Groceries and pharmacies near McGill on a student budget

The supermarkets on avenue du Parc

The Metro in the Galeries du Parc (3575 avenue du Parc) and the Provigo a few blocks south are the everyday choices in Milton-Parc: 4 to 7 min and 4 to 8 min on foot from our buildings.

McGill's own food guide for new students lists a 10% student discount on Mondays at both stores. Store offers change, so ask at the checkout with your student card.

Segal's Market for the big shop

Segal's, at 4001 boulevard Saint-Laurent, has sold groceries on the Main since 1927 and is often called the cheapest grocery store in town. A 2023 MTL Blog price check found the same basket cost about 9% less there than at Maxi. It is 10 to 20 min on foot from our buildings: bring bags.

Free loyalty cards

• Moi: Metro and Jean Coutu share one program
• PC Optimum: Provigo and Pharmaprix
• Familiplus: Familiprix
• Uniprix: a beauty card for cosmetics

Four pharmacies close by

Uniprix shares the Galeries du Parc with the Metro (4 to 7 min on foot), Jean Coutu is on Sherbrooke Street (3 to 9 min), and Familiprix and Pharmaprix are a little farther north (6 to 16 min and 8 to 18 min).

What a pharmacist can do in Québec

Since 2021, Québec pharmacists can treat many minor conditions that were already diagnosed before, such as cold sores, seasonal allergies, mild acne or some urinary tract infections. They can prescribe emergency contraception and some travel medication, and extend a prescription for up to one year.

From December 9, 2026, they will also be able to renew prescriptions on their own judgment without that time limit, and adjust some ongoing treatments, for example for high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

Health insurance for international students

McGill enrols international students automatically in its International Health Insurance plan, with Medavie Blue Cross. Students from a few countries that have a social security agreement with Québec, France and Belgium among them, can use RAMQ, Québec's public health insurance, instead. Check McGill's International Student Services pages before you arrive.