris Three cinemas offering the old, the new and the foreign. It also houses the Cinéma Parallèle, which moved from its intimate space up the street. Students pay $7. A Ticketciné is $40 for admission to six movies. 3536 St-Laurent, 847-2206 (billetterie) or 847-3536 (admin.) or www.ex-centris.com

Goethe-Institut Promoting German culture for more than 30 years. Classics from German cinema, retros on directors and avant-garde premieres grace the screen. 418 Sherbrooke E., 499-0159 or www.goethe.de/uk/mon/enindex.htm

IMAX The six-storey screen at the Old Port shows mostly short films made expressly to show off IMAX technology. 2 de la Commune, 496-4629

NFB If it’s an NFB doc or animated short you need look no further. The Robothèque offers you on-site access to the entire NFB catalogue. Student rates are $2/hour. Most NFB films are also available to rent at $3/night. 1564 St-Denis, 496-6887, www.nfb.ca

Video stores

Blockbuster Convenience is its strong suit, with many locations and multiple copies of new releases. 4501 St-Denis, 982-9363; 3745 St-Dominique (at des Pins), 285-8868; 1132 Ontario E., 598-5838; 5655 du Parc (near Bernard), 279-3522; 2110 Ste-Catherine W., 932-0063 and many, many more

La Boîte Noire The most complete selection of auteur films in the city, shelved by director. Many hard-to-find indie films and international selections. Great choice of experimental cinema, documentaries, animation and TV shows, which are always free with regular films. Rentals cost $5 per day, 2 for 1 Mon-Thu. $17.95 membership is worth it, your first movie is free and you’ll get a complementary Video Guide too! Three locations: 4450 St-Denis, 287-1249; 380 Laurier Ave. W., 277-6979; and 42 McGill, 844-8727 Also: www.boitenoire.com

Le Club International This Village video store is a living room away from home, with couches, coffee and candies galore. 1150 Ste-Catherine E., 598-7527 and others

Movieland Doesn’t specialize in any one genre, but solid in most departments. Specials vary depending on each location. Call first. 1972 Ste-Catherine W., 937-1231; 4154 Ste-Catherine W., 933-2384; 3575 du Parc (in La Cité), 843-5206; 1161 Bernard W., 278-1517

SuperClub Vidéotron Not too drab a selection for a chain outlet, and films are categorized by director, decade and country. Notable sections include queer, horror & exploitation. Also has games & DVDs. 1330 Mont-Royal E., 596-2606; 5253 du Parc, 276-7303 and others

Sukubus A selection of hard-to-find videos and DVDs sit on a shelf near a broad poster selection and various other collectibles at this shop in Verdun. Their repertoire concentrates on sci-fi, horror, Hong Kong and some Bollywood. 3629 Wellington (LaSalle metro), 765-3131 or see for yourself at www.sukubus.com

Pool halls

Bacci More geared to scenesters than serious pool players. Open until 3am. 4205 St-Denis, 844-3929

Rack ‘n’ Roll Formerly the Club de Billiard du Québec, this Mont-Royal haunt recently sacrificed some old-style pool hall charm for a mega sound system and modern décor. They have 24 tables, at $9.95/hour or $6.45/hour from 10am–8pm. Open 10–3am. 551 Mont-Royal E., 525-5091 (with another location in Montreal North)

Metropool Very cheap depending on when you go. Home to many serious-minded players. Student special on Sun-Wed after 5pm: $3/hour if you buy two drinks. 32 tables, a full bar and a “private room.” 1197 St-Laurent, 392-1458

Sharx Underneath the Faubourg. Upscale steel and concrete joint, with lots of bar space, kitchen and 36 tables, but waiting is not uncommon. $10/hour for two players. Also houses 10 swanky Cosmo bowling lanes. 1606 Ste-Catherine W., 934-3105

Le Swimming Has a window looking out onto the bustle of St-Laurent glitterati. There are 11 tables, a bar and lots of TVs, foosball tables and lots of live music nights. 3643 St-Laurent, 282-7665

Bowling alleys

Laurentian Lanes Has two locations: 4400 Jean-Talon E. (729-2829, formerly Boulevard Lanes) is best reached by car, and offers 54 10-pin lanes and 18 duck-pin alleys; third location is at 222 Montée de Liesse (341-4525). Pricing and hours vary.

