MTLQC – Montréal QC

Montreal QC ☕ Morning Chat

Good morning, Montréal.

Your coffee may still be warm this Wednesday morning, and the news is just as hot. Between a shooting that highlights the challenges of urban safety, changes affecting the retail sector, and a few uplifting sports updates, there’s plenty to fuel your morning. Take a good sip and let’s dive in together.

🔦 Main Story

Shooting in the Plateau: 24‑year‑old man in critical condition

A troubled night in the Plateau‑Mont‑Royal. A 24‑year‑old man is in critical condition after being shot early Wednesday morning in the area.

Montreal police were called just before 1:15 a.m. after several reports of gunshots near Durocher and Sherbrooke streets. Officers arriving on the scene found the man injured with a wound to the lower body. He was conscious when transported to the hospital for treatment.

The suspect had already fled by the time police arrived. Investigators secured the area overnight, setting up a perimeter to search for evidence and speak with potential witnesses. No arrests have been made and the SPVM investigation is ongoing.

This shooting in a usually lively but relatively peaceful neighborhood is a reminder that vigilance is always necessary, even in places that feel familiar.

⚡ Of Note

A pilot project will extend weekend store hours.

Starting March 11, a one‑year pilot project will allow Quebec retailers to stay open on weekends until 9 p.m., just like on weekdays. Quebec is the only Canadian province that still heavily regulates store hours year‑round. Most retail businesses—except pharmacies and grocery stores—must currently close at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Charlie Whitley, owner of a thrift shop in Montreal’s Mile End, welcomes the change. Other Montreal business owners, like Suzanne Foucault of Uchuu on Laurier West, are less enthusiastic, arguing that spreading the same number of customers over longer hours would increase staffing costs without generating additional revenue.

Royalmount will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday, and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday starting March 11. Place Ville‑Marie does not plan to extend its hours.

There were 11,300 job vacancies in Quebec’s retail sector in mid‑December 2025.

Carney continues his message on middle powers in Australia.

Prime Minister Mark Carney continues his tour in Australia, where he presented an expanded vision of the role of middle powers during a speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

After beginning this visit earlier in the week, he is now emphasizing economic and strategic cooperation among countries like Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Carney says these alliances could create a major trade bloc and strengthen collaboration in defense, artificial intelligence, and aerospace.

He will then travel to Canberra to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Green energy groups applaud Canada‑India agreements.

Several Canadian renewable‑energy organizations are welcoming the commitments Ottawa signed with India this week to advance solar, wind, and hydrogen development.

Prime Minister Mark Carney spent four days in Mumbai and New Delhi, concluding with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the signing of several agreements, including a strategic energy partnership. Canada has committed to joining the India‑led International Solar Alliance. All other G7 countries are already members.

Simon Fraser University signed an agreement with India’s Hydrogen Association to collaborate on hydrogen development. India is producing more than 271 gigawatts of renewable energy this month, and renewables now account for more than half of its energy supply.

Canada plans to host a Canada‑India summit on renewable energy and storage later this year.

Immigration could soon account for all of Canada’s population growth.

With Canada’s population growth now essentially at zero, the country may be heading toward an unprecedented situation where all population growth comes from immigration.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer expects 2026 to be the second consecutive year of zero population growth. Dan Hiebert, a geography professor at the University of British Columbia, says natural increase in Canada will reach zero around 2029 or 2030, and at that point all population growth will be tied to immigration.

A 2024 government report indicates newcomers should account for all population growth by 2032. Statistics Canada data shows the population grew by 816,000 temporary and permanent immigrants in 2024, while natural population growth was about 34,000 people.

British Columbia ends clock changes.

British Columbia’s move to permanent daylight time has reignited conversations across the country about ending biannual clock changes.

After B.C. Premier David Eby announced Monday that most of the province will change clocks for the last time this weekend, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said it may be time to follow suit.

Other provinces say discussions are underway.

A mother urges Canada to repatriate her son after transfer to Iraq.

The mother of Canadian Jack Letts says she fears for his safety behind bars in Iraq after receiving a message from Global Affairs Canada indicating he may have been transferred there from detention in northeastern Syria.

Global Affairs told Sally Lane that her son may be among detainees recently sent to Iraq, but officials are still working to confirm his identity. Letts and several other Canadian men were among foreign nationals held in detention centers run by Kurdish forces.

