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Area · City of McMasterville, Vallée du Richelieu

McMasterville

The river at the end of the street, Mont Saint-Hilaire right in view and a direct train downtown. Here's my top 10, neighbour version, not brochure version.

Let's talk about this area

McMasterville is the quiet one of the Richelieu Valley. Tucked between Belœil and Saint-Basile-le-Grand, the river on one side and Highway 20 on the other, it's home to about 6,000 people on a territory you can cross in a few minutes. And yet you'll find a commuter train station here, a high school known across the region and streets you can walk from all the way to the Richelieu. I work with buyers who want the valley without the bustle, and sellers who want to show off what's rare about their small town.

I put this top 10 together for a simple reason: when you buy or sell, you're not just shopping for a property, you're shopping for a neighbourhood life. Each point comes with a conversation starter. Use it.

Maxime Laforest, residential and commercial real estate broker · Équipe Loiselle, RE/MAX Dynamique

The area's top 10

What makes the heart of McMasterville beat.

Ten reasons why buyers choose this small valley town, and why the people who live there don't leave.

01 The Richelieu River seen from Chemin du Richelieu (Route 223) in McMasterville, with Otterburn Park on the far shore
Waterfront

The Richelieu River at the end of the street

The town stretches along the west bank of the Richelieu, and Chemin du Richelieu (Route 223) follows the water its whole length. On one side, homes that look out over the river; on the other, Otterburn Park close enough to wave to, with the railway bridge spanning it all. No towers, no fanfare: just the river flowing at the end of the street, morning and night.

Ask me about it: ask me which streets lead down to the river. There aren't many of them, and those addresses don't always make it onto Centris.
02 Mont Saint-Hilaire behind the homes of McMasterville, seen from Rang des Trente
The scenery

Mont Saint-Hilaire as a backdrop

From the rangs and plenty of streets in town, the mountain fills the horizon across the river. You see it through the windshield dropping the kids off, through the kitchen window while making coffee. And when the urge to hike hits, Mont Saint-Hilaire's trails are just a few minutes by car.

Ask me about it: ask me which parts of town get the view of the mountain. It's the kind of detail that doesn't show up on a listing sheet, but sells a house.
03 The platform at McMasterville's exo train station in winter, with Mont Saint-Hilaire in the distance
Transport

An exo station at the heart of town

McMasterville station, opened in 2000, changed the town's trajectory: the exo Mont-Saint-Hilaire line gets you to Gare Centrale in about 45 minutes, without touching a bridge. Park-and-ride on site, residential neighbourhoods that have grown up all around it. For anyone working downtown, it settles a lot of hesitation.

Ask me about it: ask me what being close to the station actually changes at resale. Walking to the train in the morning, there's no substitute for that.
04 Route 116 at the corner of Bernard-Pilon, on the border of Belœil and McMasterville
Access

Route 116, Route 223 and Highway 20 minutes away

Boulevard Laurier (Route 116) runs through town with its shops and services, Route 223 heads toward Saint-Basile-le-Grand and Chambly along the river, and Highway 20 runs right by the edge of town. You can reach the tunnel, the bridges or Saint-Hyacinthe without a detour. For a small town, being that well connected to the network isn't something every place can claim.

Ask me about it: ask me how long it really takes to get to your work, at the hours you actually drive. I run that test with my clients before the showings even happen.
05
Education

École d'éducation internationale, a pioneer

Small town, big school: École d'éducation internationale, a pioneer of the International Baccalaureate in Quebec with a program dating back to 1987, has been on Rue Morin since the early 2000s. About 1,240 high school students come from all over the region, admission being limited. The same building houses a library that's both municipal and school, shared by the whole town.

Ask me about it: ask me what that means for a family aiming for this school. Living in McMasterville doesn't guarantee a spot, but it simplifies day-to-day life quite a bit.
06
Family life

Parc Gilles-Plante and the integrated community centre

255 Boulevard Constable brings together almost everything: town hall, the community centre, the outdoor pool with its wading pool, a covered outdoor rink and courts for tennis, soccer and basketball. The park is named after Gilles Plante, the former mayor. In summer, outdoor movie nights set up at Parc Denis-Beauregard. Everything's reachable on foot or by bike.

Ask me about it: ask me which streets let you walk to the pool with the kids. That's often the real criterion for young families.
07
History

Born from a gunpowder plant

In 1879, an explosives plant set up on the territory: the famous "poudrière," which became Canadian Explosives and then CIL. Workers built their homes along Chemin du Richelieu, and in 1917, the sector broke away from Belœil to become McMasterville, named after William McMaster, the company's president. The plant closed in 2000, the municipality turned residential, and officially became a city in 2023. The vast industrial site, once promised to Northvolt, is now waiting for its next chapter.

Ask me about it: ask me what could end up on the old plant's site. Nobody has a crystal ball, but it's the file to watch for the whole valley.
08 The Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus church at the corner of Chemin du Richelieu and Rue de l'Église, in McMasterville
Heritage

The village core of Chemin du Richelieu

At the corner of Chemin du Richelieu and Rue de l'Église, the Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus church watches over the original core, the first workers' homes near the river. The area has kept a human scale: short streets, mature trees, neighbours who know each other. The town was born in the twentieth century, but that corner has the soul of a village.

Ask me about it: ask me the difference between old McMasterville and the newer streets on the 116 side. Two different vibes, two different types of buyers.
09 The Chip's fish and seafood restaurant, at the corner of Bernard-Pilon and Chemin du Richelieu, in McMasterville
Local colour

Chip's, the stop that gets people crossing the valley

At the corner of Bernard-Pilon, in a brick building you can't miss, Chip's serves its fish and seafood to customers who come from all over the valley. A roadside fish and chips spot like they don't make much anymore, with the veranda filling up the moment the weather turns nice. It's the kind of address that gives a small town its flavour.

Ask me about it: ask me for my other favourite spots nearby. House hunting works up an appetite.
10 Row of single-family homes in McMasterville seen from the fields along Route 116
The safe bet

A tight market on three square kilometres

McMasterville fits into just over 3 km², wedged between Belœil, Otterburn Park, Route 116 and the Richelieu River. The 2021 census counted 5,936 residents, in a housing stock dominated by single-family homes. With the train station, the schools and so little room left to build new, supply stays thin: plenty of buyers watch this area for a long time before landing their address.

Ask me about it: ask me what your property is worth in a market this short on supply. Sellers are often pleasantly surprised.
Let's talk

Thinking about buying or selling in McMasterville? Let's start talking.

A free evaluation of your property, a picture of the local market, or simply answers to your questions. No strings attached, and a straight answer.

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