Le Forum Neighbourhood place with fun graphics to indicate strikes and spares, a loud beep when you step over the line and mysteriously greasy balls. Bring a towel. 920 St-Zotique E., (near St-Hubert) 274-0797

Rose Bowl Has 72 lanes split democratically between 10-pin and duck-pin. Open from 8am-3am, seven days a week. 6510 St-Jacques (at Cavendish), 482-7200

Salon de Quilles International On the outer reaches of Mile-End. Employees occasionally blare Top 40 music. 26 computerized lanes, specials before 6pm. Open until midnight on weekends. 6590 du Parc, 276-7222

Sharx (see Pool Halls)

SERVICES 

Laundry

Brainwash Café Watch free DVDs while you wait for your clothes to dry, enjoy a chess tournament on Wed and Sat, or bring your laptop and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. Drop off your dry cleaning while you’re at it and have a coffee all at the same time. Open until midnight every night. 3565 Lorne Ave., 282-3344

Buanderie du Village Clean place, washers are $1.75 and dryers are $1.75. 1499 Amherst, 526-4084

Buanderette Villeneuve Rarely overcrowded thanks to the number of washers they have. $1.50 per load for self-serve and kept very clean. Will do your washing for you for a $6.50 service charge per load (keep in mind you probably sneak in more per load than they will). Also a dry-cleaning service. Open 8am–8pm. 28 Villeneuve W., 845-5620

Buanderie du Parc Flat rate for washing, drying and folding: $8.50 per load. Also provides self-service machines. 3486 du Parc, 844-4648

Buanderie Net-Net Will wash, dry and fold your laundry (usually with a 24-hour turnaround) at a rate of $0.89 per pound. A normal load ends up costing $8. A pick-up and delivery service is also available. 310 Duluth E., 844-8511

Buanderie St-Viateur The endless stream of resident kitties is a draw for cat lovers, but consider this a caveat to allergy sufferers - fur abounds, though folding table and machine surfaces are kept clean. Best to avoid on weekends, when it’s often overcrowded. Open to 8pm daily. 104 St-Viateur W.

Lavorama Charges $1 per pound of clothes washed, dried, folded, and wrapped. 5872 Sherbrooke W., 489-7701

Nettoyeur Daoust Nice clean launderette at the back for the lower-St-Laurent set. They’ll wash and fold for $6.50 a load. 3654 St-Denis, 844-4763, with other locations around the city.

Physical fitness facilities

In Montreal, it’s never too early to start thinking about winter sports. The city has over 100 outdoor ice rinks, seven alpine skiing centres, 66.3 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, 13 tobogganing hills and seven snowshoeing courses. The Access Montreal card (see Tenants’ Rights) gives you discounts on tennis court fees, public skating prices and the like. Ski lessons are provided by L’École de ski de Montréal. Lessons available in alpine, cross-country and snowboarding. Call 872-2237 for more info on these or any of the city’s winter sporting facilities. Additionally, Angrignon Park (10 km trail) offers cross-country skiing courses. Call 872-3816. And of course don’t forget to check what your school may offer.

Arenas 872-2237 is also the number to call to find out the hours and days the arena closest to you is open. The rates for public skating are fixed: $2.75 for weekends, free through the week. Anyone can skate any day of the week (except Mondays until Thanksgiving)—winter or summer—at the The Atrium, formerly the Bell Amphitheatre (1000 de la Gauchetière W., 395-0555). The cost is $4.50 for students. For the “free skate” schedule, go to www.le1000.com.

Indoor pools (Montreal has 30) offer swimming courses for all ages and levels, along with public swimming sessions and training facilities. Info: 872-2237

Cycling A generous autumn in Montreal will let you cycle into November. Of course, there are ambitious bikers who will go all year round, but they inevitably lose Montreal’s cycling paths to the encroaching snow. Besides wonderful access along the Old Port and Lachine Canal, paths for cyclists and in-line skaters can take you all around the island, literally. A bike trail circumnavigates the island of Montreal, taking you by Dorval and Laval, from Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue to Rivière-des-Prairies. Call 872-2237 for more details. For a map call Vélo-Québec at 521-VELO (8356) or visit www.velo.qc.ca

Nautilus Plus Quality equipment, specialized trainers, a wealth of fitness programs and flexible payment plans make this a great gym to work out at. People 25 and under are eligible for the discounted Extreme package. 1231 Ste-Catherine W. (843-5993), 55 Mont-Royal W. (905-5905) and others

YMCA has many locations around town for students on the move. Purchasing a student membership to the Y costs $41.64/month(tax in) and there is a $29.95+tax joining fee. Proof of full time student status is required. Membership benefits include all activities and facilities at all Y locations - like squash and racquetball courts, badminton and basketball, aerobics and swimming. They also offer free swimming periods for the general public. The newly revamped downtown branch offers a range of high-end equipment, programs and services along with “significant discounts” for the financially challenged. Call individual locations for equipment and facilities offered. 1440 Stanley (Downtown), 849-8393; 200 René-Lévesque W. (Complexe Guy-Favreau), 845-4277; 5550 du Parc, 271-9622; 4585 Sherbrooke W. (Westmount), 931-8046; 4335 Hampton (N.D.G.), 486-7315

