Montréal is a very safe city where families can go out for walks with peace of mind. The downtown core overflows with life both day and night: inhabitants and visitors are out to see films, go to the theatre, attend concerts, enjoy restaurants. When festivals are being held, thousands of people gather on the streets and in the squares, celebrating happily and peacefully.

The quality of life offered by Montréal is not an international secret! In 2004, the quality of life survey conducted by Mercer Human Resources Consulting ranks Montréal in the top 10% of 215 cities surveyed throughout the world. Mercer's findings take into consideration 39 quality of life factors that include political, social, economic, environmental, personal safety, health, education, transportation, etc. From this perspective, Montréal places among the top 25 cities in the world for the fourth year in a row. For recreation, Montréal has parks and immense green spaces right in the heart of the city, a river one can sail or challenge the rapids, and bicycle trails and paths that stretch for nearly 1,000 kilometres, the longest cyclable trail in North America.