In this guide
Le Sud-Ouest runs from Griffintown’s glass towers to Ville-Émard’s bungalows in four kilometres, with the Lachine Canal down the middle and only a handful of bridges across it. A mover quoting the borough has to know which side of the canal you are on and whether your building has a freight elevator, a spiral staircase or a driveway. Those three answers move the price more than the size of your apartment.
This guide covers Griffintown, Petite-Bourgogne, Saint-Henri, Pointe-Saint-Charles, Côte-Saint-Paul and Ville-Émard: what established movers charge, what is specific to each sector, the borough’s permit, and the questions that keep a quote honest. Griffintown is in Le Sud-Ouest, not Ville-Marie, which matters for the permit.
The quick answer on Sud-Ouest moving costs
| Home size | Off-peak (Nov to May) | June | July 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR (3½) | $540 to $700 | $700 to $900 | $1,000 to $1,750 |
| 2BR (4½) | $850 to $1,200 | $1,250 to $1,600 | $1,500 to $2,200 |
| 3BR (5½) | $1,100 to $1,700 | $1,600 to $2,200 | $1,800 to $2,800 |
| 4BR+ / house | $1,700 to $2,600 | $2,300 to $3,200 | $2,800 to $4,200 |
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.
Griffintown towers land at the top of these ranges even for small units, because elevator windows and dock rules add crew time. Saint-Henri and Pointe-Saint-Charles plexes sit in the middle. Ville-Émard and Côte-Saint-Paul houses with a driveway sit at the bottom.
What is specific to moving in Le Sud-Ouest
Griffintown and Petite-Bourgogne: towers
Almost every building north of the canal between Peel and Atwater requires the service elevator to be reserved, often one to two weeks ahead, in a three or four hour weekday window, and a certificate of insurance from the mover naming the syndicate. Loading is through a dock or a garage with a height limit a 26-foot truck often does not clear. Movers that work Griffintown every week have the paperwork on file; ask before you book.
Saint-Henri: plexes, lofts and the canal
Saint-Henri mixes classic walk-ups with converted industrial lofts along the canal. Lofts mean freight elevators that may or may not be working, wide furniture that came in through a window, and loading from a laneway. Plexes mean the usual $75 to $150 per flight stair charge. Notre-Dame West is metered and busy; side streets are tight.
Pointe-Saint-Charles: the narrowest streets in the borough
The Pointe’s grid was laid out for horses. Many streets cannot take a truck and a passing car at once, and residents guard their curb. A permit with signs is worth it here even when the street has no meters. Expect the crew to carry farther than the quote assumed unless you flag it.
Côte-Saint-Paul and Ville-Émard: driveways
South-west of the canal and the Monk boulevard, the housing is duplexes and small houses with driveways and lanes. Access is easy; the cost driver is only distance and the canal crossings at rush hour.
The canal crossings
Atwater, Charlevoix, des Seigneurs and Wellington are the practical truck crossings, and all of them back up at rush hour. A move from Saint-Henri to the Pointe is ten minutes at 8 a.m. and thirty at 4 p.m. Book the morning.
The Sud-Ouest parking permit, step by step
The City of Montreal’s rules, confirmed on montreal.ca in October 2026:
- No permit needed if the truck uses legal spaces without blocking a sidewalk or bike path and the street has no parking meters.
- Permit required for no-parking signs reserving the curb, metered streets, a blocked sidewalk or bike path, or a pedestrian street. When you hire a moving company, the permit must be in the company’s name.
- Only official signs from an authorized rental company. They go up 12 to 14 hours before the reserved window, and you then notify the Agence de mobilité durable through its online form.
- Le Sud-Ouest: request the permit 48 hours before the move. It is free: the fee is charged on the request and cancelled when the permit is issued. You receive the permit within the 24 hours before the occupation begins, so do not panic if it is not in your inbox two days out.
Griffintown towers add their own layer: the building books the dock and elevator, the City permits the street. You need both, and the mover should coordinate both.
How to get a fair rate in Le Sud-Ouest
- Move mid-month, mid-week, between November and May. The same apartment costs roughly half of its July 1 price.
- Describe the access out loud when you ask for a quote: floor, exterior or interior stairs, elevator, alley, distance from the curb. You want the correction in writing, before, not on the day.
- Four numbers before tax: hourly rate, crew size, travel-time charge, minimum hours. If a quote hides one, it is not a quote.
- Ask who requests the parking permit and what they charge to do it.
- Verify the CTQ permit number on the Commission des transports du Québec register before any deposit.
Red flags when hiring a mover here
- A single flat number by text with no mention of stairs, travel time or minimum hours.
- A deposit demanded in cash or by e-transfer to a personal name.
- No CTQ permit number, or one registered to a different company name.
- “We will figure out parking when we get there.”
- A July 1 quote cheaper than everyone else’s. On Moving Day, cheap means a crew that will not show.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Griffintown one-bedroom move take?
With a reserved elevator and a usable dock, 3 to 4 hours of labour plus one hour of travel. Without a reserved elevator, add an hour or more of waiting, billed.
Is Griffintown in downtown for permit purposes?
No. Griffintown is in Le Sud-Ouest. The permit is free, requested 48 hours ahead, and arrives within the 24 hours before your window. Ville-Marie’s rules do not apply.
Why is the Pointe harder than Saint-Henri for movers?
Narrower streets and less curb space. The furniture is the same; the carry is longer. A signed permit solves most of it.
Do Saint-Henri lofts cost more to move?
Often. Freight elevators in converted buildings are slow or out of service, doorways are odd sizes, and loading is from a lane. Describe the building when you ask for quotes.
What does a Sud-Ouest move cost on July 1?
For a 4½ with stairs, $1,500 to $2,200 before tax with an established company, booked six to eight weeks ahead. Griffintown towers are less tied to July 1 because leases turn over year-round.
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Keep reading: related Montreal moving guides
Sources: Ville de Montréal, Stationner un camion de déménagement (montreal.ca, consulted October 11, 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 11, 2026.