Women’s Y Not so glam, but does the trick. 1355 René-Lévesque W., 866-9941

Pet care

Animalerie Little Bear Specialty shop for cats and dogs, boasts a wide selection of both food and accessories. Free delivery to students. 4205 Ste-Catherine W., 935-3425 or go online at www.littlebear.ca

Bec et Museau Pet food and supplies at competitive prices. Free delivery and very helpful, friendly staff. 129 Mont-Royal W., 849-2608 or check out www.becetmuseau.com

Berger Blanc Acts as the pound service for various boroughs, houses dangerous dogs, euthanizes. Worth calling if your furry companion’s gone astray (Web site posts some photos of retrieved pets) but if you are able, going to see for yourself is most recommended. Headquartered at 9825 Henri-Bourassa E., Rivière-des-Prairies, 494-2002, www.bergerblanc.com

Vétérinaire Côte-St-Luc By-appointment-only animal hospital, but has a 24-hour emergency service. 7930 Bailey, 489-6845

Clinique Vétérinaire de St-Louis High-level professionalism side by side with friendly, personal service. 3928 St-Hubert, 282-1161

Domesti-Serve Offers dog walking, pet care or housesitting while on vacation as well as other home-related services. Call 426-7277

J.E. Mondou Low prices for bulk cat and dog food. 90 Jean-Talon E., 271-5503 one of many locations.

Mobile Veterinary Clinic Will make house calls. 389-1462

SPCA 24-hour emergency service and adoption. Large selection of animals, shots included. Adoption service open from seven days a week (Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm; Sat-Sun 11am-5pm), minimal costs, donations appreciated. 5215 Jean-Talon W., 735-2711

Vacation Watch Bonded pet care and plant watering while you’re on vacation. 489-7777

HEALTH CARE 

Emergency numbers

Gas leaks If you think there might be a gas leak in your residence, call 598-3111

Quebec Poison Control Centre Information and help concerning any type of poisoning, 1-800-463-5060

Referral Centre of Greater Montreal Help with questions about health, addiction, social services and welfare, 527-1375

Suicide Action Montreal (see Support Lines & Groups) 723-4000

CLSCs

If you’re not a student or don’t want to rely on Student Health Services (an option for students registered at any university, check your student handbook), CLSCs are government-run community health clinics that provide a range of services to Quebec medicare card-holders. CLSC hours are generally 8am–8pm; the times to drop in unannounced are listed below. But these may change so it is always safest to call first to confirm. Some CLSCs insist you be a resident of their area before offering services. This is a partial list, so if there isn’t one here near you check the phone book for other locations.

CLSC Des Faubourgs (527-2361 for all three locations): 1250 Sanguinet, 8:30am–12:30pm; 1705 de la Visitation, 1pm–4pm; and 2260 Parthenais, 1pm–6pm. CLSC Côte-des-Neiges (731-8531 for both locations) 5700 Côte-des-Neiges (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm), and 1271 Van Horne (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) Call first (for both locations). CLSC Parc-Extension 469 Jean-Talon W. They open Mon-Fri at 8am but once they meet their quota, they will close. Either be one of the first people there at 8am or call first. 273-9591. CLSC Plateau Mont-Royal Mon–Fri 8am–8pm to see a nurse, or make an appointment to see a doctor. 4689 Papineau, 521-7663. CLSC St-Henri To see a nurse: Mon–Fri 8am–8pm. To see a doctor without appointment: Mon–Fri 1pm–5pm (if you arrive after 3pm you may be refused if there is a line-up), 3833 Notre-Dame W., 933-7541, CLSC St-Louis-du-Parc To see a nurse without appointment: Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat–Sun 8am–4pm. To see a doctor without appointment: Mon–Fri 9–11:30am. 155 St-Joseph E., 286-9657 CLSC Metro To see a nurse without appointment: Mon–Fri 8am–6pm. To see a doctor without appointment: 8am–1pm.1801 de Maisonneuve W., 934-0354. CLSC NDG/Montreal West You must see a nurse before a doctor if you don’t have an appointment. 2525 Cavendish, 485-1670. CLSC Verdun/Côte St-Paul 400 de l’Eglise, 766-0546. Call first. CLSC La Petite-Patrie Always call first. 6520 de St-Vallier, 273-4508

The Vendôme Emergency Clinic Privately owned but their services are free to medicare card holders. The waiting times can be shorter than at CLSCs, and the service is good. They reserve the right to refuse seeing you if there is a line-up and you must arrive before closing time. Mon–Thurs 9am–8pm, Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 10am–4pm. 5175 de Maisonneuve W. (right across from metro Vendôme) 484-4711

