Montreal has a knack for inconvenience. The winters are brutal, and when summer finally comes, it’s a safe bet that the streets will become clogged with moving vans. That's because July 1st has officially been deemed “Moving Day.” The tradition began as a humanitarian measure of the French colonial government of New France, who forbade landlords from evicting their tenant farmers before the winter snow had melted. Then, in 1973, the date was changed to July 1st, since children were still in school on May 1st. Today, Moving Day is both a boon and a headache for commercial moving companies. It’s so bad that people have to reserve their services at least six months in advance. Moving companies hire extra help during Moving Day, working around the clock to accommodate the public. Some companies even raise their rates for Moving Day, sometimes by as much as 250%. Cities also schedule extra garbage and recycling pickups for this period to deal with unwanted furniture and empty boxes left on the side of roads. Although Moving Day is seen as a headache for most people, bargain hunters love it because they can make a killing at garage sales that occur before Moving Day, as well as nabbing furniture and other items left on the street free of charge. As for the chaos involved in Moving Day, most people say, “It’s Moving Day, disasters are to be expected!”
