Montréal QC ☕ The Morning Chat

Good morning, Montréal.

This Saturday arrives with a mix of stories that keep our feet on the ground and our eyes on the sky. Between two tragic accidents, a centenarian veteran who has left us, and a Canadian astronaut speaking to the country from space, here is what you need to start the weekend.

Main Story

Metro strike begins to affect grocery shelves in Montréal

A strike at a key Metro distribution centre is starting to show up on the shelves of several Montréal grocery stores, where fruits and vegetables are becoming harder to find. The walkout affects Metro, Super C and Marché Richelieu locations and could disrupt as many as 300 stores across Quebec if it continues. For many shoppers, it is the first time a labour dispute in the supply chain has translated so quickly into empty shelves.

About 550 workers tied to Metro’s logistics network are on strike, including employees at the Laval produce distribution centre, the company’s only facility of its kind in Quebec. Their absence has created an immediate bottleneck in the supply chain, a pressure point unions say has been ignored for years. The dispute centres on wages and working conditions. Employees say their pay has not kept up with inflation since their last pre‑pandemic contract and are seeking a 20 percent increase in the first year of a new agreement. According to the union, Metro’s current offer amounts to an 11 percent increase over six years.

Metro has not said when negotiations might resume, and retailers are trying to limit the impact by reorganizing their orders. But if the strike drags on, shortages could spread to other fresh products. It is a reminder, on a busy Easter weekend, of how much Quebec’s food system depends on a few strategic links.

Noteworthy

Canada’s oldest Second World War veteran dies at 110

Burdett Sisler, Canada’s oldest surviving Second World War veteran, has died at the age of 110, just two weeks before his 111th birthday. Born in Akron, Ohio, he grew up in the Toronto area and married his wife Mae in 1939, three days after the war began in Europe. “Burd proudly served our country,” said MP Wayne Gates, who described him as an “incredible person.”

Sisler enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army in 1943 and had hoped to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, but a “bad eye” prevented it. While awaiting his posting, he volunteered for chemical warfare testing in Ottawa, a series of experiments that left lasting effects on many soldiers. The war ended before he was deployed overseas, and he later worked with the Royal Canadian Artillery near Montréal, inspecting military equipment returning from Europe.

After the war, Sisler spent 30 years with the Canada Border Services Agency and raised a large family in Fort Erie. He is survived by 11 grandchildren, 22 great‑grandchildren and 14 great‑great‑grandchildren. His funeral will be held on April 9.

Strong majority of Canadians support the Alto high‑speed rail project

A new Abacus Data survey shows that 62 percent of Canadians support building the Alto high‑speed rail line between Quebec City and Toronto, while 18 percent oppose it. The project, which would link several major cities in the Ontario–Quebec corridor, is drawing growing interest as federal discussions continue.

The government is reviewing an 80‑billion‑dollar proposal that would connect Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Laval and Peterborough. Some analyses estimate the economic impact could reach 27 billion dollars, mainly in Ontario and Quebec, where the train would operate.

Quebec’s maple season enters a critical stretch

Maple producers are watching the weather closely as sudden warmth threatens to disrupt the harvest. Temperatures reached 15°C on Friday and will stay above freezing all weekend, a pattern that complicates sap production. “If a dome of warm air moves a bit farther north, it can ruin everything,” said David Hall of the Quebec Maple Producers’ Montérégie East region. “Twenty degrees is too warm.”

After an unusually cool start to spring, sap finally began flowing again this week, reviving a season many producers have already called “strange.” “We made our first batch on March 11, and now we’re starting again,” said Pierre Faucher, co‑owner of Sucrerie de la Montagne in Rigaud.

Despite the fluctuations, there is one encouraging sign: the sugar content of the sap appears higher than usual, which could mean more syrup from the same volume collected. A welcome boost in a season where every degree matters.

Quebecers among the happiest people in the world, again

Quebecers once again rank among the happiest people on the planet, according to the World Happiness Report. The province placed in the top six for the second year in a row, while Canada as a whole dropped to 25th and would have fallen even lower without Quebec’s contribution.

The report places the province alongside Nordic countries known for strong social cohesion and high quality of life. The result surprises some observers given the current global climate.

Researchers attribute Quebec’s stability to a mix of factors: accessible social programs, subsidized childcare, generous parental leave, relatively affordable rents and a culture of cafés, terraces and summer festivals that fosters connection and a gentler pace of life.

Artemis II: A message of pride from space

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen sent a message of pride from the Orion spacecraft as Artemis II continues its path toward the moon. The moment sparked both excitement and a few double takes, given the mission’s April 1 launch. The crew, now farther from Earth than from the moon, is testing the spacecraft’s systems in tight quarters and sharing a few lighthearted moments, including a stash of maple cookies.

