Good morning, Montreal!
We hope your coffee is nice and hot this morning, because we have quite a bit to talk about. Between Olympic news that makes us proud, projects moving forward in the city, and a few hot topics, it’s going to be a busy day. Let’s dive in.
Main Story
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier Win Olympic Bronze
Canada has its fourth medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, and it comes from ice dance. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won bronze with a free dance performance scoring 131.56 points, for a total of 217.74. It’s Canada’s first medal in ice dance since Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s gold at PyeongChang in 2018. The Toronto-based duo, who have skated together for 15 years, broke down in tears when their score confirmed their spot on the podium. After three Olympics and a career filled with Canadian titles and world podiums, they finally have their Olympic medal. What a beautiful story!
Key Points
🏔️ Mikaël Kingsbury Chasing a 4th Olympic Medal
The king of moguls, who already has three Olympic medals, is aiming for a fourth this morning. Fingers crossed.
🏒 Juraj Slafkovsky Shines for Slovakia
The Canadiens forward scored two goals and added an assist in Slovakia’s opening game at the men’s Olympic hockey tournament. Canada will start its tournament Thursday against Czechia with an offense considered even stronger than at the Four Nations Faceoff.
🇨🇦 Flags at Half-Mast for 7 Days
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canadian flags on all government buildings, including the one atop the Peace Tower in Ottawa, will be at half-mast for seven days following the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, which left 9 dead and at least 25 injured.
🚗 Car Thefts Down 18%
The number of vehicles stolen in Canada dropped significantly last year, but nearly 47,000 thefts were still reported, and more than a third were never recovered.
🇺🇸 U.S. Congress Opposes Trump’s Tariffs
The U.S. House of Representatives has opposed the tariffs imposed by Trump against Canada. Even if the bill passes the Senate, it will almost certainly face a presidential veto.
🏡 Justin Trudeau Buys a House in Outremont
The former prime minister bought a $4.26 million home in Outremont. Welcome to the neighborhood!
⚖️ “Brownies” Scandal: Pablo Rodriguez Cleared
A retired Superior Court judge concluded there is no evidence Pablo Rodriguez participated in or was aware of questionable fundraising tactics during his 2025 PLQ leadership campaign. The text messages at the heart of the scandal appear to be a copy-paste montage.
🇺🇦 Ukrainian Skeleton Racer Disqualified Over Helmet
Ukrainian skeleton racer Heraskevytch was disqualified because his helmet displayed images of fallen Ukrainian soldiers. IOC President Kirsty Coventry informed him of his disqualification Thursday morning.
💊 Quebec Women Turning More to Abortion Pill
The number of people using the abortion pill in Quebec rose by nearly 80% in 2025 compared to 2024. Experts say this is good news, especially due to its safety and accessibility.
🏫 First Inuit-Led University in Canada
The first Inuit-led university in Canada will open its campus in Nunavut. Students from northern Quebec who want to pursue post-secondary studies currently have to leave their community.
🚸 Child Injured in Ski Lift Accident
A ski resort in western Quebec is closed for the rest of the day after a child was seriously injured in a ski lift accident on Wednesday.
💔 Double Murder and Suicide in a First Nation
The Sûreté du Québec has taken over the investigation into the deaths of three people in a First Nations community in the western part of the province.
🏥 Vaudreuil-Soulanges Wants to Keep PEQ Candidates
Facing a critical labor shortage, Vaudreuil-Soulanges is asking the Quebec government to exempt candidates from the canceled immigration program so they can continue working in the region.
📚 New French Program Delayed
The Quebec government is delaying the rollout of its new French program for primary and secondary schools by one year, to September 2027, after criticism that the ministry was moving too fast.
🏠 Quebec Portal for Affordable Housing
The Legault government wants to create a single window for applications for affordable or low-cost housing rentals. The portal would include two application registries.
💑 End of the Double “Welcome Tax”?
The government wants to eliminate the fees charged to separated common-law partners when buying back a house.
🎨 Mathieu Lacombe Returns to UNESCO
Quebec’s Minister of Culture wants a binding international framework to address digital giants.
🏛️ CAQ Won’t Hold Referendum on Constitution
Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has ruled out postponing the adoption of Quebec’s written constitution until after the next election, saying the plan is “in the collective interest.”
🤖 Canadian Medical Association Concerned About AI
According to a new Abacus Data survey, most Canadians use the Internet to find health information, and some are turning to AI. The Canadian Medical Association is sounding the alarm about the dangers of this practice.
💊 Skepticism Over Minister Bélanger’s Bill 19
Bill 19 reflects the agreement with the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners. The government wants to register 500,000 patients by June 30, 2026, including 180,000 vulnerable patients. Voluntary registration would be accompanied by a $75 million incentive package, and the government is increasing family doctors’ compensation by 14.5% ($435 million).
💻 SAAQclic Fiasco: Malenfant Denies Blame
Karl Malenfant, former VP of IT at SAAQ, says he has nothing to reproach himself for in the SAAQclic case. He submitted 112 pages of responses to the 48 allegations against him and rejects the term “fiasco,” insisting the system works. The auditor general estimates the problematic rollout could cost taxpayers at least $1.1 billion by 2027.
At Home
🏛️ Montreal Plans to Eliminate 1,000 Jobs by 2029
The Martinez Ferrada administration is launching a major restructuring of the municipal public service. Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada aims to cut 1,000 positions by the end of her four-year term in 2029, with the goal of “better serving Montrealers.” The city estimates these cuts will save $16 million for 2026. First steps were taken in the fall with a hiring freeze for white-collar and professional positions.
🏗️ Group Opposes Demolition of YWCA Building
A downtown community group is asking the Ville-Marie borough to block a request to demolish the old YWCA building. A plan proposes to build a 30-story residential and commercial building in its place, but the group says the project wouldn’t meet the neighborhood’s needs.
🐋 Whale Seeker Wins Second UNESCO Award
Montreal company Whale Seeker appears for the second time on UNESCO’s list of the world’s 100 best AI innovations. The company created a tool called Cetus that combines AI and satellite imaging to detect and classify marine mammals in vast, remote ocean regions.
💼 White-Collar Workers Protest Cuts
Montreal’s white-collar workers say they were not consulted by the city on its plan to reduce staff by 250 positions this year. They argue the impact will inevitably be felt by residents.
Favorite Story
A big congratulations to Whale Seeker, the Montreal company putting artificial intelligence to work protecting whales and shining a spotlight on our city internationally with its second UNESCO award!
Practical Corner
💡 To Watch
Nathalie Provost, survivor of the 1989 Polytechnique shooting and now a Quebec MP, shares how she regained control of her life after the tragedy. She recommends that those experiencing trauma get back to their routine—it’s what helped her rebuild her sense of security.
Take care, Montreal. See you tomorrow.
EXCERPT:
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won the bronze medal in ice dance at the Milan-Cortina Olympics with a free dance score of 131.56 points, for a total of 217.74. It’s Canada’s fourth medal at these Games and the first Canadian ice dance medal since Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s gold in 2018.
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