The Best Times To Go To Montreal Grocery Stores If You Want To Avoid People & Lines

It's obvious that the world changed in a big way this year. How people do business, how people travel, and how people spend their time were all turned upside down and will likely never be the same. This was especially true in Montreal, according to new data from Google Maps. 

From huge increases in local shopping to even bigger decreases in public transit, here's how Montrealers adapted their lives to the new reality between March and October.

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Google's data presents four ways that Montrealers completely changed their habits this year in "transportation trends," "food trends," "activity trends," and "popular times." All datasets were compared to the same time last year. 

In transportation, Google noted a 42% decrease in public transit use. Cycling spiked by 20% and inputs for walking directions decreased by 29%.

"During the pandemic, Montrealers were 200% more likely to order food online on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays," according to a statement.

Reservations to restaurants through Google declined by a staggering 78%. 

Local shopping also saw huge increases, especially in the home and garden and outdoor activities sectors. 

In May, searches for parks and hiking activities spiked by 84%, and similarly, searches related to home and garden stores spiked by 83%. 

And the best time of the day to do things around town and not encounter too many people? The Google data suggests it's best to visit pharmacies and grocery stores at 9 a.m., cafés after 4 p.m., and parks any time before 9 a.m.