u/1-lucky-man

Hey everyone, looking for a reality check on a plan my family is cooking up.

I work as a Software Engineer in Toronto making $300k CAD total comp ($175k base / $125k stocks). Company just dropped an ultimatum (a new rule company wide): relocate to the Montreal office (3 days/wk hybrid) or find a new job.
I could find a new team in Kitchener, but since I'm going for promotion in September, I don't want to derail that.

Our life is completely rooted in Toronto. We own a 3BHK condo (worth ~1M CAD), have an friend circle, and our 16-month-old son is settled in daycare.

Our major hurdles:

1. My wife works in marketing and doesn't speak French. Finding a job in Montreal might be a hard for her.
2. We are immigrants and terrified of Ontario's tenant laws. We absolutely refuse to rent out the whole condo because we're scared of getting a nightmare tenant who stops paying.

Our 4-Step Plan to buy time:

1. The Weekly Super-Commute: I rent a 1BHK in Montreal (~$1,500/mo) for my 3 office days. I travel back to Toronto every single weekend via train/bus/ or driving.
2. Offsetting Costs: We rent out one bedroom to one of my wife's friend in our Toronto condo to a student/roommate for ~$1,000/mo to offset the Montreal rent.
3. The Trial Run: Wife and toddler visit Montreal once a month to see if they even like the vibe.
4. The Trigger: After 6 months, If we love Montreal and my wife somehow finds a job there, we sell the Toronto condo and move permanently. If not, I use this time to hunt for a new job back in Toronto/Kitchener.

Questions for the crowd:

• Anyone done the weekly Toronto-Montreal commute via train/bus/driving? How soul-crushing is it long-term?
• Parents of toddlers: is leaving my wife to solo-parent 4 days a week while working her own corporate job worth all this? Also, I'll be missing my son fro 3/4d a week.
• Any other blind spots we are missing here?

Appreciate your opinions!