At Home

Advance voting begins in Terrebonne ahead of the April 13 byelection

Voters in Terrebonne have begun casting advance ballots for the April 13 federal byelection, following a series of twists that led the Supreme Court to overturn the previous result. The original vote was decided by a single ballot after multiple validations and a judicial recount.

This byelection is one of three called by Prime Minister Mark Carney, two in the Toronto area and one in Quebec. Depending on the outcome, the Liberals could move closer to a majority government, adding pressure to voter turnout.

A notable change this time is the ballot itself. Voters must write in the name of their chosen candidate, a measure adopted by Elections Canada after unusually long candidate lists in previous elections.

Montréal will require three days in the office for white‑collar municipal workers

Montréal is tightening its remote‑work policy, requiring about 6,000 municipal employees to be in the office at least three days a week starting September 14.

CEO of the Montréal Port Authority steps down abruptly

The Montréal Port Authority has announced the departure of its president and CEO, Julie Gascon, who “ceased her functions” on April 3 after just over a year in the role. No reason was provided for her exit.

A board committee will oversee the organization on an interim basis while a successor is recruited. Before joining the Port of Montréal, Gascon held leadership roles at Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Pacific Pilotage Authority.

Metro distribution‑centre strike affects produce in grocery stores

A strike at a key Metro warehouse is beginning to affect several Montréal grocery stores, where produce shelves are thinning out. The walkout affects Metro, Super C and Marché Richelieu locations and could disrupt as many as 300 stores across Quebec.

About 550 supply‑chain workers are on strike, including employees at Metro’s Laval produce distribution centre, the company’s only facility of its kind in Quebec. Their absence has created an immediate bottleneck in the supply chain.

The dispute centres on wages and working conditions. Unionized workers say their pay has not kept up with inflation since their last pre‑pandemic contract and are seeking a 20 percent increase in the first year. According to the union, Metro’s offer amounts to an 11 percent increase over six years.

“It would be a shame” if public prayer could no longer continue in Quebec, say Good Friday participants

One day after Quebec adopted its expanded secularism law restricting collective public prayer without a municipal permit, hundreds of people still walked silently through Montréal’s streets for the traditional Good Friday Way of the Cross. For many participants, preventing such processions would clash with long‑standing practices, a tension between modern rules and historical traditions.

Along the route, some expressed concern that a ritual they say harms no one could disappear. “It would be a shame if this had to end. We live in a free society,” one participant said. Others noted that religious diversity is part of Montréal’s social fabric and that restricting these gatherings could create unnecessary friction.

Organizers said they have always coordinated the event with police, who block streets as the procession moves, but that a formal city permit has never been required. Archbishop Christian Lépine, who led the walk, acknowledged that the process will now be more complex. Under a rainy sky, participants followed a large wooden cross from Notre‑Dame‑de‑Bon‑Secours Chapel to Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, determined to maintain a tradition that, for them, goes beyond religion alone.

François Legault sounds the alarm on the future of French in Montréal in his farewell speech

In his farewell address, François Legault once again warned about the future of French in Montréal, saying he sees a decline in the language’s use at home, at work and in public spaces. He leaves office in a difficult political moment but emphasized that all elected officials share responsibility for protecting French.

He reminded legislators that when he took office in 2018, it was under the idea of a “third way”: remaining within Canada while strengthening Quebec’s identity and culture. That approach led to some of the most significant language reforms in a generation.

On April 12, about 20,000 members of the Coalition Avenir Québec will choose between Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville to succeed him. The winner will automatically become Quebec’s 33rd premier.

On the Roads

Two fatal crashes in less than 24 hours

A man in his twenties died early Saturday morning in Huntingdon after losing control of his vehicle and striking a roadside boulder. The crash happened shortly after midnight and was fatal at the scene.

A second fatal collision occurred a few hours later in Saint‑Juste‑du‑Lac, where a vehicle rolled over on Route 295, killing a passenger. Emergency services were called around 5:30 a.m.

The driver, a woman in her thirties, was taken to hospital for legally required blood tests to determine whether alcohol or drugs may have been a factor.

Coup de Cœur

Our favourite moment today: the wonderfully entertaining conversations swirling around Artemis II, from those dreaming alongside Jeremy Hansen to those still convinced the whole thing might be an extended April Fool’s joke, and others wondering how four people survive in a space the size of a minivan. Montréal has never lacked imagination.

Before We Go

That’s it for this Saturday morning. Between the pull of space and the reminders to stay safe on the roads, between evolving traditions and shifting seasons, you now have the essentials of what’s happening in our corner of the world.

Enjoy your weekend, take a breath, get outside and let the city surprise you a little.

We’ll see you Monday. Have a great weekend, Montréal. ☕