Conference Venue

TOPS is held at the Schulich School of Music on McGill University's downtown campus, in the heart of Montreal. Conference events will take place at the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building at 527 Sherbrooke Street West. This is a wheelchair-accessible building, located on the northwest corner of Sherbrooke St. West/Aylmer St.

Travel Information

From the Airport (YUL-Trudeau)

Montreal's primary airport is the Trudeau International Airport to the west of the city. From there, you can take a taxi ($49.45 flat rate) or bus to get downtown. The 747-1 bus runs every 10–15 minutes, 24 hours a day, and goes directly from the airport to several stops in the city center. The fare of $11 pays for your trip and is valid for unlimited trips on the island of Montreal for the next 24 hours. You will see the vending machines in the airport. You can also pay with exact change on the bus. To go straight to the McGill campus, get off at Réné-Lévesque/Union Street. If by chance you end up taking the 747-2, this route will end at Lionel-Groulx metro station, which is a short ride away from McGill, and the fare you paid for the bus will enable you to continue your journey by metro.

From the Train Station (Gare Centrale)

Montreal's main train station, Gare Centrale, is located below the Queen Elizabeth Hotel on the corner of René-Lévesque and Mansfield. It also has an entrance at 895 de la Gauchetière ouest. The station is the major terminus for Canada's VIA Rail trains from Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Québec and the Gaspé, as well as U.S. Amtrak trains from Washington and New York. It also provides easy access to the city's subway (the Metro), as it is situated at the Bonaventure station (on the Orange Line of the Metro).

From the train station, a 12-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride will get you to McGill University.

Parking Downtown

Parking availability can be limited in downtown; however, Montreal's walkability and high-quality transit allow many to get around car free!

There is no on-site parking for the public at McGill's Schulich School of Music. Metered street parking and day-rate lots are available in the downtown core (interactive map). Parking on residential streets without a permit is also allowed in certain areas, but pay close attention to signage. For information about getting a McGill University parking permit, visit the McGill Parking website.

Getting Around Montreal

Montreal is a very pedestrian- and bike-friendly city. However, if you wish to explore more of the city, using public transportation is highly encouraged. Taxi and Uber ride-share services are also widely available. (Lyft is, however, not available in Montreal.)

Bike Share

BIXI is a public bicycle sharing program originating in Montreal. It costs $1.35 to unlock a bike plus 20¢/minute for standard bicycles or 35¢/minute for electric bicycles. Bikes can be checked out using a credit card or the BIXI app and returned to any of the hundreds of bicycle docking stations in the city. Even if you have nowhere specific to go, we highly recommend using BIXI as a way to see the city!

Metro

Public transportation in the city is handled by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). Passes can be purchased from STM vending machines at the airport or in any metro station. Some convenience stores (dépanneurs) and pharmacies also sell passes.

Fares*

• $3.75 for one trip; $7.00 for two trips.
• Unlimited evening pass (6:00pm-5:00am): $6.25.
• 24-hour day pass: $11.00.
• 3-day pass: $21.25
• Unlimited weekend pass: $15.75.

If you purchase a pass for the 747 airport bus, this also acts as a 24 hour day pass.

*Note: The fares listed here are for Zone A, Montreal proper.

Restaurants

Montreal is a wonderful city for food, drink, and nightlife. It would be simply impossible to provide a comprehensive list of where we love to eat and drink in this city, so we offer here just a few recommendations in the downtown, Plateau, Milton-Parc neighbourhoods, since these are near McGill. Unlike many other large North American cities, Montreal's inner ring of neighbourhoods (i.e., those that surround downtown) are safe, close, easily accessible by foot, bike, or transportation, and offer an extremely wide variety of interesting and high-quality dining. We strongly encourage conference attendees to explore the city!

Restaurants/Cafes near the Conference Venue

• Time Out Market Montreal (705 Saint Catherine St W): A collection of local restaurants located on the top floor of the Eaton centre. A great option when you can't decide what to eat!
• Le Central (30 Saint Catherine St W): A similar concept to TimeOut Market, with 16 restaurants all located in Montreal's Place des arts.
• Lola Rosa (545 Milton St): Vegan restaurant with gluten-free and nut-free options on the menu.
• Falafel Ave (2020 Robert-Bourassa Blvd): Vegetarian falafel pitas and bowls. Another good choice when you need something quick.
• Nouilles Zhonghua (908 Sherbrooke St): Delicious hand-pulled Chinese noodles. Watch them make noodles in-house while you eat!
• Humble Lion (904 Sherbrooke St. W): Coffee shop with a selection of baked goods.
• Mintar (3418b Park Ave): Coffee shop with baked goods and a small menu of breakfast foods and sandwiches.

