The PGME office is located in room 3101A (3rd floor) in the Michael DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery
(MDCL), adjacent to the McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC).

If coming from MUMC, go to BLUE section of the 2nd or 4th floors to access the connecting bridges to the MDCL building.

• Residency Administrators – pgmeres@mcmaster.ca
• Fellowship Administrators – pgmefell@mcmaster.ca
• Visiting Elective Administrator – pgmeve@mcmaster.ca

Visit the PGME Office Contacts page for more information

Facebook – Instagram  -Twitter – YouTube 

Mac Off-Campus housing connects the McMaster community with great places to live. Please visit the Mac Off-Campus Housing webpage for listings and contact information.

McMaster 10 Bay is a new residency that allows trainees to lease a studio, 1-bedroom for 2-bed family suite. 10 Bay Invitation Poster

Short term Housing & Rental Options:

Air BNB –  www.airbnb.ca

Booking –  www.booking.com

Rentals – www.rental.ca

Zumber –  www.zumper.com

Kijiji –  www.kijiji.ca

Trip Advisor – www.tripadvisor.ca

Rentals in Hamilton –  https://rentals.ca/hamilton

Trovit – https://property.trovit.ca/for-rent-house-hamilton

Pad Mapper – https://www.padmapper.com/apartments/hamilton-on

Midterm Rental Properties – https://midtermrentalproperties.com/

Here’s a list of Realtors for those wishing to buy property

Currently, childcare is in high demand in Ontario and there are lengthy waitlists. It is recommended you register your child as early as possible. You are responsible for making alternative arrangements for your childcare needs during your training.

For a comprehensive list of childcare/day care options, please visit the Hamilton Childcare Registry website.

You can browse childcare options by location and age group. You can also view details about a childcare program, hours and type of care being offered.

Elementary & Secondary Schools

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board –  https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/

Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board – https://www.hwcdsb.ca/

It is important to have a family doctor during your training. The link below will direct you to a form to fill out requesting a family doctor. Once you have submitted the form, the Resident Affairs will contact you with family physicians accepting trainees as patients

*please note, you must have your UHIP/OHIP coverage in place prior to visiting a family doctor.

Please log into Medportal and visit the Fellowship Training Information section to learn how to request a Family Doctor or Medical Professional.

Hamilton Climate

Hamilton, the summers are warm; the winters are very cold, snowy, and windy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 18°F to 79°F and is rarely below 2°F or above 88°F

Preparing for the Canadian Winter Season

1. A Good Winter Coat—well padded, long in length with a large hood is best.
2. Good Quality Winter Boots—warm boots with a good grip is best.
3. Winter Hat or ‘Toque’ – A fleeced interior is best.
4. Warm Gloves—fleeced interior with water resistance on the outside is best.
5. Scarf or Muffler
6. Wear Layers underneath to keep your core warm

   Visit Prepare for Canada for more information

In case of an emergency, dial 9-1-1 on your phone. This numbers is the same no matter where you live in Canada.

Depending on the type of emergency, you can ask for Police, Fire Department, or Ambulance.

There are a number of chartered banking institutions available to enroll with, including the following (to name a few):

• TD (Toronto Dominion) Bank
• BMO (Bank of Montreal)
• CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce)
• Scotia Bank
• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)

Trainees are encouraged to research banking institutions to find one that will work best for the trainee’s needs.

There are a number of cell phone network providers in Ontario. You can visit Planhub.ca to compare plans or you can visit network company kiosks (many are located within our shopping malls).

Moving2Canada.com is a great resource for newcomers to Canada, who are looking to get a cell phone network plan, and addresses some of the most frequently asked questions.

WARNING: Canada is notorious for having some of the most expensive cell phone plans in the world, especially when it comes to data.

The website NUMBEO shows the approximate cost of living expenses in Hamilton.

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) only provides coverage for necessary medical health services. Extended health coverage such as dental and vision coverage is not included.

If you are not eligible for extended health insurance benefits through your employment contract, there are many Institutions offering private extended health insurance plans including SunLife, Manulife, CanadaLife, & Desjardins, to name a few.

Please contact the PGME office to obtain a list of physicians who typically take on Postgraduate learners as
patients.

• Residency Administrators – pgmeres@mcmaster.ca
• Fellowship Administrators – pgmefell@mcmaster.ca
• Visiting Elective Administrator – pgmeve@mcmaster.ca

From the Airport

The most popular international airport is Toronto Pearson Int’l Airport (YYZ)

There are plenty of Car Hire options available at Pearson Airport.

Aeroport taxi service offers a flat rate $105 (CAD) for a single trip between Toronto Pearson Airport and Hamilton Downtown.

GO Bus service runs regularly from Toronto Pearson Airport and the Hamilton GO station. You need to take the #40 Bus. Here is the current schedule.

Additional Airports

John C. Munro International Airport (Hamilton)

Region of Waterloo International Airport (Waterloo)

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Toronto)

Niagara Falls International Airport (Niagara)

Around Hamilton City

Travel within downtown Hamilton is easy with the use of the Hamilton Street      Railway (Bus) service for a flat rate of $3.25 per direction (more information on rates is available here). For information on all routes, please visit the Hamilton Street Railway website.

Uber and Lyft ride-share programs are also available.

Hamilton Cab taxi Service.

Around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Go Transit offers train and bus services which cover the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.

Around Canada

Via Rail is Canada’s National Railway Service; connecting City-to-City and Coast-to-Coast.

If you want to drive while you are training in Ontario, you can visit the driver’s licensing information found on the Ontario Ministry of Transportation website.

Postgraduate medical learners from outside Ontario are
considered temporary residents of Ontario for licensing
purposes.

For the full list of the driving rules in Ontario, please visit the Safe and Responsible Driving Guide.