In any one of our cohorts, you'll likely find a musician, banker, digital marketer, graphic designer, biochemist, English teacher or a number of other unique career paths that ultimately led them to Bootcamp.

Not only do Lighthouse Labs Montreal students have fascinating and diverse backgrounds, but they also come from far and wide, including in and around Montreal, Ottawa as well as across Quebec, the Maritimes and even internationally. During Bootcamp, you'll be fully immersed in coding and have minimal time to research the best local to-dos and spots in the neighbourhood. So, this is your go-to guide for the Montreal neighbourhood, including eats, how to get around and what to do when you have an evening or weekend for some tourist time.

Location

Montreal is Lighthouse Labs' easternmost Bootcamp in Canada. Our office is located in Spaces Mile End (5455 de Gaspé Avenue Suite 710) in the Mile End of Montreal, near St-Viateur and St-Laurent, a few minutes walk away from metro stations.

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Transportation

The office and classrooms are a five-minute walk from both the Rosemont and Laurier metro stations (both on the orange line), which is the quickest method of transit in and around Montreal. If you’re coming from downtown, you can take the 55 bus up St-Laurent.

For public transit, a monthly unlimited metro pass is $86.50. Beware that these apply to the month (for example, buying a pass for January means the pass is valid Jan. 1-31) rather than 30 days from the date of purchase. So avoid purchasing a pass at the end of the month (since you would get to use it for a limited number of days before the next months begins). You can pay for individual rides, buy a card for 10 rides, for three days, or a number of other options. For more information on public transportation in Montreal, visit the Société de transport de Montréal, also known as the STM.

A Bixi-Bike membership (a form of bike-share) is $94 per year, and, if used often, can be more cost-effective than taking public transit. The closest docking station on St-Viateur, a short walk to and from campus. Beware, driving in Montreal can be difficult with modified rules compared to the rest of Canada (no right on reds on the Island of Montreal, for example), and street parking is limited in the Mile End due to the dense concentration of small and medium-sized startups and technology companies in the area.

Alternatives to public transit include Uber, a peer-to-peer ridesharing service, and regular taxi. (Lyft does not operate in Montreal.)

Housing & Accommodation

For short-term accommodations, Airbnb is one of your top options as you're not locked into an extended contract for a longer-term rental. HomeAway, a competitor of Airbnb's, also operates in Montreal. A third alternative would be local startup Sonder that has recently reached unicorn status (valued at over $1B) and offers pre-furnished apartments, which is a huge plus for temporary stays. (No trips to and from Ikea plus no furniture building.) Community boards including Craigslist, Kijiji, Search4StudentHousing, student-specific housing resource Evo Montreal, Facebook Marketplace and Padmapper are useful resources for alternative methods to find housing. If you're renting a single room you can find one from as low as $400, or up to $700 for a spot in a more popular Montreal neighbourhood like the Plateau. The Mile End neighbourhood is on the pricier side for rent, so it’s a good idea to shop for a place on the east side like the Rosemont-La Petite Patrie, Villeray, and Parc Extension neighbourhoods which are only a short bike ride or walk to campus every day, depending on preference (and time of year).

Where To Eat/Drink

There are many options around Lighthouse Labs Montreal to grab a bite to eat or refuel on caffeine. The most convenient is Café Gaspé and Machina which are both located within the building, so you'll notice a number of students spend their break fueling not far from class. Additionally, both St-Viateur and St-Laurent are commercial streets only a few minutes walk away offering many food options. For local favourites, visit Brooklyn, a 2-minute walk away, and Café Névé in the Frank and Oak shop, a 3-minute walk. The area's top coffee can be found at Café Olympico, a Mile End institution, and it’s only a 5 minute walk.

Nearby Restaurants

There's also the world famous St-Viateur and Fairmount bagel shops for delicious, fresh out of the oven.

If you're in one of our part-time programs, note that classes are three hours in length, so we recommend grabbing a bite to eat beforehand, or to bring a snack to tide you over until the class concludes at 9 p.m. There is a small kitchen in our office so there's also the opportunity to heat up some leftovers or whip up a quick meal to help you focus, and keep you energized for the duration of the class.

Fitness Centre/Gyms

Because of its central location, there are many gyms and fitness centre options nearby. Staying healthy during Bootcamp should be a high priority and being active during Bootcamp is a great way to do that.

The following gyms are a close walk to and from Lighthouse Labs Montreal:

Fun

To unwind, our office is steps away from le Champ des Possibles and Aire Commune where students can be found relaxing. Other regular hangout spots include the Ping Pong Club and the Waverly Bar! Other Montreal activities (if you manage your time effectively during Bootcamp) include hiking Mont-Royal, eating a smoked meat sandwich, and indulging in authentic poutine (fries, cheese curds and gravy).

Old Montreal is a great spot to visit to check out the cobblestone streets, rustic shops and restaurants, and film productions use it as a substitute for European locations. The Old Port of Montreal is also home to the Montreal Science Centre and the iconic Clock Tower, with views of the St. Lawrence River. In the summer, you’ll also find the Cirque du Soleil tent.

For less traditional entertainment, you can find escape rooms around town like A/Maze Escape Game, or try out some combat sports like axe throwing or arrow shooting at Sports de Combats.

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