Griffintown, Montreal: prices, rent, and living guide
Montreal's newest neighbourhood, built on former industrial land along the Lachine Canal, with modern condo stock, gyms and restaurants at street level, and a ten minute walk to downtown.
Young professionalsFirst time buyersInvestors
Typical house
$900K
Typical condo
$510K
One bedroom rent
$1,750/mo
Walk Score
91
Transit 85 · Bike 93
Known for: Being Montreal's newest neighbourhood, built on former industrial land. New condo towers on former industrial land beside the canal.
Prices and rent in Griffintown
A typical Griffintown house costs about $900,000 and a typical condo about $510,000.
Estimated price by unit size
| Condo | Estimate | House | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $367,000 | 2 bed | $738,000 |
| 1 bed | $510,000 | 3 bed | $900,000 |
| 2 bed | $694,000 | 4 bed | $1,107,000 |
| 3 bed | $908,000 | 5+ bed | $1,350,000 |
Estimated monthly rent
| Unit | Monthly rent |
|---|---|
| Bachelor | $1,370 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,750 |
| 2 bedroom | $2,240 |
| 3 bedroom | $2,990 |
Unit-size prices and rents are scaled from one benchmark per neighbourhood and are estimates, not appraisals. Compare Griffintown with the rest of Montreal in the best neighbourhoods in Montreal guide.
Who Griffintown suits
Professionals and first time buyers who want modern condo stock, in-building amenities, and a ten minute walk to downtown along the Lachine Canal.
Who it is wrong for
Families needing schools and green space, and anyone who would find the wind tunnels and thin retail disappointing.
Pros
- The newest condo stock in the city with modern layouts and amenities
- A ten minute walk to downtown along the Lachine Canal
- Walk Score of 91 with gyms and restaurants at street level
Cons
- Widely criticised for poor planning, including wind tunnels and thin retail
- Few schools or green spaces within the neighbourhood
- Heavy investor ownership makes the rental stock transient
Living in Griffintown
Getting around
Bonaventure and Georges-Vanier stations, walk to downtown. Walk Score 91, Transit Score 85, Bike Score 93.
Safety
Safe, new and low density at street level, though quiet and somewhat empty outside business hours.
Restaurants
A growing set of restaurants and cafés at tower bases along Notre-Dame and Peel, with Atwater Market nearby.
Shopping
Retail is thin and a common criticism. Marché Atwater and downtown cover most needs.
Within a short walk or transit hop
- Parks
- Lachine Canal pathways, Parc du Faubourg Sainte-Anne, Parc des Chutes
- Library
- Bibliothèque Georges-Vanier, Grande Bibliothèque downtown
- Recreation
- Lachine Canal cycling and kayaking, Atwater Market, YMCA downtown
- Groceries
- Marché Atwater, IGA on Peel, Provigo on Notre-Dame
- Schools
- Limited within the area; families typically look to Saint-Henri or Verdun
Safety text is a qualitative description of the area, not crime statistics. Scores are approximate and vary within the neighbourhood.
Renting in Griffintown
A one bedroom runs about $1,750 a month, and a two bedroom about $2,240.
Almost entirely investor-owned condos in new towers, which makes it the most liquid rental market in Montreal and the most amenity-heavy. Rents sit at the top of the city range for the square footage.
Where Griffintown is
Buildings near Griffintown
Condo and rental buildings within about two kilometres of the centre of Griffintown, with fees, reviews and what residents say.
Griffintown: frequently asked questions
Is Griffintown a good place to live?
For new construction, canal access and a walk to downtown it works well. It is also the most criticised neighbourhood in Montreal — an entire YouTube essay is titled 'Why Does Everyone Hate This Neighbourhood?' — mostly for its planning, not its safety.
What is Griffintown known for?
Being Montreal's most active condo market and its most contested redevelopment. Historically it was the Irish working-class district; almost none of that survives, which is a large part of why the criticism lands.
Is Griffintown safe?
Yes — it is generally a safe, walkable and vibrant neighbourhood by Montreal standards. Violent crime is rare and the main issues are property crime and construction-related disruption.
Is Griffintown considered downtown Montreal?
It is in the Sud-Ouest borough, immediately south-west of downtown across the Bonaventure. In practice it functions as downtown — you can walk to the core in fifteen minutes — but it is a separate borough with a separate character.
Why do people criticise Griffintown?
Rapid tower construction with thin public realm, few schools and services for the population added, wind tunnels between buildings, and the loss of the historic neighbourhood. Residents who live there generally like it; the criticism is mostly about the planning.
Nearby Montreal neighbourhoods
Downtown Montreal
The only Canadian downtown that still feels like a neighbourhood at night
House $1.4M · Condo $620K· Walk 96
1.3 km from Griffintown
StudentsYoung professionalsCar free living
Pointe-Saint-Charles
Working class roots, canal access, and the last central bargain
House $720K · Condo $425K· Walk 84
1.6 km from Griffintown
Best valueFirst time buyersInvestors
Old Montreal
Cobblestones, seventeenth century stone, and the Old Port
House $1.6M · Condo $760K· Walk 95
1.6 km from Griffintown
LuxuryCar free livingYoung professionals
Little Burgundy
Jazz history, canal frontage, and the Sud-Ouest's best food strip
House $950K · Condo $540K· Walk 90
1.7 km from Griffintown
Young professionalsCar free livingFirst time buyers
Similar to Griffintown elsewhere in Montreal
Saint-Henri
Canal-side lofts, Notre-Dame Street antiques, and rapid change
House $800K · Condo $460K· Walk 90
Young professionalsBest valueInvestors
Le Village
North America's largest gay village, and the cheapest central rent in the city
House $720K · Condo $430K· Walk 96
StudentsBest valueCar free living
Verdun
River beach, Wellington Street, and the best value near downtown
House $780K · Condo $445K· Walk 88
Best valueFirst time buyersFamilies
Nuns' Island
A green island suburb, five minutes from downtown and nothing like it
House $1.45M · Condo $620K· Walk 55
FamiliesYoung professionalsLuxury