Moving in Verdun: 2026 Costs and What to Expect

Verdun is two boroughs in one for a moving crew. On the mainland, rows of duplexes and triplexes with exterior stairs and no driveways. On Île-des-Soeurs, condo towers where the elevator has to be booked and the mover has to prove insurance before the truck is allowed in. The price difference between the two can be a few hundred dollars for the same furniture.

This guide is what a Montreal consumer advocate would tell you before you book a Verdun move: what established movers actually charge, the three things specific to Verdun that push a quote up, how the borough’s parking permit works, and the questions that separate a serious company from a guy with a rented truck.

The quick answer on Verdun moving costs

Those totals assume established Montreal movers at $135 to $140 per hour for two movers and a truck in the off-season, $175 to $200 in June and $250 to $350 on July 1, a 3 to 4 hour minimum, plus one hour of travel. A third mover adds about $30 per hour off-peak and $50 in June. All rates are before tax.

Verdun mainland walk-ups sit in the middle of these ranges. Île-des-Soeurs towers often land at the top because elevator booking windows and loading-dock rules add an hour or two of crew time. Detached homes in Crawford Park and around Desmarchais with a driveway sit at the bottom: the truck parks at the door and nobody climbs anything.

What is specific to moving in Verdun

Walk-ups with exterior stairs

Along Wellington, Bannantyne, Verdun Avenue and most residential streets between the aqueduct and the river, the housing stock is duplexes and triplexes from the 1920s to 1950s. Second and third floor units are reached by an exterior staircase, often a straight one rather than the Plateau spiral, but still a flight the crew has to carry everything down. Established movers bill $75 to $150 per flight, or fold it into a longer estimate. Ask which.

Wellington’s pedestrian season

Stretches of rue Wellington are closed to cars for part of the summer. If your address or your building’s only loading side is on the pedestrian section, a moving truck needs an occupation permit, and the City treats pedestrian streets as a case where a permit is always required. Plan the move from a side street, and tell the mover in advance.

Île-des-Soeurs: elevators, docks and insurance certificates

Most towers on the island require the freight or service elevator to be reserved with the building manager, usually a window of three or four hours on a weekday. Many also require the moving company to send a certificate of insurance naming the syndicate of co-owners before move day. Movers that work the island regularly have this on file; a mover that has never done it will lose an hour at the door. Ask whether the quote includes a padding crew for the elevator and the time to set up floor protection in the lobby.

Bridges and timing

Île-des-Soeurs connects to the rest of Verdun by the Champlain Bridge approaches and the Île-des-Soeurs boulevard. Afternoon rush hour can add 20 to 40 minutes to a truck leaving the island toward the mainland. Movers charge travel time, so a morning start on the island is cheaper in practice.

The Verdun parking permit, step by step

Verdun enforces its no-parking rules on moving day. The City of Montreal’s rules, confirmed on montreal.ca in October 2026, work like this:

• No permit needed if the truck uses legal spaces without blocking the sidewalk or a bike path, and the street has no parking meters.
• Permit required if you want no-parking signs reserving the curb, if the street has meters, if the truck blocks a sidewalk or bike path, or if you move on a pedestrian street. When you hire a moving company, the permit must be in the company’s name.
• Lead time in Verdun: 5 business days. Cost: a minimum of about $51, more if meters have to be covered. Request it through your montreal.ca account or the borough’s permits counter.
• Only official signs from an authorized rental company are allowed. They go up 12 to 14 hours before the reserved window, and you then notify the Agence de mobilité durable through its online form.

Because the permit is in the mover’s name, ask each company whether they request it for you and what they charge to do so. A mover that shrugs at the question is telling you how the morning will go.

How to get a fair rate in Verdun

• Move mid-month, mid-week, between November and May. The same 4½ costs roughly half of its July 1 price.
• Say “exterior stairs, two flights” out loud when you ask for a quote. Movers quote low when they assume ground floor and then correct on site. You want the correction in writing, before.
• On Île-des-Soeurs, confirm the elevator window before you confirm the mover. A crew that arrives at 8 a.m. for a 1 p.m. elevator slot bills you for the wait.
• Ask for the all-in hourly rate before tax, the crew size, the travel-time charge and the minimum hours. Four numbers. If a quote hides one, it is not a quote.
• Verify the CTQ permit number on the Commission des transports du Québec register before you pay a deposit.

Red flags when hiring a mover in Verdun

• A quote by text message with a single flat number and no mention of stairs, travel time or minimum hours.
• A company that cannot produce a certificate of insurance for an Île-des-Soeurs building. Serious movers have it on file.
• A deposit demanded in cash or by e-transfer to a personal name.
• No CTQ permit number, or one that does not match the company name on the register.
• “We will figure out parking when we get there.” On Wellington in July, that sentence costs you a ticket and an hour.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a 4½ walk-up move take in Verdun?

With three movers and one flight of exterior stairs at each end, plan on 4 to 5 hours of labour plus one hour of travel. A third-floor unit adds 45 to 90 minutes.

Is Île-des-Soeurs more expensive to move to than mainland Verdun?

Usually by $150 to $400 for the same furniture, because of elevator windows, lobby protection and dock rules. A tower with a good loading dock and a reserved elevator can be faster than a third-floor walk-up, so ask the mover which they expect.

Do I need a parking permit in Verdun if the truck fits in a legal spot?

No, as long as it does not block the sidewalk or a bike path and the street has no meters. If you want the curb reserved with signs, you need the permit, requested 5 business days ahead, in the mover’s name.

Can my mover load from the back alley in Verdun?

Some streets have alleys wide enough for a cube truck; many do not, and a truck parked in an alley blocks neighbours’ garages. Ask the mover to look at the address on a map before quoting.

What does a Verdun move cost on July 1?

For a 4½ with stairs, expect $1,500 to $2,200 before tax with an established company, and limited availability unless you book six to eight weeks ahead.

Sources: Ville de Montréal, Stationner un camion de déménagement (montreal.ca, consulted October 3, 2026) for permit rules, lead times and fees; Commission des transports du Québec public register; 2026 rate sheets and quotes from established Montreal moving companies. Prices are ranges before tax, not quotes. Last fact-check: October 3, 2026.