<p>Im from the states (Baltimore) and one of my parents’ biggest concerns is the weather - obviously it gets pretty cold. Should I just wait until fall when I move in to get my winter jacket, etc? I’m guessing the stuff in Montreal is a lot more practical than what I would be able to buy down here. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>how much cheaper is canada (montreal) than the U.S?..i heard its not very cheap since the U.S dollar started to fall</p>
<p>its not so much the cost that im concerned about; i just figured that montreal would have warmer coats and clothes than where i live because it doesnt get as cold here.</p>
<p>dkm008–yup with the price of the dollar falling, canadian things aren’t as cheap as they used to be. i think before, it was $1 US = $1.50 CAN but not it’s more like $1 US = $1.33 or something. u can thank good old bush again!</p>
<p>you guys, it’s not that bad. Even with the falling dollar, the price difference shouldn’t be that big. It might be a little bit more expensive, but it shouldn’t make a difference, especially when you’re talking about things like coats. And it doesn’t get THAT cold. crazychai, you’ve lived in Toronto, and that’s about how bad it gets. It’s just that their winters are slightly longer. The coldest that it gets in Canada is about -40 degrees celcius, which is cold, I know, but most of the time people stay in doors and refrain from taking public transportation. But you guys can wait to get to Montreal before you buy your coats, just because it’s more convenient and there are a lot of heavy duty coats here in case you can’t adjust right away. Bring warm blankets though. Besides, there are tons of underground walkways and underground shopping and stuff in Montreal. Don’t worry, you’ll all live through the winter. Trust me.</p>
<p>well i am not really concerned about the price/cost actually…i am comming from switzerland…any place will be cheaper than here </p>
<p>however i am sure the canada is extremely COLD…the coldest i been here was around -6°C and that was really cold for me…i cant exactly imagine being in -40°C…but yeh nonetheless i am sure we all get through it</p>
<p>lol, I can’t wait to see all of your reactions when it’s -40 and you have to trudge through knee-deep snow. Hope they plow the snow fast in Montreal though. No matter how long you’ve been living in Canada, walking in snow that deep is a pain in the ass. lol, when it’s -20 and you go outside even your nosehairs freeze up. yea, you avoid going outside in weather that cold, well any weather when the temperature’s below 0 for that matter, but there’s still tons to do in the winter like skiing and skating and at least McGill located downtown so we won’t have to walk too far to go places.</p>
<p>I can’t wait 'til I actually understand the metric system! :)</p>
<p>when I visited in April, I stayed with a friend who is native Qu</p>
<p>so they use the metric in canada? thank god…</p>
<p>very very smart of them too</p>
<p>-40! wow that’s intense. I’m from california and I have absolutley no winter gear. Are there an essential items I should have? I figured I would just get a coat and stuff when I get there because I don’t think any of the coats in california are prepared for such extreme weather.</p>
<p>yeah, you should probably wait. I would say Coat, good Hat, and gloves/mittens would be in order. I doubt there will be that much snow in the streets because cities are usually pretty good at clearing stuff and montreal seems to beat other citys out in everything, so it hopefully won’t be that bad. have to see though if you will need boots.</p>
<p>-40 is cold, but with a good jacket and gloves, it isn’t that bad. No shorts though, heh.</p>
<p>yea, cities are usually pretty good about clearing the snow. they usually get to it within hours of snowfall. you can usually get away with walking around in sneakers, but they do get pretty wet and cold sometimes. snow won’t be coming anytime soon, so don’t worry about getting winter gear till you’re actually here. Hats, gloves, and scarves especially are actually very fashionable up here…don’t know if that’s just Canada, but we seem to like them.</p>
<p>I’m probably just going to buy a good Columbia winter coat from Toronto and then buy mitts and hats and scarves from Montreal. I’m sure you could find a decent winter coat at any Sports store or Mountain Equipment co-op. If you come from a place like California though, it might be better to wait!</p>
<p>I don’t find the winters in Toronto to be THAT bad. It gets cold, but it’s not completely unbearable if you’re dressed well and avoid standing still outdoors for an extended period of time :)</p>
<p>I’ve found that the hoodies and sweaters I’ve gotten in Canada are significantly warmer than the ones I’ve bought in the states, but you wouldn’t even be able to tell by looking. I have issues with the cold, but I’m from New York so I’m kind of used to it, but I love my warm stuff from Canada. Yay Canadaaaaaaaaaa. Yayy McGill. I’m so excited for next year. 3 more months!!!</p>
<p>me too 
I can’t believe how quickly this school year is ending. I’m so SO excited for McGill!</p>
<p>same here! counting down the days! can’t wait to get my McGill hoodie too! yea, the winter’s aren’t that bad…you learn to survive the cold. It would make sense that the stuff in canada is warmer…it’s colder up here. I hate the cold though, still can’t stand it. Columbia coats are really good, especially if you want a windbreaker. Roots is good for hats, scarves and stuff. Very fashionable too. Oh, and GAP has nice sweaters…fleecy and warm. we make fat, chunky winter clothes look good :)!</p>
<p>i’m so excited!! i’m probably going to be freeeezing but it will be awesome. btw what are columbia coats? is that a brand or something?</p>
<p>i cannot wait until august - i have 2 more exams and then im done with high school. so excited to finally be on my own!</p>
<p>I love my school. We get out on the 3rd, but seniors don’t have to take exams in their classes is their grade is a B or above. So my last day of classes is this saturday, then I am going to a friend’s house til the 2nd, then our Oh so wonderful Senior Party. Woohoo! I can’t wait til next year.</p>
<p>That is awesome…I wish my school had that policy. It would motivate so many more people to get B’s.
Yep, Columbia is a brand that you can find at most sport/athletic wear stores. Roots is also another good option.
And yes, haha…we Canadians do have a way of making chunky sweaters look very stylish ;)</p>