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[madhatter]

Sounds like a good move to me. Winter is survivable if you have excellent cafes.

[janedoh]

* health care: dare I say it, but Montreal epitomizes the criticisms of public health care. The Provincial government seems to have messed it up badly. It's pretty much impossible to get a family doctor. I have been to five clinics in the last week to try and get an appointment but haven't seen a doctor yet. Before everyone starts generalizing about Canadian health care, in the province I moved from I was never more than an hour away, wait included, from speaking directly to a doctor. Quebec health care is an incredible Kafkaesque mess, which is something to consider before taking a position here, especially if you have children.

I recently moved to Montreal as well, and while I can't say the healthcare situation has been fun, at least we can be seen in a clinic when we are sick (and they re open until 8pm)! When I lived in DC, we had to wait 3+ hours for SCHEDULED pediatrician appointments. It took me 7 months to find a pediatrician who took my insurance and was also taking new patients, and if LittleJane got sick after 2pm, our choice was sick kid cattle call the next day (maybe) or the ER. Anyway, I just wanted to second that it is the location, not the system, and also say that YMMV depending on where you are coming from!

Try your University relocation office (if it has one)--that is how I finally found my doc, but we are still using clinics for LittleJane. Fortunately, we've only had to go once, since she is pretty healthy. The wait was maybe 1,5 hours, so much less than we were used to. And it was after 6pm. I must say it only took 3 calls to find an OB (I showed up pregnant), which was WAAAAAAAAAY less time than in DC (and than I had been warned about).

[daurousseau]

Taking the long view, your money needs will be reduced by the shorter life to be expected from breathing all that second-hand smoke.

[llanfair]

I'm glad you're enjoying Montréal so far, MAH.  I'm hoping for a McGill post-doc, so I may be sampling its delights myself.

I'd always heard Québec's health-care system was a mess - it's funny that they do so much right but have screwed that up so badly.  Good luck getting that straightened out.

[muchtrouble]

I did finally get to see a doctor today, after a two-hour wait at the University clinic. (This looked good until I noticed a couple of my students there as well, and I beagn imagining them leafing through my file.) In any case it was a heck of a lot of effort compared to finding a doc in Vancouver, where the task can be sliced between lunch and an afternoon appointment.

Some quick 'net research seems to say that Montreal has a severe doctor shortage, one created by government policies that discourage new GP's from starting a practice here. The lesson learned is that Vancouver will keep you physically healthy but culturally and socially impoverished, and Montreal vice-versa.

[llanfair]

I did finally get to see a doctor today, after a two-hour wait at the University clinic. (This looked good until I noticed a couple of my students there as well, and I beagn imagining them leafing through my file.) In any case it was a heck of a lot of effort compared to finding a doc in Vancouver, where the task can be sliced between lunch and an afternoon appointment.

Some quick 'net research seems to say that Montreal has a severe doctor shortage, one created by government policies that discourage new GP's from starting a practice here. The lesson learned is that Vancouver will keep you physically healthy but culturally and socially impoverished, and Montreal vice-versa.

Right now, Vancouver could possibly get you shot.  The gang warfare out there is out of control.

[grasshopper]

Well, sure, maybe. But you could get in quickly to see a doctor.

[llanfair]

Well, sure, maybe. But you could get in quickly to see a doctor.

:)