Dentistry clinics

Côte-des-Neiges Dental Clinic They prefer you to call first, but you can drop in Wed and Fri 8am–6pm. 3550 Côte-des-Neiges #350, 935-5145

Jewish General Hospital Mon–Fri, 8:30am–12pm and 1pm–4:15pm. 5750 Côte-des-Neiges (east entrance) 340-7910

McGill University Student Dental Clinic At the Montreal General Hospital. Reasonable rates for supervised student dentistry, by application only. 934-8021

Montreal General Dentistry Department To make an appointment call 934-1934 (ext. 48440). The emergency walk-in clinic is open Mon–Fri, 8:30am–4:30pm. For after-hours emergencies call 934-8075 (patients only). 1650 Cedar

Pregnancy & parenting

Birthright Pro-life pregnancy and parenting counselling. 4100 St-Antoine W., 937-9324

Centre conseil grossesse Pregnancy counselling. 7394 19E Avenue, 593-1720

Centre des femmes de Montréal A drop-in centre; free clothes and food for women with families in need. 3585 St-Urbain, 842-4781

Elizabeth House A rehabilitation centre for pregnant teens and young mothers in difficulty. Preparation for independent living or returning home. 2131 Marlowe, 482-2488

Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances 110 Ste-Thérése #405, 866-3721

Grossesse-secours Hotline provides information about pregnancy (health, prenatal etc.) and contraception. Baby toys and clothing available. Pregnancy tests for $3. If you need to talk, a volunteer will be made available to you. It’s pro-woman, not pro-life or pro-choice. Mon–Fri 9am–6pm. 79 Beaubien E., 271-0554 or visit www.grossesse-secours.org

Head & Hands Come in between 4:45pm–5pm on Tues or Thurs to sign up. They start seeing patients at 5pm. They provide excellent abortion consultation. Doctors are friendly and sincere. 5833 Sherbrooke St.W., 481-0277

Head & Hands - Young Parents’ Program Baby clothing, furniture exchange for under-24 mums and dads. From 1:45pm–4:30pm on Fridays there’s a drop-in period (childcare is provided) and registration for Wednesday activities. 5775 St-Jacques (corner Melrose), 482-7910

McGill Women’s Union Various birth control available at cost (e.g. condoms are 5 for $1). Pill not available since they’re not licensed. Post-abortion support group. Sole women-only space on campus. Referrals, library and files on women’s groups all over Canada. Men are welcome for birth-control and library services. Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, 398-6823

Montreal Diet Dispensary Provides nutritional counselling and distributes vitamins, one litre of milk and an egg a day to pregnant women. Call for an appointment, but priority goes to women with pregnancies at risk or with low income. 2182 Lincoln, 937-5375

Montreal General Hospital Family Planning 934-8076

Morgentaler Clinic Call for appointments, Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm. The clinic is located at 30 St-Joseph E. #710, 844-4844. For fees and further information: www.montrealmorgentaler.ca

Mouvement retrouvailles Help in finding biological parents. 660 Villeray, 278-1744 or visit www.mouvement-retrouvailles.qc.ca

St. Columba House Lunch program for families with pre-school-age children, welfare rights, nursery school, clothing room, food distribution once a month. Homework help for kids and more. 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202

STDs/HIV/AIDS

AIDS Community Care Montreal One-on-one buddy system for support, self-help groups for people with HIV/AIDS and their family and friends. Education and prevention activities are provided but in English only. Office and general info at 2075 Plessis, 527-0928 On the web: www.accmontreal.org

Centre d’action SIDA Montréal (femmes) Support for women and children with AIDS including home or hospital visits, child care, crisis funds, workshops, information sessions, addiction and legal counselling and social activities for members. Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. 1750 St-André, 3rd floor, 495-0990

Centre SIDA secours Info on housing and resources for people with HIV/AIDS. 3702 Ste-Famille, 842-4439

Clinique de l’alternative Confidential HIV testing by appointment, medical treatment for people with HIV/AIDS, referrals. Also pregnancy tests (no follow-up), abortions and STD tests. Different times for different services, call first. 2034 St-Hubert, 281-9848

Clinique l’actuel Specializes in all STDs. Counselling available, referrals to other groups. Confidential testing for HIV by appointment. Medical treatment and follow-up after diagnosis. 1001 de Maisonneuve E. #1130, 524-1001

Clinique médicale Mont-Carmel Anonymous testing for HIV. Medical treatment by doctors for people with AIDS. Referrals. By appointment. 933 René-Lévesque E., 282-9197

Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le SIDA Quebec-wide coalition of AIDS-related groups. They can refer you to the AIDS group nearest you. 1 Sherbrooke E., 844-2477 or www.cocqsida.com

