MTLQC – Montreal QC
Montréal QC ☕ Morning Chat
Good morning, Montréal.
We hope your coffee is nice and hot this Friday the 13th, because we’ve got a packed edition for you today.
Between the rise in suspicious fires, an alarming new report on bedbugs, and a few economic developments affecting everyone, there’s a lot to take in.
Take a good sip and let’s dive into what’s happening in our city and beyond.
🔦 Main Story
New report sounds the alarm on Montréal’s growing bedbug problem
A housing advocacy group is raising the alarm about the impact of bedbug infestations in Montréal with the release of a new report calling for stronger government action.
The Comité logement de La Petite‑Patrie published the report Friday to coincide with World Sleep Day, highlighting what it describes as a growing public‑health and social issue across the island. Titled “The Bedbug Plague in Montréal: A Call to Action,” the study was produced with financial support from Montréal’s regional public health authority.
According to the report, pest‑control companies recorded more than 41,000 bedbug infestations in the city between 2014 and 2024. However, researchers say the real number is likely much higher because many infestations are never reported.
The document also highlights the health impacts associated with infestations, including stress, sleep disruption, and anxiety, while noting that the problem disproportionately affects low‑income households.
Advocates are urging governments, public‑health officials, and community organizations to work together on solutions. The report, which includes several recommendations, has been sent to government ministries, the city, and other officials in hopes of prompting action.
It’s a reminder that behind the numbers are Montréalers dealing daily with a problem that affects their quality of life in very real ways.
⚡ The Essentials
Canada lost 84,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.7%.
Statistics Canada says employment fell far short of expectations in February, with a surprise loss of 84,000 jobs pushing the unemployment rate up two points to 6.7%.
The agency says last month’s job losses were concentrated among youth aged 15 to 24 and men aged 25 to 54, with most of the decline coming from full‑time work and the private sector.
Quebec accounted for the bulk of the drop with 57,000 jobs lost in February, while British Columbia lost 20,000. The sharp decline follows a loss of 25,000 jobs in January.
A Reuters poll of economists had expected a slight increase in the unemployment rate but also predicted a gain of 10,000 jobs last month.
Wholesale and retail trade led February’s losses on the services side of the economy, though goods‑producing sectors like construction and manufacturing also shed jobs.
Price shocks from the war in Iran could give Canada leverage in CUSMA negotiations.
Countries around the world are grappling with soaring costs for key goods like oil and fertilizer as the war with Iran continues to disrupt global trade.
With no end in sight, the conflict is likely to cast a shadow over trade talks ahead of the mandatory review of the Canada‑U.S.‑Mexico Agreement and could ultimately give Canada more bargaining power.
Oil and natural gas prices have surged after Iran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. and Israeli bombing campaigns. One‑fifth of the world’s oil normally passes through the strait.
Fertilizer inputs and potash are also being held back, driving up global prices just weeks before planting season. Aluminum prices have also jumped since the war began.
Canada is a key alternative supplier for many of these products.
The CUSMA review gives each country three options in July: renew the agreement for another 16 years, withdraw from it, or signal both non‑renewal and non‑withdrawal — a move that would trigger annual reviews and potentially keep negotiations going for up to a decade.
Ottawa announces $550 million in funding for Canadian research projects.
Ottawa is set to announce $552 million in funding for university research projects. The federal government will name the projects receiving support through the Canada Foundation for Innovation at an event at the Université de Sherbrooke.
The money, distributed through the Innovation Fund, will support dozens of research projects in life sciences, engineering, and other fields at post‑secondary institutions across Canada. Funding competitions typically take place every two years and help researchers acquire equipment, tools, and lab space.
One funded project will give University of British Columbia researchers new tools for quantum‑technology work. Another will support new underwater drones at Dalhousie University to monitor marine life.
Canadians are choosing alternative spring break destinations amid tensions in Cuba and Mexico.
Many Canadian travellers are opting for alternative spring break destinations this year as unrest and violence disrupt tourism in traditionally affordable hotspots.
Travel agents in the Greater Toronto Area say political and economic instability in Cuba, fears of violence in Mexico, and the impact of a devastating hurricane in Jamaica have pushed many people to change their plans. Cuba is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis triggered by shortages of fuel, food, and medicine caused by a U.S. oil blockade. Last month, cartel violence erupted in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Durham Travel data shows bookings to Cuba have dropped 86% this month compared to March 2025. The company also reports a 15% decline in bookings to Mexico. Meanwhile, bookings to Florida and the Dominican Republic have surged 163% and 142%.
Costa Rica is emerging as a top alternative, and some travellers are heading to Caribbean islands like Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. Interest in domestic tourism is also rising.
Companies can no longer charge fees to change or cancel Internet and cellphone plans.
“We’re taking steps to give Canadians more control over their Internet and wireless services,” said Vicky Eatrides, chair and CEO of the CRTC.
Companies can no longer charge fees to change or cancel Internet and cellphone plans.
Kim Boutin reflects on her career ahead of her final championship.
The prolific speed skater will end her athletic career this weekend at the world championships in Montréal.
The English Montreal School Board spent $2.7 million fighting Quebec’s language and secularism laws.
The English Montreal School Board has spent more than $2.7 million challenging legislation from the Coalition Avenir Québec government in court.
