MTLQC – Montréal QC
Good morning, Montréal.
We hope your coffee is nice and hot this morning, because we’ve prepared a packed edition for you today
Between important local news, stories impacting our region, and some developments worth your attention, there’s plenty to fuel your morning.
Settle in comfortably.
🔦 Main Story
Giant Metro Tunnel Boring Machine Unveiled The Blue Line Takes Shape
The Montreal Transit Authority unveiled Monday the tunnel boring machine that will dig tunnels for the extension of the Blue Line.
This massive machine, 9.7 meters wide, will dig through rock to create the tunnel from the future Vertières station to Anjou station, a distance of 4.6 kilometers.
This is one of the largest tunnel boring machines of its kind in the world—a rare engineering feat.
Digging will begin in April and won’t stop until 2028.
It’s a major project that will literally shape the future of public transit in Montreal.
For those who wondered if this extension would really happen, here is tangible proof that the work is advancing.
⚡ Noteworthy
UQAM Study Links Anxiety and Birth Control Pills
Results from a laboratory study at UQAM suggest a link between anxiety and birth control pill use.
The association seems to persist among women who stopped taking the pill more than a year ago.
Lisa-Marie Davignon, PhD candidate in psychology and lead author, notes that the results show correlations, not causation.
The experiment exposed 147 participants, divided into four groups, to images of offices and libraries, with one context associated with electric shocks.
Women taking the pill showed higher fear responses in safe contexts than women who had never taken the pill.
The hippocampus was more activated in women who had never taken the pill.
The Parti Québécois Wins Chicoutimi By-Election
The Parti Québécois won the Chicoutimi by-election Monday night, giving the party its fourth consecutive by-election victory since 2023.
PQ candidate Marie-Karlynn Laflamme received 2,760 votes with 48 polling stations counted out of 142, a 1,210-vote lead over Conservative candidate Catherine Morissette.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former CAQ minister Andrée Laforest, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Saguenay in November.
Before falling to the CAQ in 2018, the riding had long been a PQ stronghold.
With this victory, the PQ now has seven elected members in the Assembly.
Flights to Mexico Resume Tuesday
Flights from Canada to Mexican regions affected by violence since Sunday were set to resume Tuesday.
Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, and Porter are resuming flights to Mexico.
Violence erupted after the death of a notorious cartel leader during a government operation.
Trust in Canadian Institutions Rises
The annual CanTrust Index published by Proof Strategies surveyed 1,501 Canadians between January 7 and 15.
Four out of ten respondents said they trust governments, compared to 36% in 2025 and 32% in 2021.
Forty-five percent trust small and medium businesses and news media, up from 40% and 37% last year.
Trust in media is at its highest level since 2016.
The survey suggests Prime Minister Mark Carney is the most trusted federal party leader, at 45%.
Alexandre Boulerice Considering Provincial Politics
Quebec NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said Monday he is seriously considering running for Québec solidaire in this year’s provincial election.
At Least 1,000 School Employees Face Forced Departure
Hundreds of immigrant school employees face forced departure from Quebec. At least 1,000 school employees are affected by the closure of the Quebec Experience Program.
Indigenous Leaders File Ancestral Rights Lawsuit
Nearly 40 Indigenous territory guardians, alongside hereditary and traditional chiefs, have filed a lawsuit seeking formal recognition of their rights over a vast area of Quebec.
Their legal challenge aims to halt industrial logging and protect their traditional way of life.
Violent Crime Rises in Nunavik
New police figures show violent crime in Nunavik is on the rise.
National estimates reveal that the frequency and severity of violent crime in Nunavik are nearly 20 times higher than the Canadian average.
Protest Against Gun Bans Saturday in Quebec City
Opponents of gun bans and the federal compensation program are organizing a protest Saturday in Quebec City in front of the National Assembly.
The event comes about six weeks after the start of registration for a federal program offering money to surrender or permanently disable firearms.
Since May 2020, the Liberal government has banned about 2,500 types of firearms.
The gun control group PolySeSouvient says the timing of the protest is incredibly insensitive just weeks after the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting that left nine dead.
Cuban Ambassador to Testify Before Foreign Affairs Committee
Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, is set to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
A US oil blockade has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Cuba.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Monday that Ottawa is preparing a plan to help Cuba but could not provide more details.
Fifth Complainant Testifies in Stronach Trial
The fifth complainant in the sexual assault trial of Frank Stronach faces further questions from defense lawyer Leora Shemesh.
Stronach, 93, pleaded not guilty to 12 charges related to alleged incidents from the 1970s to the 1990s.
On Monday, the woman broke down in tears, telling the court Stronach raped her in his hotel suite in the fall of 1990.
She said she kept saying no and asking him to stop, but he only became more aggressive.
Relative of Tumbler Ridge Shooter Arrested in Alberta
The relative of the person responsible for the Tumbler Ridge shooting has been arrested in Alberta.
Jacob Van Rootselaar, linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar, the person identified as the shooter, was arrested in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, on February 19.
Alberta RCMP made the arrest under a Canada-wide warrant related to an attempted murder investigation in Fort McMurray in 2024.
He faces charges related to weapons offenses and breach of release conditions.
The exact nature of the relationship between Jesse and Jacob is unclear.
Authorities indicated Jesse Van Rootselaar had transitioned gender before the events.
Four-Year-Old Girl Seriously Injured on Cross-Country Ski Trail
A four-year-old girl was seriously injured when an adult fell on her on a cross-country ski trail north of Gatineau Sunday morning, according to local police.
🏙️ Local Stories
Downtown Construction Worries Merchants
Construction on Sainte-Catherine Street and the closure of Peel metro have caused sales to drop for downtown Montreal businesses.
Jean-Daniel Nadeau, owner of Brigade pizzeria on Stanley Street, says sales have dropped 60% since construction began in August 2023.
The restaurant had to reduce its hours, closing at 2:30 p.m. and reopening at 5 p.m.
Nadeau says the closure of the Stanley exit at Peel metro eliminated pre-game traffic from the Bell Centre.
City officials said they are aware that the support program for businesses affected by major construction does not include everyone and are in contact with Brigade pizzeria about expanding the program.
Teen Killed in St-Léonard Parking Dispute
One of the two men on trial for the February 2021 murder of Meriem Boundaoui, 15, testified Monday in his defense.
The accused says the teen killed in a parking dispute in St-Léonard was shot by accident.
Olympic Medalists Return Home
Olympic medalists Valérie Maltais, Mikaël Kingsbury, and Courtney Sarault arrived at Trudeau airport wearing their medals and happy to be back after the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
💛 Spotlight
Despite the difficulties caused by construction, which dropped his sales by 60%, the owner of Brigade pizzeria continues to fight to keep his business open and serve his downtown community.
🚇 Practical Corner
The Blue Line tunnel boring begins in April.
Tunnel digging for the extension of the Blue Line metro will begin in April and continue until 2028. This is a major project that will transform public transit in eastern Montreal.
👋 Before We Go
That’s it for this Tuesday morning.
Between projects shaping the city’s future, challenges facing merchants, and stories that remind us of the importance of resilience, there’s plenty to reflect on over your coffee.
Take care, stay informed, and have a great day, Montreal. 🍁