Other Restaurant Recommendations

• Whatever your culinary interest, Montreal has got it. Areas near downtown with burgeoning or established culinary scenes include the Old Port (a bit on the pricier, fancier side), Plateau (especially Mile End, and Mont Royal street East), St. Henri (especially around Lionel Groulx metro), or, slightly further afield, Mile-Ex / Little Italy / Petite Patrie (especially around Beaubien street East).

Montreal Staples

Montreal is known for its poutine, smoked meat, and bagels. If you are interested in comparing the most famous spots for these, here is a non-comprehensive list of some places not too far from downtown to get you started. 

• Poutine: Patati Patata, Ma Poule Mouillée (poutine & Portugese chicken), La Banquise (anything you could possibly want on poutine), Chez Claudette (Ben's favourite!)
• Smoked meat: Schwartz's (the classic stop for a massive sandwich), Dunn's (less "classic" but very well known), Lester's (a bit further afield but certainly no slouch)
• Bagels: Rival bagel shops St. Viateur's and Fairmount are both located in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood. Make sure to try their classic sesame seed bagels fresh from the oven! Note: if your concept of a perfect bagel involves the fluffy, New York-style baked good, Montreal bagels are quite different; notably smaller, denser, and more chewy. For best results, grab a tub of cream cheese and some smoked salmon with your bagels and enjoy them with a coffee from any of mile end's many nearby cafes (top suggestions: Cafe Olimpico, Club Social, or Cafe in Gamba)

Bars & Pubs

• Benelux (245 Sherbrooke St.): a local brewery with German-themed pub fare and lots of outdoor seating. A favourite of music students and faculty for its proximity to the Schulich School of Music.
• Dispensary Brewing Co. (102 Prince-Arthur St.): Microbrewery with a picturesque terrace on a pedestrianized street. No food on the menu, but lots of food options on the nearby Saint Laurent Street.
• Dieu de Ciel ! (21 Laurier Ave. W): Microbrewery with pub fare. A bit further from campus, but a long-time favourite of Montreal beer lovers.
• Brewskey Pub & Taproom (380 Saint Paul St. E/385 Commune St. E): A microbrewery in the beautiful Old Port of Montreal. Enter on Saint Paul for pub-style fare and ambience, or enter on Commune for the taproom and an elevated menu. The taproom terrace features a view of Montreal's ferris wheel, "la grande roue."
• The Coldroom (401 Saint Vincent St.): A speakeasy style cocktail bar in the Old Port of Montreal that specializes in whiskey. Tucked away underground, they have knowledgeable staff and a cool ambience.
• Cloakroom Bar (2175 de la Montagne): Small in seating area but immense in reputation, this unique spot regularly appears on "Best of" lists among cocktail afficionados
• Bar Le Furco / Cafe Parvis (425 / 433 rue Mayor): these two sibling establishments, located side-by-side several blocks from the Schulich School of Music, are great for lunch, coffee, small plates, pizza, a glass of wine, and many other libations.

Explore Montreal

• Jeanne Mance Park: A favourite of locals and tourists alike. Enjoy a picnic for the authentic Montrealer experience! 15 minute walk from Schulich School of Music or a 5 minute bus ride on the 129 or 80 northbound busses.
• Parc du Mont-Royal: the natural landmark from which the city gets its name. This "mountain" offers a commanding view over downtown, is easily walkable from McGill, and provides a welcome, shady, respite from the heat on summer's day. The people, activities, and landscapes one encounters in this park are emblematic of the city at large: happily finding a balance between work and relaxation, the urban and the natural.
• Botanical Gardens: Situated in the Olympic park, the botanical gardens have a number of themed gardens and indoor greenhouses.
• Ruelles Vertes: Take a walk down the picturesque "green alleyways," which are a beautiful feature of many Montreal neighbourhoods. You are likely to see some neighbourhood cats too! TimeOut has an interactive map that will help you find some of them.
• Street Art: Take a walk through the Plateau neighbourhood and enjoy a wide variety of outdoor murals. New murals are added each June for Montreal's Mural Festival.
• Lachine Canal: Explore the scenic Lachine canal on foot or by bike via the mixed-use path, which runs from Old Port to Lachine. Visit Atwater Market, Ma Bicyclette Café, or 4 Origines Brewery, which are accessible from the trail.
• Museums: on-campus, the Redpath museum has beautiful Victorian architecture; off-campus, Montreal offers museums of contemporary art, archeology and more.

Lodging

Montreal has a plethora of lodging options, though in the summer these can get busy. It is therefore highly recommended to secure your accommodations as soon as you can. McGill does offer on-site summer accommodations, but these too tend to fill up.