Quebec is getting cooperative housing wrong, groups say. The Coalition
Avenir Québec government is set to dismantle the province’s non‑profit cooperative housing model with a bill that would give the government control over tenant selection and penalize or evict existing co‑op tenants who earn more than a low income, a federation of cooperatives says.
According to the federation, these changes stem from the government’s failure to invest in building social housing to ease the affordable‑housing crisis.
Emergency rooms are overflowing in Quebec and across Canada.
Hospital emergency rooms are overflowing, forcing patients to be treated in storage rooms and hallways as they wait days for a bed.
Doctors say this is happening amid behind‑the‑scenes backlogs, access issues, and an aging population — all of which affect patient flow through the health‑care system.
Tatiana Auguste ready for the Terrebonne by‑election rematch.
Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste faces Bloc candidate Nathalie Sinclair‑Desgagné in an April 13 by‑election triggered by a one‑vote result that was overturned by the Supreme Court.
Alleged Blood Family Mafia leader Dave Turmel faces nine new charges.
The 29‑year‑old, who remains in custody in Rome, is also charged with discharging a firearm, breaking and entering, forcible confinement, and kidnapping. These charges come in addition to existing assault‑with‑a‑weapon charges.
Power outages persist in Centre‑du‑Québec.
The provincial utility is reporting more than 4,000 outages.
Government departments caught off guard by the return‑to‑office requirement of three days per week.
The new telework framework is posing challenges for public‑service managers.
🏙️ Local Stories
Two vehicles destroyed in a suspicious fire in Saint‑Léonard.
Two vehicles were reduced to charred wrecks early Friday after a fire believed to have been intentionally set in Saint‑Léonard. The fire was reported around 2 a.m. when a 911 caller alerted Montréal police (SPVM) to vehicles on fire on D’Antibes Street near De L’Aiglon Street.
Responding officers found a pickup truck and an SUV already engulfed in flames. Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze before it could spread.
Residents in nearby apartments were temporarily asked to leave their homes as a precaution while emergency crews worked. They were allowed to return once the situation was under control.
Authorities say both vehicles were completely destroyed, though surrounding buildings were not damaged and no injuries were reported.
Preliminary findings suggest someone used an incendiary substance to ignite the vehicles before leaving the scene. The SPVM arson unit has taken over the investigation.
Little Burgundy residents continue their fight to save a community centre from eviction.
The Montreal school service centre wants to terminate the lease of the Little Burgundy and Saint‑Henri Adult Education Committee, which has been part of the neighbourhood for nearly 50 years.
A bike path will be added to the Saint‑Jean overpass, but safety remains a concern, mayor says.
A provincial plan to renovate the Saint‑Jean overpass near the future Fairview–Pointe‑Claire REM station falls short of expectations for improving the area for pedestrians and cyclists, according to the Pointe‑Claire mayor.
One of the men on trial in the death of Meriem Boundaoui seeks acquittal.
The lawyer for Aymane Bouadi says his client was a passive presence the night a Montréal teenager was killed in a drive‑by shooting in Saint‑Léonard.
The lawyer for one of the two men accused in the 2021 drive‑by shooting of Meriem Boundaoui told jurors his client was only a passenger and panicked when shots were fired.
🏘️ South Shore
Suspicious house fire in Brossard.
Longueuil police (SPAL) are investigating a house fire in Brossard that may have been deliberately set. Emergency services were alerted around 9 p.m. Thursday after a 911 call reported flames at a home on Castello Street. Fire crews responded and were able to extinguish the blaze.
Several people were inside the home when the incident occurred, but authorities say no injuries were reported. Investigators say evidence found at the scene suggests the fire may be criminal in nature. A security perimeter was set up while SPAL officers examined the property as part of the investigation.
Police say traffic in the area was not affected and no arrests have been made so far.
Suspicious vehicle fire under investigation in Brossard.
Longueuil police (SPAL) are also investigating a vehicle fire that broke out Thursday night in Brossard. Authorities received a 911 call shortly after 8:30 p.m. reporting a car on fire on Carignan Street. Fire crews arrived and quickly extinguished the flames.
Police say no one was injured and the nearby building was not damaged. The incident also caused no traffic issues in the area.
Preliminary observations suggest the fire may have been deliberately set. Investigators remain on scene to determine exactly what happened.
Working group created to support pregnant women experiencing homelessness in Longueuil.
The committee aims to find ways to support pregnant women experiencing homelessness following recent cases of abandoned newborns in Longueuil.
🚨 Practical Corner
Three Quebecers arrested at the Ontario border with falsified documents.
Border officers arrested three Canadians — two from Montréal and another from elsewhere in Quebec — who were later charged after a stash of fake passports, credit cards, and cash was found during a vehicle inspection at the Peace Bridge crossing in Fort Erie, Ontario, authorities said Thursday.
If you’re travelling, make sure your documents are in order.
Companies can no longer charge you to change your plans.
As of now, companies can no longer charge fees to change or cancel Internet or cellphone plans.
Good news for your wallet if you’ve been thinking about switching.
👋 Before We Go
That’s it for this Friday the 13th. Between the rise in suspicious fires on the island and the South Shore, an alarming report on bedbugs affecting tens of thousands of Montréalers, and economic developments touching everyone, you’ve got everything you need to stay on top of what’s happening in our region.
Stay vigilant, take care of yourselves, and have a great weekend, Montréal. ☕