The Last Affordable Corner of Montreal Island — And It Has a Beach

RDP-PAT offers one of the most accessible rental markets on Montreal Island, with rents estimated at 15 to 20% below the average for central boroughs.

Studio / bachelor (2½): $800 to $950 per month

1 bedroom (3½): $900 to $1,200 per month

2 bedrooms (4½): $1,100 to $1,450 per month

3+ bedrooms (5½+): $1,400 to $1,800 per month

According to recent CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) data, the vacancy rate in eastern Montreal sits around 2.1%, reflecting a tight but far less speculative market than central boroughs. Notably, the borough's homeownership rate reaches 61% — one of the highest in the entire city — a sign of a stable, rooted community.

Comparison with other Montreal neighbourhoods (average 2-bedroom rent):

- RDP-PAT: $1,100 to $1,450 — best value for money on the island

- Montreal-Nord: $1,050 to $1,350 — comparable, but less green

- Verdun: $1,400 to $1,900 — rapid gentrification underway

- Rosemont: $1,600 to $2,100 — very popular, high prices

- Plateau-Mont-Royal: $1,900 to $2,600 — extremely tight market

Units available in RDP-PAT often include features rare elsewhere at these prices: outdoor parking, balconies, backyards, washer-dryer hookups, and immediate proximity to parks and green spaces.

The borough counts over 150 parks and green spaces, including two major nature parks. The Pointe-aux-Prairies nature park is one of the largest urban forests on Montreal Island, offering hiking trails, winter activities and remarkable biodiversity. Gouin Boulevard runs alongside the Des Prairies River for several kilometres, forming a natural corridor popular with walkers and cyclists. Parc de la Traversée, a former railway line converted into a linear park, allows year-round travel east to west by foot or bike.

For the same price as a 1-bedroom apartment in Rosemont or the Plateau, it's entirely possible to rent a spacious 3-bedroom unit in RDP-PAT — often with a yard, parking and balcony included. This is a major advantage for families needing space, and for professionals working from home who want a dedicated office room.

The borough has 14 French primary schools, three high schools (Jean-Grou, Pointe-aux-Trembles and Daniel-Johnson), CLSCs, public libraries and several community centres. Carrefour de la Pointe shopping centre brings together Walmart, Super C, Maxi, Pharmaprix and the SAQ, among others. Two lively public markets complete the local offering.

A seasonal river shuttle operated by the Société des traversiers du Québec connects Pointe-aux-Trembles directly to the Old Port of Montreal along the St. Lawrence River. It's one of the most pleasant — and most distinctive — ways to reach downtown in summer.

The borough connects directly to Highways 25 and 40. Downtown Montreal is 25 to 35 minutes away depending on traffic. Laval is 15 to 20 minutes via the Pie-IX bridge. The South Shore is reachable in 30 to 40 minutes via the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel.

Arenas, basketball courts, outdoor pools, wading pools, pétanque parks, free cultural events and neighbourhood markets — RDP-PAT maintains an authentic and accessible community life. The Société Ressources-Loisirs de Pointe-aux-Trembles (SRLPAT) operates numerous community and recreational centres serving all ages.

RDP-PAT is one of Montreal's most active areas for development in 2025-2026. Here are the major projects to watch.

One of the most ambitious residential projects to emerge in eastern Montreal. The MileBrook complex, developed by Gestion immobilière Courose at the corner of Sherbrooke Est and rue de la Famille-Dubreuil in Pointe-aux-Trembles, will deliver over 800 rental units across 9 buildings ranging from 3 to 8 storeys. The project is valued at over $340 million and has received federal funding. The first phase includes 355 units with delivery beginning in 2025. A 1,115 m² Val-Mont grocery store will be integrated at ground level. Full completion of the project is expected by 2029-2030.

Led by the Société de développement Angus (SDA), renovations to rue Notre-Dame Est have been underway since 2024. The Saint-Enfant-Jésus church and presbytery, at the corner of Notre-Dame Est and Saint-Jean-Baptiste, will be transformed into a major cultural venue. The SDA also plans 352 new residential units at the Angus site, alongside the requalification of Old Pointe-aux-Trembles' historic commercial strip.

The borough has launched construction of Espace Rivière and is beginning the redevelopment of the René-Masson hub area. Fort de Pointe-aux-Trembles will also be enhanced as a cultural hub within the historic Old Pointe-aux-Trembles district.

