The North Shore, the string of towns north of Laval including Terrebonne, Blainville, Boisbriand, Saint-Eustache, Mirabel, and Saint-Jérôme, is a major business area in its own right: industrial parks, aerospace plants, clinics, professional offices, and regional courthouses and hospitals. For a courier based on the island, it is also a different kind of trip. This guide explains how the highways and bridges shape a North Shore run and how to plan one that serves several stops efficiently.
Quick answer
- Going from the island to the North Shore usually means crossing two rivers, the Rivière des Prairies and the Rivière des Mille Îles, so the bridges set the pace of the trip.
- Autoroutes 15, 25, and 640 are the main corridors. Autoroute 13 leads from the West Island toward Boisbriand.
- Because the trip is long, grouping several stops in the same corridor is usually the most efficient plan.
- Always include the municipality and postal code, since neighbouring towns can share street names.
What the North Shore Means for a Delivery
For a courier, the North Shore starts where Laval ends. Reaching it from the island of Montréal usually means crossing the Rivière des Prairies to get to Laval, and then the Rivière des Mille Îles to get out of it. Each crossing is a bridge, and each bridge can slow down at peak hours or when there is work or an incident. For Laval itself, see our guide to courier deliveries in Laval.
That is why a North Shore run is planned as a trip, not as a stop on a local route: the distance is longer, the traffic pattern depends on the corridor, and the return leg matters as much as the outbound one.
The Main Corridors
| Corridor | What it connects | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Autoroute 15 (Autoroute des Laurentides) | Montréal, Laval, Boisbriand, Blainville, and Saint-Jérôme, continuing into the Laurentians | Crosses the Rivière des Prairies and the Rivière des Mille Îles on two bridges |
| Autoroute 640 | East-west across the North Shore, from the Oka area through Saint-Eustache, Boisbriand, Sainte-Thérèse, Blainville, and Terrebonne to Charlemagne | Links to autoroutes 13, 15, 25, and 40, which makes it the main way to move between North Shore towns |
| Autoroute 25 | Montréal, Laval, Terrebonne, and Mascouche | The Olivier-Charbonneau Bridge is the only tolled crossing on it, so check current rates |
| Autoroute 13 | From Dorval and the West Island through Laval to Boisbriand | The natural start for a run that begins in the West Island |
These are the corridors couriers rely on, and the best one on a given day depends on where the stops are and on current conditions. Québec 511 reports on road conditions and work on provincial roads, see Québec 511.
Who Needs a North Shore Courier
- Aerospace and industrial suppliers: in Mirabel and the industrial parks of Boisbriand, Blainville, and Saint-Eustache. See our guide to Mirabel and Saint-Hubert airports for the airport side.
- Clinics, laboratories, and regional hospitals: samples, documents, and supplies that cannot wait for a scheduled route.
- Law firms and court-related work: documents moving between downtown, the North Shore, and regional courthouses.
- Professional offices and small businesses: contracts, signed originals, and equipment.
Plan One Trip, Not Four
The most common saving on a long run is grouping. If several pickups and deliveries fall along the same corridor, one trip can serve them all in a sensible order. If they are in different corridors, a single vehicle going back and forth wastes the advantage. When the volume is regular, a standing route may fit better, and our article on dedicated and shared-route couriers compares the options. For the logic behind sequencing stops, see how courier routing works.
Four Typical North Shore Runs and What Each Needs
| Run | What to settle before dispatch |
|---|---|
| Industrial park in Blainville or Boisbriand to a client downtown | Dock hours, an appointment if required, the ready time, and the receiving hours downtown |
| A part from a Mirabel plant to the Dorval airport area | Part numbers and paperwork, and the cargo cut-off time, see our guide to air cargo pickup at YUL |
| A sample from a North Shore clinic to a downtown laboratory | Temperature requirements, the time window, and who signs at each end, see our guide to clinical sample transport |
| Documents between a Saint-Jérôme firm and a downtown court | The filing deadline and the counter's closing time, with extra margin for the trip |
Weather and Winter
Highways north of Montréal can be slower in snow and freezing rain, and bridges tend to be among the first places to ice. Plan more margin in winter, and read our guide to winter courier deliveries for what changes.
A North Shore Brief You Can Reuse
- Full address with the municipality and postal code.
- Hours at each stop, and a contact name and phone.
- The order you would like the stops in, and the stop that matters most.
- Whether a stop is a dock, a reception desk, or a person.
- Deadline for the last delivery, and whether a return trip is needed.
- Signature or proof-of-delivery requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which highways connect Montréal to the North Shore?
Autoroutes 15, 25, and 13 lead from the island through Laval to the North Shore, and Autoroute 640 runs east-west across it. Which one is best depends on the origin, the destination, and traffic on the day.
Is there a toll on the way to the North Shore?
The Olivier-Charbonneau Bridge on Autoroute 25 is tolled. Other main corridors, such as autoroutes 15 and 13, are not. Check current rates and conditions before you plan.
Does a North Shore delivery cross more than one river?
Usually yes. From the island, a route normally crosses the Rivière des Prairies to enter Laval and the Rivière des Mille Îles to leave it.
Can several stops on the North Shore be combined in one trip?
Often. When the stops are along the same corridor, a single run can serve them in a sensible order. Give the courier all the addresses and hours up front so the order can be planned.
How should I write an address in Terrebonne, Mirabel, or Saint-Jérôme?
Include the municipality and postal code along with the street address, because neighbouring towns can share street names. For industrial parks, add the building or unit number.
Pick the Corridor, Then Plan the Stops
A North Shore delivery goes best when the trip is planned as a whole: the right corridor, the stops in a sensible order, a margin for the bridges, and a complete address at each end.
The quote form is the quickest way to send us your stops and hours. Rush Expedited Courier serves businesses across Greater Montréal, North Shore included, and our courier services page shows what else we cover.
Sources and Further Reading
- Wikipedia: Quebec Autoroute 15
- Wikipedia: Quebec Autoroute 640
- Wikipedia: Quebec Autoroute 25
- Québec 511: road conditions and construction on provincial roads