In short
- MoveAdvisor gives the distance as 198 km.
- Ottawa Pro Movers prints $1,500–2,400 for flat-rate moves from Ottawa to Montréal.
- Move-Ottawa starts at $1,450 (17-ft), $1,950 (20-ft) and $2,350 (24-ft truck), plus HST.
- Highway 417 continues as Autoroute 40 at the Ontario-Québec border.
- Ottawa Pro Movers asks for 8 to 10 weeks of lead time for May to September and month-end dates.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ottawa to Montréal, flat rate | $1,500–2,400 | Ottawa Pro Movers |
| 17-ft truck, starting price | from $1,450 | Move-Ottawa, plus HST |
| 20-ft truck, starting price | from $1,950 | Move-Ottawa, plus HST |
| 24-ft truck, starting price | from $2,350 | Move-Ottawa, plus HST |
| Studio or 1 bedroom | $1,103–1,692 | MoveAdvisor, historical averages of past moves |
| 2–3 bedrooms | $2,128–3,547 | MoveAdvisor, historical averages of past moves |
| 4+ bedrooms | $2,943–4,835 | MoveAdvisor, historical averages of past moves |
Sources. Checked 29.10.2026. Ottawa Pro Movers, Moving costs 2026; Move-Ottawa Movers, Our prices; MoveAdvisor, Ottawa to Montréal movers; Wikipedia, Quebec Autoroute 40; Wikipedia, Ontario Highway 417; Ontario, Hiring a mover (all seen 29.10.2026). Each figure belongs to the source that printed it. The company that calls you sets its own price.
The route
From Ottawa the truck takes Highway 417 east. At the Ontario-Québec border the highway continues as Autoroute 40, which Wikipedia describes as 347 km long, with a Metropolitan Autoroute section in Montréal that it calls the busiest highway in Québec. MoveAdvisor gives 198 km between the cities.
Ask the company that calls for the loading time, the expected unloading time and who you can reach during the drive.
How the price is built
Ottawa Pro Movers prints $1,500–2,400. Move-Ottawa lists starting prices that depend on the truck: $1,450 for a 17-foot box, $1,950 for a 20-foot box and $2,350 for a 24-foot box, plus HST. MoveAdvisor averages past moves: a studio to 1-bedroom runs $1,103–1,692 and 2 to 3 bedrooms $2,128–3,547. The three sources measure different things, so the only fair comparison is between written quotes with the same load. Two of the three sources price the Toronto route higher; see Ottawa to Toronto, and the route table is under long-distance moving cost.
Crossing into Québec
Ontario’s guide says a moving contract can mention licences or customs documents needed to cross a border. The line between Ontario and Québec is a provincial one, so the contract mainly needs both addresses, the access details and the insurance terms. Ask the company who covers the goods once the truck passes the provincial line.
Your own paperwork, such as health coverage and the driver’s licence, follows the rules of the province you move to. Québec runs its own health insurance and licensing offices. Check their pages before the move date, and keep documents in the bag that travels with you.
Access at the Montréal end
Montréal buildings vary from walk-ups with outside stairs to towers with freight elevators. A narrow street or a one-way block can keep the truck from the door and add carry time. Tell the company what you know about the destination. A photo from the street helps. Tell the company if the building staff speak only French.
Dates and season
On MoveAdvisor’s route page, summer prices can run above spring and fall. Ottawa Pro Movers says peak season, May to September, and the end of the month need 8 to 10 weeks of lead time. If your lease changes hands on July 1, read the July 1 moving day guide before you choose a window, because that date compresses the whole market.
Consolidated and shared loads
A small load can ride on a shared truck. Move-Ottawa offers this along its corridor from the Toronto area through Kingston and Ottawa to Montréal, and the delivery date then becomes a window. Ask the company how long the window is and if you can reach the driver in transit.
Lines for the Montréal quote
Ask for both addresses, an item list, truck and crew size, the price type, loading and delivery dates, the insurance wording and the payment terms on one page. Ontario wants three written estimates collected and a written contract above $50. Bring the moving quote checklist to the call.
Who takes the Montréal run
One independent moving company gets your request from Ottawa Moving Desk and quotes the run. Other routes are listed under long-distance moving.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the price a flat rate for the listed load, and does it include the drive back to Ottawa?
- Which truck size does the quote assume?
- Who unloads in Montréal, and does the crew speak French with the building staff?
- Is delivery on a fixed date or inside a window?
- Does the insurance cover the goods on the Québec side of the border?
Have this ready for the call
- Ask the Montréal landlord or syndicate about elevator hours, parking and any move-in deposit.
- Write the inventory by room, with the large pieces and fragile items marked.
- Photograph the Ottawa home, including storage rooms and the garage.
- Check that the truck can reach the Montréal door: street width, one-way blocks, stairs.
- Pack a first-night bag with documents, medication and chargers, and keep it with you.
Questions people ask
How far is Montréal from Ottawa by road?
MoveAdvisor gives 198 km. Highway 417 runs east and becomes Autoroute 40 at the border, according to the Autoroute 40 article. The drive is short, so most of the crew’s time goes into loading and unloading.
Why does a 200 km move cost almost as much as a local move?
The load and the road both count. Ottawa Pro Movers lists $1,050–1,800 for a local move of a 2–3 bedroom home, while the same firm’s Montréal range starts at $1,500. Compare the written totals.
Do I need a French-speaking crew in Montréal?
Montréal caretakers and neighbours may work in French. Ask for a French-speaking crew member in the request; the company that calls says whether it has one.
Are Montréal prices different from Ottawa prices?
The published sources price the move from Ottawa. Move-Ottawa also lists Montréal to Toronto starting at $2,799 for the 17-ft truck, so a route that starts in Québec has its own table. This site takes requests for moves that start in Ottawa.
What documents should the contract show for a move across the provincial line?
Ontario’s guide says a contract can list any licences or customs documents needed to cross a border, the insurer’s name, who is responsible for damage and the number of staff and hours. Ask for these in writing before you sign.