I would some statistics about Quebec in general and Montreal specifically since i work and live here.
I am an immigrant (but am on a work permit and was hired for a highly skilled position in IT), so job is not my concern.
However, it comes with its own sets of issues.
A) Quebec is far more biased towards French as a language. Unless your PR was already processed, now you need at least an advanced intermediate level of French proficiency to get here, irrespective of any other credentials.
B) This is deeply rooted into the society around as well. Road signs are in french, most announcements too and even if most of people can actually speak french, the first preference and greeting is in French.
C) It is damn hard to find a job here ESPECIALLY if you don't know french. I am an exception because our customers are entirely US industry. But otherwise in general, even IT jobs ask for french here. And things are much worst if you step outside of Montreal in the province. So if you don't know french, forget about landing here to look for a job.
D) Quebec being cheap (when you calculate it over all in full picture) seems more close to a myth to me. Why? Let's make a quick analysis
True! you might find a single accommodation for 500 (though it would be modest), I am looking for a decent at least 2 bed 2 bath place for a few months latter when my family comes, and no decent place (excluding bachelor accommodation) costs less than 900. If you move close to down town, it easily goes over 1200.
True that a similar place in Toronto or Ottawa would cost a couple hundred CAD more per month.
But then, taxes are higher here. For e.g. a 90k per annum salary would result into a take home of 60k in Quebec, vs 65k in Ontario. That's a 5k difference annually in take home. That is more than 400 CAD per month.
Car insurance is at least 200 CAD higher in Ontario i.e. for an experienced driver with good record, Ontario would charge say 270 CAD per month vs 80 in Quebec. But then fuel is 20 cents cheaper per liter in Ontario. Sales taxes are higher in Quebec for say cars and insurance is also cheaper because in Ontario your 3rd party coverage is part of your premium which is covered by SAAQ in Quebec. However, they charge a hefty sum when making a purchase. Winter tires are mandatory in Quebec through mid nov to mid mar, which though are much safer, but drastically affect your car's mileage too.
Schools are free here too. But if you are a PR you can only send your kids to a french school unless you were educated in english in quebec or something. My entire schooling is in english from another country, and my kids have been going to english school. However i can only send them to public english school UNTIL i am on a work permit. Once i become a PR, i have to send them to French school. Private schools are damn expensive.
And i don't buy the idea of ease of learning french. It is not about learning french. It is about NOT LEARNING ENOUGH ENGLISH as of today, which is a huge drawback from students any where in the world. I came from a 3rd world country, still had a good education and by the time i got into my undergrad, i had to put in zero additional effort to learn english. This does not really seem to be the case any more with the system here.