GAP-V.I.E.S. Public awareness, info line and listening service, resources and support for people with AIDS, their partners and families. 7355 Blvd. St-Michel 2nd Fl., #300, 722-5655

Jewish General Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic Walk-in clinic in mornings for all STDs. Gives confidential HIV tests, counselling for HIV/AIDS, teaches medical treatment to home-care patients for self-administration. They try to have STD test results within 48 hours. Mon–Fri, 9am–11:30am. No appointment or referral necessary. 3755 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Pavilion G, Room 148, 340-8222 ext. 8230

Maison d’Hérelle Housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. 3738 St-Hubert, 844-4874

Maison Dehon Housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. 2830A Gouin E., 384-0450

Montreal Chest Hospital Immunodeficiency Clinic Resource centre for scientific publications about HIV/AIDS. Deals with AIDS-specific symptoms in out-patient clinic. Referrals for support groups and home care. Mon–Fri, 8am–6:00pm. 3650 St-Urbain #803, 843-2090

Montreal General Hospital Immune Deficiency Treatment Centre Latest available clinical trials in HIV treatment. Up-to-date diagnostic and treatment methods, daily out-patient care for people with HIV/AIDS. Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm. 1650 Cedar #A5-123, 934-8070

SIDA Centre-Ville Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm (with appointment), Mon and Wed, 1:30pm-7:00pm (without appointment). 1705 rue de la Visitation, 847-0644

Also call your university’s Student Health Services for information and counselling concerning STDs or HIV/AIDS.

GETTING HELP 

Legal

Legal Aid Free legal counsel and representation for criminal, youth and some civil cases for individuals on welfare or with low incomes. Also low-cost legal services for those less needy but who still qualify due to the nature of their circumstances. Mon-Fri 9am-noon and 1:30pm-5:00pm, 864-2111 or visit www.csj.qc.ca

McGill Legal Information Clinic Law students will provide free legal information to the general public, including referrals to legal aid or low-cost lawyers. 3480 McTavish (Shatner Building), 398-6792 or http://www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/lawsinfo/

Concordia Legal Information Service Law students, supervised by a lawyer, provide free legal information to Concordia students, staff, faculty, and alumni only. Call to get an appointment, no legal information given over the phone. 7141 Sherbrooke W., AD-131, 848-2424 ext. 4960. On the Web: http://supportservices.concordia.ca/legalinformationservices/

Head & Hands Lawyer available to advise - for free - members of general public on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Under 25s call to make an appointment for a different time. 5833 Sherbrooke St.W., 481-0277 or 481-3643

Inform’Elle Telephone information concerning family law, services of mediation, divorce and alimony. Mon–Fri, 9am–4:30pm, (450) 443-8221

Discrimination

Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse The Quebec Human Rights Commission. To report incidents of discrimination or sexual harassment. Mon–Fri, 8:30am–4:30pm, 873-5146 or www.cdpdj.qc.ca

Groupe d’aide et d’information sur le harcèlement sexuel au travail The only one of its kind in Canada. Free support to men and women who have been victims of sexual harassment at work. Will file complaints in your name with the Quebec Human Rights Commission, keep you company if it goes to criminal court, help with EI problems. 2231 Belanger, 526-0789

Ligue des droits et libertés Very helpful non-affiliated advocate of human rights. Strengths are First Nations’ rights and racism, social justice, international law and immigration. 65 Castelnau W. #301, 849-7717 or visit www.liguedesdroits.ca

Support lines & groups

Alerte Centre-Sud Coalition of different social support groups. 1710 Beaudry, 521-0467

Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI) Support groups for people with mental illnesses and their families. 5253 Décarie #200, 486-1448

Auberge Transition Shelter for women and children who are victims of conjugal abuse. Up to six-week stays. Counselling, child-care and follow-up services. 24-hour crisis centre. 481-0495

CHOC Centre for violent men. Provides sensitization and group therapy with the aim of stopping all forms of conjugal violence. 25 Blvd. Lévesque, Laval (450) 975-2462

Face à Face Listening and referral service. Also has a welfare bank for the homeless and self-help classes. Anonymous, no appointment necessary. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. 1650 de Maisonneuve W., 5th Floor, 934-4546

Gambling: 24 hour help and referral line operated by the Information and Referral Centre of Greater Montreal, 527-0140

Jeunesse j’écoute/Kids’ Help Phone 24-hour national bilingual counselling and information service. Confidential and free, age 22 and younger. Unfortunately, very hard to reach. 1-800-668-6868

Parents Line An intervention service for parents having trouble dealing with children 20 and under and still living at home. They can also refer you to support groups in your area. 24 hours, seven days a week. 288-5555

Missing Children’s Network They’ll help you find kids who have run away or disappeared. 843-4333