This is the most anticipated transit project in eastern Montreal in decades. Officially launched in March 2025, the Eastern Tramway will feature 31 stations across 38 kilometres, connecting Montréal-Nord and Rivière-des-Prairies (northern branch) to Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal-Est and Repentigny (eastern branch). The network will connect to the metro's Blue Line (future Lacordaire station) and to stations Cadillac, Langelier, Radisson and Honoré-Beaugrand on the Green Line. Travel time between Pointe-aux-Trembles station and Honoré-Beaugrand would be cut from 26 to just 16 minutes. Service is expected around 2035-2036. This project represents a major driver of real estate appreciation across the entire borough in the coming years.

The East Beach project in RDP-PAT is in development, with ongoing studies for the dock layout and shoreline decontamination. Once completed, this project will offer a public beach directly accessible from the neighbourhood — an exceptional addition for a borough already richly endowed with natural spaces.

The SDA and the City of Montreal are also developing 1,001 social and affordable housing units across the province, including 180 units in Montréal-Est. Programs supporting access to quality housing across all income levels are in place throughout the borough.

- Total population: approximately 107,000 residents

- Share of Montreal's population: 6.3%

- Homeownership rate: 61% (one of the highest in the city)

- Single-parent families: approximately 1 in 4, below the Montreal average

- Primary language: 49% of the population is unilingual French-speaking

- Leading employment sectors for residents: manufacturing and retail trade

RDP-PAT is particularly well suited to the following profiles:

- Established families seeking space, good schools and nearby parks

- Young couples looking to buy their first property at an accessible price

- Renters wanting a large unit without paying Plateau or Rosemont prices

- Immigrant communities looking for a multicultural neighbourhood (especially RDP)

- Investors looking to position themselves ahead of tramway-driven appreciation

RDP-PAT is sometimes perceived as far from the rest of Montreal, but the reality is quite different. Here is a complete overview of available options.

exo Commuter Train — Mascouche Line (MA)

Two stations serve the borough: Rivière-des-Prairies station and Pointe-aux-Trembles station. The Mascouche Line connects the borough directly to Montreal's Central Station (downtown) and the North Shore. Both stations are in fare zone A. First morning departures are around 6AM, last evening service around 10PM.

The bus network is dense and serves the entire borough 7 days a week. Key routes include:

- 182 Métrobus Sherbrooke: rapid service toward the Green Line metro

- 430 Express Pointe-aux-Trembles: fast connection to Honoré-Beaugrand metro station

- 410 Express Notre-Dame: connection to the metro

- 86 Pointe-aux-Trembles: local north-south and east-west coverage

- 362: all-night service (24 hours)

- 186, 187, 189, 400, 486: additional neighbourhood routes

From Honoré-Beaugrand station (Green Line), downtown Montreal is an additional 20 to 25 minutes by metro.

The Société des traversiers du Québec operates a seasonal river shuttle connecting Pointe-aux-Trembles to the Old Port of Montreal directly along the St. Lawrence River. This is a scenic and enjoyable option for summer commutes to the downtown core.

- Downtown Montreal: 25 to 35 minutes via Highway 40 or Sherbrooke Street

- Laval: 15 to 20 minutes via Highway 25 and the Pie-IX bridge

- South Shore (Longueuil, Brossard): 30 to 40 minutes via the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel

- Repentigny / North Shore: 15 to 25 minutes via Highway 40 East

Rivière-des-Prairies is bordered to the north by the Des Prairies River, which separates Montreal Island from Laval. The Pie-IX bridge gives access to Laval in just minutes — a significant advantage for residents who work in Laval or have family there. It's one of the rare areas of Montreal where you benefit from both the city and immediate proximity to Laval's suburbs.

The future tramway connecting RDP and PAT to the metro network (Blue and Green Lines) will considerably reduce travel times. The trip between Pointe-aux-Trembles station and Honoré-Beaugrand will drop from 26 to 16 minutes. The tramway will also serve Montréal-Nord and Repentigny, improving regional connectivity across the entire eastern island.

Rivière-des-Prairies and Pointe-aux-Trembles are no longer just transit points or starter neighbourhoods. In 2025-2026, with rents still very accessible ($900 to $1,800 depending on size), major residential projects like MileBrook, the promise of the Eastern Tramway, the revitalization of Old Pointe-aux-Trembles, abundant nature and a strong community — RDP-PAT is one of the best residential choices on Montreal Island.

If you're looking for space, nature, complete services, a warm community and reasonable access to the rest of the city — without paying a premium — eastern Montreal is waiting for you.

Sources: CMHC, Statistics Canada (2021 census), Ville de Montréal, exo, STM, La Presse, Radio-Canada, Est Média Montréal, Logis Québec, REALTOR.ca

Last updated: May 2026