Good morning, Montreal!
We hope your coffee is nice and hot, because there’s a lot to talk about this morning. Between a tragedy shaking the country, political decisions sparking debate, and some potholes that just won’t disappear, it’s shaping up to be an intense day. Let’s get started.
Main Story
Deadly Shooting in British Columbia: 10 Dead in Tumbler Ridge
Canada is in shock after one of the worst mass shootings in its history. On Tuesday afternoon, at least ten people, including the suspected shooter, were found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence. Six victims were found inside the school. Two others were airlifted to hospital with serious injuries, and a third died during transport. About 25 people suffered non-fatal injuries. Police confirmed they found the deceased shooter with what appears to be a self-inflicted wound. The school, which had about 100 people present, was evacuated safely. Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended his planned trips to Halifax and Munich to respond to the crisis. British Columbia’s Public Safety Minister, Nina Krieger, called the incident “one of the worst mass shootings in the history of our province and our country.” In this small community of 2,000 where everyone knows each other, the pain will linger for a long time.
To Remember
🇨🇦 Canada Dominated 5-0 by the U.S. in Women’s Hockey
Canada’s Olympic dream took a hard hit Tuesday. The Americans crushed Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round, dominating from start to finish with a shot count of 33-20. Hannah Bilka scored two goals for Team USA. Worse still, captain Marie-Philip Poulin was absent due to a lower-body injury. This is the seventh consecutive win for the U.S. against Canada at the senior level. Quarterfinals begin Friday—Canada will need to regroup quickly.
🎓 Arviat to Host Canada’s First Inuit University
A small Nunavut community on the western shore of Hudson Bay will make history: Arviat will host the main campus of the first Inuit-led university in the Canadian Arctic. An important moment for education and reconciliation.
⚠️ A Quarter of Canadians Victims of Fraud
According to a Leger survey, 25% of Canadians have been victims of fraud or extortion. The most common forms? Bank fraud (52%), online scams (36%), and phone scams (31%). The catch: 89% of people believe they can spot a scam. Experts call this the “confidence paradox.” Stay vigilant.
💊 Energy Drinks for Minors: Quebec Still Hesitates
Health Minister Sonia Bélanger isn’t ruling out a bill to ban the sale of energy drinks to minors. The issue is moving forward, but slowly.
🔪 Three Dead in Kitigan Zibi
Three people were found dead in the Kitigan Zibi community. The Sûreté du Québec is investigating alongside local police. Few details so far.
✈️ Montrealer Arrested in Ryan Wedding Case
A Montreal man, Tommy Demorizi, was arrested at a U.S. airport. He is accused of helping Ryan Wedding—former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug trafficker—track down a federal informant who was later murdered.
At Home
🏫 $350M to Modernize Polytechnique Montréal
Quebec will invest nearly $269 million in the expansion and modernization of Polytechnique Montréal. The total project, valued at $356.2 million, should be completed by 2031 and will allow the school to welcome over 500 additional students. The goal: train more engineers to support Quebec’s economic growth.
🇨🇺 Cuba? Not This Year.
Flights to Cuba are suspended. Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet have all canceled their services due to an aviation fuel shortage, a consequence of the Trump administration trying to cut the island off from its supply sources.
Montrealers who had planned vacations there are changing their plans to the Dominican Republic or other destinations. Flights are expected to resume in late April or early May, but until then, prepare to pay a bit more.
🚴 Bike Path Audit: Martinez Ferrada Keeps Her Promise
Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada is launching a “rigorous” audit of twelve bike paths in Montreal, including Rachel, Côte-Sainte-Catherine, de la Commune, and Meilleur. Eight other developing paths will also be reviewed.
The goal: improve safety, flow, and accessibility. Critics fear this could lead to dismantling paths, but the mayor insists that’s not her intention. We’ll see.
🕳️ Mayor Won’t Claim for Her Flat Tires
Soraya Martinez Ferrada hit a pothole on Notre-Dame Monday night and blew two tires. But she won’t ask the city to pay the bill. “My salary comes from the city, so I won’t ask the city to pay for my tires,” she said. A symbolic gesture… but the potholes aren’t going anywhere.
📚 School Tour on Black History
Youth Stars, a Montreal non-profit, is visiting schools with its “Black History School Tour.” On Tuesday, it was Willingdon Elementary’s turn in NDG. Hosted by DJ Malik Shaheed, the tour uses interactive storytelling, music, and dialogue to teach pre-colonial Black history, hip-hop culture, and the history of Little Burgundy. The kids love it—and learn.
🚇 Metro Down for an Hour
Montreal’s metro suffered a complete network outage Tuesday due to a communication equipment failure. Service resumed after about an hour. Just enough to ruin your commute home.
💧 Boil-Water Advisory Lifted in Ville-Marie
The boil-water advisory issued for Ville-Marie residents over the weekend has been lifted. You can drink in peace.
⚠️ Beware of Fake Cough Syrup
Montreal Public Health warns against a purple syrup that imitates the appearance of cough medicine but can be deadly. Stay vigilant and only use legitimate products.
👮 Montreal Police Chief Reacts to Toronto Arrests
Montreal’s police chief called the recent arrests of several Toronto officers in an organized crime investigation a “very sad moment” for law enforcement in Canada. He added that police services across the country are doing their best to guard against corruption.
⚖️ Canadian Judge Defies Trump
Canadian International Criminal Court judge Kimberly Prost refuses to yield to sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. Her credit cards no longer work, her Amazon accounts have been closed, and she must pay for everything in cash. But she remains determined to continue her work and not let sanctions influence her judicial decisions.
🏛️ Christine Fréchette Promises to Reopen the PEQ
CAQ leadership candidate Christine Fréchette promises to reopen the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) for two years if she becomes premier. Legault’s decision to end the program in November sparked protests and fierce criticism.
Practical Corner
❄️ Be Careful on the Road Tonight
Environment Canada has issued a winter weather advisory for Montreal. Ten centimeters of snow are expected today, with rates up to 2 cm per hour. Road conditions could deteriorate quickly during the evening rush. Plan extra time for your commute home.
Favorite Moment
A big thank you to Youth Stars and DJ Malik Shaheed for bringing Black history directly into Montreal schools. When education leaves the textbooks and becomes interactive, everyone benefits.
Take care, Montreal. And keep an eye on the road tonight.
EXCERPT:
Canada is in shock after one of the worst mass shootings in its history. On Tuesday, at least ten people, including the suspected shooter, were found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia and a nearby residence, making this incident one of the deadliest tragedies in the country.
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