My Brother’s Keeper Across-the-board consultation in many fields, such as education, jobs and human relations. 855-1927

Option A help service for violent partners (both men and women). Provides counselling; first step is group counselling, then possibly couple or family therapy. 527-1657

Suicide Action Montreal Hotline for suicide intervention, referrals and support group for those who have lost someone to suicide. Usually bilingual. 723-4000

Tel-Aide Confidential listeners. Staffed by volunteers, so if there’s no one there who speaks English, they will refer you to the next shift or try to find someone to help you. 935-1101

Tel-Jeunes Hotline for under-20 year olds. Professional counsellors. Open 24 hours, www.teljeunes.com. 288-2266

Trêve pour elle Listening service and crisis line for women who are victims of sexual assault. Individual and group follow-up. French only. Open 9am–5pm, Mon–Fri. 251-0323

Addiction

Alcoholics Anonymous Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm, 3920 Rachel E., 376-9230

Centre Dollard-Cormier Rehab for drug, alcohol and medication addictions. 950 Louvain E., 385-0046

Cocaine Anonymous Support groups for friends and family of people addicted to behaviour-altering substances. Meetings seven days a week. 527-9999

Douglas Hospital Eating Disorder Clinic In- and out-patient services for adult anorexics and bulimics. Referrals necessary. Mon–Fri 8:30am–4:30pm. 6605 Lasalle, 761-6131 ext. 2895

Gamblers’ Anonymous Listening service as well as referrals. 484-6666

Narcotics Anonymous A fellowship of men and women helping each other stay clean. For info on meetings, committees and other services call 490-0333.

Nicotine Anonymous A support group for people who want to quit using tobacco and nicotine. Weekly meetings. 849-0131

Overeaters Anonymous Helps those with eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating). Call for the resource person nearest you. 488-1812

Portage Rehab centre Residential care. Mother-and-child program. Treatment for addicted adolescents and pregnant women. Daycare centre. 1640 St-Antoine W., 939-0202

Self-defence for women

ACTION Operated by the Montreal Assault Prevention Centre. Travelling women’s self-defence course, 12–15 hours, based on wendo. Taught by women instructors. Call 284-1212

Centre des femmes de Montréal Open Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Courses with an emphasis on verbal as well as physical skills. They also offer assertiveness training in English and French. 3585 St-Urbain, 842-4781

White Tiger Assault Prevention Offers women’s safety workshops teaching physical and non-physical self-defence techniques. Call 685-8888 or go to www.fearlesstiger.com

Food banks

Accueil Bonneau Food and clothes. Food: Mon–Fri, 9:30am–11:15am, 2pm–3:15pm. Sat 9:30am–11:00am, and sandwiches offered after a mass on Sunday. Clothes are available for people with social assistance cards. 427 de la Commune E., 845-3906

Garde-Manger pour tous Primarily a food bank for those in need but also a telephone referral service. Mon–Fri, 9am–4:30pm. 755 des Seigneurs, 931-8830

Mile-End Community Mission (see Welfare/EI)

NDG Food Depot Food and a referral and information service. Mon 5pm–7pm, Wed & Fri 10am–2pm. 2121 Oxford, 483-4680

Old Brewery Mission Supper from 5pm–5:30pm from the 15th of the month and on Sundays. Walk in anytime from 6:30pm–9pm. 915 Clark, 866-6591

Sun Youth Food and clothes, as well as many social services. Mon–Fri, 8am–12pm/1:30pm-4pm. 4251 St-Urbain, 842-6822

Shelters

L’Issue Shelter for men (18+) who have had problems with the law. Residents pay a small percentage of their salary if accepted. 1819 Rosemont, 270-6633

Logifem Shelter for women in difficulty. Counselling and accompaniment. 939-3172

Maison Flora Tristan Shelter for immigrant women who are victims of conjugal and familial violence, with or without children. Children can stay with their mother. 939-3463

Maison du père Shelter for homeless men 25+. Group and individual therapy. Social reintegration and food. Clothing distributed. 550 René-Lévesque E., 845-0168

Passages A shelter for women aged 18–30. 24-hour emergency shelter; specializes in education, employment and personal counselling. 875-8119

Salvation Army Men’s residence and hostel, 880 Guy, 932-2214. Women’s emergency shelter, 2000 Notre-Dame W., 934-5615

Secours aux femmes Shelter for immigrant women. Services in many languages. Up to 45-night stay but they won’t throw you out onto the street if you have nowhere to go. 593-6353

West Island Women’s Shelter For victims of conjugal violence. Child-care and follow-up programs. 620-4845

COMMUNITIES 

Lesbian/Gay

Association des pères gais de Montréal Telephone services, weekly meetings and discussions. Call for schedule. CP 476, Succursale C, Montreal. 528-8424 or http://peresgais.iquebec.com

