Anyone can rent a truck and call themselves a mover. We only work with a small, hand-picked group we have personally checked, from their trucks and insurance to their crews, their training, and their driving record. Here is exactly what we look at, and why it matters for your move.
Why we vet every mover
The Montreal moving market is crowded and lightly policed. Roughly 400 companies operate here, but only a small share are consistently good. The rest range from acceptable to genuinely risky, and the same problems repeat every June: the truck that breaks down mid-move, the crew that shows up looking rough or worse, the “company” that has no trucks of its own and quietly hands your job to someone you never agreed to. Almost all of it traces back to one thing, nobody checked the mover first. We do the checking, we keep the list short, and a mover only reaches you after passing every step below.
What we verify, before any mover reaches you
A company passes all of this to join the roster. If they slip later, they are removed.
We do not list hundreds of movers and let you gamble. We invite a small number and keep it small on purpose, so we can actually verify and monitor every one. Every mover we send you is one we would use ourselves.
Every mover is registered and holds a valid CTQ licence from the Commission des transports du Quebec, with real cargo insurance we confirm on paper, not a vague “we are fully insured.” An unregistered operator with no real insurance means no accountability and no coverage when something breaks.
We verify the trucks are properly maintained and actually roadworthy, not the kind that break down halfway through your move. And they carry the right gear, moving blankets, mattress covers, furniture pads, dollies and straps, so your furniture never travels bare and arrives without scratches, tears or dents.
You get trained, experienced movers who specialize in lifting and handling furniture, presentable and sober on the job, not day-labour hired that morning and not crews drinking or using while they carry your things. Real movers protect your home and your belongings, and they are faster, which keeps your hourly bill down.
This one is bigger than it sounds. We look for companies with an operations specialist and a dedicated trainer on the team, with proper training manuals, so quality is a system, not luck of the draw. A company that actually trains its crews handles your move consistently, every time.
We vet the company driving records to make sure they are reputable on the road, a low accident rate and a responsible history, because your belongings spend that whole move in their truck.
We favour companies with low staff turnover, established crews rather than a revolving door of new hires, and we rule out companies that secretly subcontract your job because they have no trucks of their own. After they join, we keep watching: reviews, no-shows, last-minute cancellations. Slip, and they are off the roster.
What a CTQ licence actually means
In Quebec, any carrier operating vehicles over 3,000 kg must be licensed by the Commission des transports du Quebec (CTQ). It is not optional, and the number is verifiable by anyone on the CTQ public register. A licensed mover produces that number in seconds. One who cannot is either operating illegally or hoping you will not ask.
Two more protections we make sure our movers respect: Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act caps your final bill at 10 percent above a written estimate without your consent, and the province’s default liability is often just $0.60 per pound, which covers almost nothing on a damaged television. Our movers give written quotes and carry real coverage, so you are not left holding the risk.
The red flags we screen out for you
These get a company rejected, or removed. You never run into them, because we already did.
A vetted few, not a wall of names
Most comparison sites hand you a directory of dozens of movers and leave the vetting to you. That looks like choice, but it just moves the risk back onto you. We do the opposite: we keep the roster small and vetted, then match you to the best price on it for your date. Less to sort through, far less risk, and a lower price because good movers compete for the spot.
What this means for you
Are we paid by the movers? Yes, and we are open about it
We earn a commission from the mover you book. We take a smaller cut than the big comparison sites, and it never changes who we recommend or how we vet. A mover cannot pay to skip a single step above. In an industry built on hidden fees, we would rather tell you exactly how it works.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mover have to pass to join?
CTQ registration and a valid licence, real cargo insurance, roadworthy trucks with proper furniture protection, trained crews who specialize in the lift, a real training and operations program, a clean company driving record, low turnover, and no subcontracting. If they later slip, they are removed.
What if something gets damaged?
Our movers carry real cargo insurance and provide written quotes, so you have coverage and a paper trail, not the bare $0.60-per-pound default. Verified insurance is a requirement to join, not an afterthought.
How is this different from just reading Google reviews?
Reviews can be bought and gamed, and they never tell you whether a company is registered, insured, trains its crews, or has a clean driving record. We check the things reviews cannot show, and we keep watching after the first job.
Do you ever subcontract my move?
No. We rule out companies that farm out jobs. The mover we match you with does your move with their own trucks and their own trained crew.
Does it cost me anything?
No. Getting matched is free. We are paid a commission by the mover, and we take a smaller cut than other sites.
Get matched with a vetted Montreal mover
Tell us about your move and we give you the lowest price from our hand-picked, vetted movers. No shopping around, no obligation.