Amnesty International has warned of severe human‑rights violations and poor conditions in Iraq, including overcrowded and unsanitary prisons, unfair trials, and mass executions.

Two Muslim mothers can no longer volunteer in Quebec schools.

Two Quebec mothers say they can no longer volunteer in their children’s schools because they wear the hijab.

Supreme Court to rule Friday on asylum seekers’ access to childcare.

The Supreme Court will issue its decision Friday on the fate of asylum seekers. Children of asylum seekers were allowed to attend subsidized childcare until the rule changed in 2018.

New immigration rules threaten Quebec’s circus industry.

Tightening of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the end of the Quebec Experience Program are hurting the recruitment of foreign talent in Quebec’s circus sector.

Witnesses heard in Cardinal Ouellet’s defamation trial.

Lawyers for Marc Ouellet heard several witnesses Tuesday in his defamation lawsuit against a woman who named him in a broader class action against the Archdiocese of Quebec. Cardinal Marc Ouellet is back in Quebec Superior Court as he attempts to clear his name following an allegation of sexual misconduct.

🏙️ Chez Nous

Sharks beat the Canadiens 7–5.

The Sharks defeated the Canadiens 7–5 on Tuesday night in a game where Montreal attempted a late comeback. Alex Newhook scored twice on the power play, while Oliver Kapanen, Phillip Danault, and Ivan Demidov also found the back of the net. Mike Matheson added three assists.

Despite a strong push in the third period, the Canadiens suffered their first regulation loss since January 24.

La Victoire beats the Sceptres 4–3 in a shootout for a sixth straight win.

Marie‑Philip Poulin scored the shootout winner as Montreal’s La Victoire, the league leaders, defeated the Toronto Sceptres 4–3 at the Coca‑Cola Coliseum on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to six games.

Montreal’s Lina Ljungblom scored early in the third period to give her team a 3–2 lead, but Sceptres forward Jesse Compher tied the game with just over a minute left and the goalie pulled to force overtime.

Poulin scored twice in the shootout and also added her first goal in her second game back from the knee injury she suffered at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics. Former Sceptre Hayley Scamurra scored her fifth goal of the season for La Victoire.

Montreal goaltender Sandra Abstreiter, filling in for regular starter Ann‑René Desbiens, stopped 23 of 26 shots in the win. La Victoire will host the Boston Fleet on Sunday, March 15.

Kirkland union alleges an assault.

A union representing Kirkland blue‑collar workers alleges that one of its members was assaulted by a city foreman Tuesday morning, but the city’s general manager says it “did not happen.”

Green line reopens after police operation.

The Green Line of the Montreal metro has reopened after service was initially interrupted in the downtown core Tuesday afternoon while police conducted an operation.

Classic horror films at the Cinéma du Musée on Friday.

On Friday, March 6, the Cinéma du Musée will present a double feature of classic horror films: The Omen (1976) by Richard Donner and The Exorcist (1973) by William Friedkin. Viewers can choose to watch one or both films.

Montreal communities on alert as war continues in the Middle East.

As conflict erupts in Iran and the Middle East, many members of Montreal’s diaspora communities fear for their loved ones abroad.

Boil‑water advisory lifted for the West Island and Saint‑Laurent.

The City of Montreal lifted a boil‑water advisory Tuesday evening for an area covering several West Island municipalities and the borough of Saint‑Laurent. It had been in effect since Sunday afternoon.

💛 Favourite Story

La Victoire’s sixth straight win, powered by Marie‑Philip Poulin, who continues to shine in her return from injury and leads her team with determination and talent.

🛍️ Practical Corner

New store hours starting March 11.

Beginning March 11, Quebec retail businesses will be allowed to stay open until 9 p.m. on weekends as part of a one‑year pilot project.

If you’re a business owner, now is the time to decide whether extended hours make sense for your operations. If you’re a consumer, you may have more flexibility to shop on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Undercover inspectors checking French‑language service.

Undercover language inspectors are returning to Quebec shops, bars, and restaurants to verify whether customers are being greeted and served in French.

👋 Before Heading Out

That’s it for this Wednesday morning. Between the safety concerns that remind us to stay alert, the changes affecting Montrealers’ daily lives, and the sports performances that bring a bit of energy, there’s plenty to reflect on today. Take care of yourselves, and have a great day, Montreal.