Diffusions Gaies et Lesbiennes du Québec Organizes Image&Nation annual gay and lesbian film festival, they’re located at 4067 St-Laurent #404, 285-4467 or www.image-nation.org

Équipe Montréal Umbrella group for 19 different gay and lesbian sports associations featuring over 800 members. 990-1998 or www.equipe-montreal.com

Fugues Free French publication for the gay community. Guide to gay establishments. Offices at 1212 St-Hubert, 848-1854

Gay/Lesbian AA 3920 Rachel E., 376-9230

The Gay and Lesbian Centre Assists in community development work in the gay community, and gives references to those who need info. Also has a documentation centre. For info, call 528-8424 or visit www.ccglm.org

Gai-écoute Info and counselling, provides referrals in the gay community. Open Mon–Fri 8am– 3am; Sat–Sun 11am – 3am. 866-0103 or 1-888-505-1010. Also www.gai-ecoute.qc.ca

Gayline Same as above, but in English. 7 days, 7pm–11pm, 866-5090

Queer McGill A social/political/information/support service organization for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students, and their friends. They also offer a confidential listening service called Queerline.3480 McTavish, Rm. 432, 398-2106 or 398-6822 (Queerline) or visit www.queermcgill.ca

Project 10 For people 14–25 who are in the process of coming out, have come out or just questioning. Offers discussion groups, one-on-one counselling, referral line, info on AIDS and STDs. Mon–Fri noon–6pm, free confidential services in English and French. 989-4585

Women

Auberge Shalom Crisis intervention centre for all women in abusive situations. 731-0833

Centre des femmes de Montréal Psychological and social services, various courses, resource and referral centre. Legal-aid clinic, free clothes and emergency food. 3585 St-Urbain, 842-4781 or www.centredesfemmesdemtl.org

Centre des femmes du Plateau Mont-Royal Classes for women in various areas; programming changes every six months but the standards include creative sewing, relaxation, yoga and self-defence. Documentation and resource centre, collective action, provides space for women’s groups and activities. 1022 St-Joseph E., 527-2295

Chez Doris Assistance for women. Clothing available; breakfast and lunch served on-site. Mon–Thu 8:30am–3pm, Fri 8:30am–1:30pm, Sat–Sun 8:30am–3pm. 1430 Chomedey, 937-2341

Co-op Olier Will help find lodging for women. Monthly clothing bazaar. Also runs a family summer camp for low-income families and a children’s clothing exchange. 4510 d’Iberville., 525-1829

2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy (formerly Dragonroot ) Free, confidential peer counselling for women and transgendered. For more info see http://alcor.concordia.ca/~dragctr. 2110 Mackay, 848-2424, ext. 7431 (info) or ext. 7880 (counselling)

Elle Corazon A warm, friendly space that often has bazaars, art shows and yoga classes. 176 Bernard W., 273-3933

Info femmes Workshops, daycare and more. 2185 des Ormeaux, 355-4529

Be Aware Support Line Support for women dealing with conjugal violence. 489-1110

Women’s Aid Inc. Help centre and shelter for victims of conjugal violence. 270-8291

Women’s Y Athletic programs, hotel, residence, daycare and tons more. 1355 René-Lévesque W., 866-9941

Native

Centre for Native Education Concordia facility offering support services and resources to native students. Also has a documentation centre. Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm, 848-2424, ext. 7327 or http://supportservices.concordia.ca/nativecentre

Intercultural Institute of Montreal Two publications: Horizons Interculturels, bilingual, and Interculture, a journal, both published twice a year. Public education on First Nations and multiculturalism. 4917 St-Urbain, 288-7229 or www.iim.qc.ca

Native Friendship Centre Info, referrals, counselling, communal meals. Open Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm. Rec room, library, food and clothing depot, job bank, visits to patients in hospital. 2001 St-Laurent, 499-1854 or www.nfcm.org

Native Para-Judicial Services of Quebec Provides native court workers, will find lawyers for anyone going to court, helps with information on legal procedures. Prison liaison program for federal inmates. (418) 847-2094 or www.spaq.qc.ca

Native Women’s Shelter Shelter for native women and children in difficulty (alcohol, conjugal violence, homeless, etc.). Daily workshops on all kinds of subjects. 933-4688

Quebec Native Women’s Association Provincial organization with a special focus on family violence and daycare services for the native community around Montreal. (450) 632-0088

Black

Black Coalition of Quebec 5201 Décarie, 489-3830

Black Theatre Workshop 3680 Jeanne-Mance, 932-1104

Women on the Rise Offers support group for mothers with children aged 0 – 5 yrs. 5775 St-Jacques, 485-7814

Centre international de documentation et d’information haïtienne, caribbienne et afro-canadienne Library and documentation centre. Small fee. 67 Ste-Catherine W., 2nd floor. Call for hours, 845-0880

Jamaica Association Offers community services in several areas. 4065 Jean-Talon W., 737-8229

Montreal Association of Black Business Persons and Professionals 6767 Côte-des-Neiges , 486-8030 or www.mabbp.org

Jewish

Canadian Jewish Congress 1590 Dr. Penfield, 931-7531

Canadian Jewish News Major newspaper with a focus on Jewish issues and events. 6900 Décarie, 735-2612

Federation CJA The central fundraising, allocating, coordinating and planning body of the Jewish community. This umbrella group provides services in health, welfare, education, recreation and culture through 20 member groups. 5151 Côte-Ste-Catherine (1 Cummings Square) 735-3541 or www.federationcja.org

Jewish Community Council 6825 Décarie, 739-6363

Jewish Information Referral Service Referral line for Jewish organizations and centres in the city. Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5:30pm, 733-1818

Jewish Public Library 5151 Côte-Ste-Catherine (1 Cummings Square) 345-2627 or www.jewishpubliclibrary.org

Rodal’s Hebrew Book Store & Gift Shop 4689 Van Horne, 733-1876

Saidye Bronfman Centre Theatre, art programs and an art gallery. 5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine, 739-2301; box office, 739-7944 or www.saidyebronfman.org

Muslim

MSA Concordia 1455 de Maisonneuve W., 848-7410

MSA McGill 3480 McTavish, 398-3001

Handicapped

AlterGo Association régionale de loisir pour personnes handicapées Fighting to make Montreal more accessible. 525 Dominion #340. 933-2739 or www.altergo.net

Hand in Hand A group for English-speaking intellectually challenged adults, promoting literacy and other life skills. Run through the St. Columba House Community Centre. 2365 Grand Trunk, 932-6202

Montreal Association for the Blind (MAB) Helps the visually impaired. Provides training in Braille, computers, typing, writing skills, etc. Also provides employment program. 7000 Sherbrooke W., 489-8201

Ex aequo Disabled rights group. 3680 Jeanne-Mance #328, 288-3852 or www.exaequo.net

Montreal Association for the Intellectually Handicapped 633 Crémazie E., 381-2307

MUCTC Wheelchair Transport 280-8211, some info also available at www.stm.info

Other community groups and cultural centres

Action réfugiés Montréal 1410 Guy, 935-7799

Association latino-américaine de Côte-des-Neiges Information and referral centre for Latin Americans. 5307 Côte-des-Neiges, 737-3642

Canadian Palestinian Foundation Social and cultural organization, lobbying, social action, works with refugees. 5135 Notre-Dame W. 956-1685 or www.cpfmontreal.org

Centre communautaire arménien Organizes several Armenian community activities. 3401 Olivar-Asselin, 331-4880

Centre communautaire des femmes sud-asiatique 1035 Rachel E., 3rd floor, 528-8812

Centro Leonardo da Vinci Offering a wide array of services and activities to Montreal’s substantial Italian community and beyond, this mega-complex has a daycare, a youth centre, a theatre and an honest-to-goodness bocciadromo to play that old-world fave, bocce. 8370 Lacordaire. 955-8370 or www.centreleonardodavinci.com

Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal Their primary goal is to facilitate integration. They also offer cultural, community and social services. 987 Coté, 4th fl., 861-5244 or www.famillechinoise.qc.ca

Communauté vietnamienne Social and cultural services. 6655 Côte-des-Neiges, 340-9630

Corporacion culturelle latino-americain de l’amitié Classes, translations, a women’s discussion group and a food service. 1600 de l’Eglise, Ville St-Laurent, 748-0796

Federation of Filipino Canadian Associations Houses many services and organizations. 6420 Victoria, 341-2122

Goethe-Institut This German cultural institute’s library has more than 6,000 books in German, French and English, 700 videos, 500 audio cassettes and CDs, 100 slides, 40 newspapers and magazines. They also offer German language courses and special exhibits. (see also Repertory Cinemas)

Hellenic Community of Montreal Runs cultural events and provides social and legal counselling. Services, support groups and referrals for families and individuals with problems. Several offices around the city, head office is at 5777 Wilderton, 738-2421

Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Gives language courses and has an extensive library in Japanese, English and French. 8155 Rousselot, 728-1996

Special thanks to Anne Marie Marko who updated this year’s guide. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of Survival Guide listings, sometimes little accidents still happen. Please submit corrections, by email or mail, to Letters to the Editor, Montreal Mirror, 465 McGill, 3rd Floor, Montreal H2Y 4B4. Corrections will appear in the September 22 issue.