MTLQC – Montreal QC

Montréal QC ☕ Morning Chat

Good morning, Montréal.

We hope your coffee is nice and hot this Monday morning, because we’ve got a special edition for you today.

Between an Oscar win that’s putting our city on the world stage, sports challenges for our local teams, and a few developments affecting our daily lives, there’s plenty to kick off the week.

Take a good sip, and let’s dive in.

🔦 Top Story

Montreal filmmakers win the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film

Montreal is shining in Hollywood. The short film The Girl Who Cried Pearls, created by Montrealers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at Sunday’s Academy Awards. In his acceptance speech, Szczerbowski paid tribute to “the fantastic city of Montreal.”

This stop‑motion film, produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), has screened at more than 40 festivals and already earned several awards. Set in early 20th‑century Montreal, the short tells the story of a poor boy who falls in love with a mysterious young girl who cries pearls at night.

For the filmmakers, this Oscar represents far more than their own project. Szczerbowski praised Canada’s cultural funding system for supporting the arts. He thanked the public film producer for allowing “eccentrics like us ” who are still playing with dolls even in our 50s, to create things that truly inspire the world.

The animation duo was previously nominated for Best Animated Short at the Oscars in 2007 for Madame Tutli‑Putli. Lavis also pointed to the rise of streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon, which he says benefit from Canadian audiences but “don’t contribute enough” to cultural funding in the country. Several platforms, including Amazon and Apple, are challenging a CRTC decision that would require foreign platforms earning more than $25 million annually in Canada to contribute 5% of their Canadian revenues to Canadian programming.

It’s a victory that puts Montreal in the global spotlight and highlights the richness of our city’s creative talent.

⚡ Noteworthy

Canadian inflation falls to 1.8% in February

Inflation dropped to 1.8% in February, down from 2.3% in January. Statistics Canada says the annual rate dipped below two percent largely because last year’s federal “tax holiday” ended, making year‑over‑year comparisons less steep.

The agency reports that February’s 1.8% year‑over‑year rate is half a percentage point lower than January’s. The main factor was the end of last year’s tax holiday, which temporarily removed the federal sales tax from a range of household essentials for two months ending in mid‑February 2025.

The end of the tax break helped cool inflation in restaurants and some grocery items, and StatCan also noted “broad‑based” price declines in items like store‑bought beef.

StatCan says gas prices began to rise slightly at the end of February, before the start of the war in the Middle East. Many economists expect this increase will push inflation higher in the coming months.

Quebec medical specialists launch a new pressure tactic

The Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) is escalating its pressure tactics as negotiations with the province continue. Specialists will no longer offer appointments through the Centres de répartition des demandes de services (CRDS) platform.

The CRDS distributes consultation requests from family doctors and nurse practitioners to specialists. Appointments will now be handled through “alternative mechanisms,” meaning referring professionals will need to contact specialists directly, by email, for example.

The FMSQ says this tactic should not negatively affect patients. According to its president, Dr. Vincent Oliva, the impact will actually be “positive,” because the CRDS platform has always been “completely dysfunctional.”

Health Minister Sonia Bélanger hopes patients won’t be affected. Only 20% of appointments currently go through the CRDS, though the government wants that number to reach 100%. This new tactic comes on top of specialists withdrawing from the Digital Health Record and other administrative activities.

The framework agreement with specialists expired on March 31, 2023.

False threat forces evacuation at Quebec City’s Jean‑Lesage Airport

Access to Québec City’s Jean‑Lesage International Airport was restricted for several hours overnight Sunday to Monday after a threatening call suggested a possible suspicious object. The 911 call came in at 10:10 p.m. Sunday.

As a precaution, the terminal was evacuated and airport grounds were closed to traffic. Quebec City police quickly secured the area and investigated the object, with support from a police dog handler, investigators, and SQ bomb technicians.

Police later confirmed the threat was unfounded. Shortly before 3 a.m., airport officials announced a “return to normal,” with the terminal and grounds reopened.

The investigation continues to identify the source of the call.

Carney meets Keir Starmer in London as Iran war disrupts shipping routes

Prime Minister Mark Carney met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday. Although both leaders noted that the world has become a more difficult place since their last meeting a year ago, neither mentioned specific issues publicly.

A readout from Carney’s office said the two leaders condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure. They also expressed “deep concern” about civilian casualties, the risk of further regional conflict, and broader economic consequences.

Canada’s High Commissioner to the UK, Bill Blair, said Canada supports efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon but is not directly involved in the conflict. The UK is considering sending ships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. The war in Iran has pushed global energy prices higher, and Iran has been attacking ships passing through the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack in late February.

Carney is also scheduled to meet King Charles before taking vacation, following earlier meetings with Nordic leaders in Norway.

Small businesses say rising fuel costs are “hard to swallow”

When Frame Aviation received its latest fuel delivery, it came with a warning: the next one could be much more expensive. The potential increase could add 20 to 30 cents per litre to the fuel the company buys for its clients.

Small businesses are facing rising costs due to the war in the Middle East, which has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. About one‑fifth of the world’s oil supply, 20 million barrels a day, passes through this key route.

A week after the conflict began, the CFIB surveyed its 103,000 members. Of the roughly 1,200 respondents so far, 80% are concerned the war will affect them.

Two‑thirds of CFIB members say they are absorbing the rising fuel costs rather than passing them on to customers. One‑third have raised prices instead. Between 10% and 15% of surveyed businesses have already reduced staff hours to cope with rising energy costs.

A judge must decide whether to designate the accused as “high‑risk” in the Laval daycare crash.

Pierre Ny St-Amand was found not criminally responsible last year after driving a bus into a Laval daycare in 2023, killing two children. If he is designated a high‑risk accused, his detention conditions would become more restrictive, though some argue such a designation would be unconstitutional.

The police watchdog is investigating a fatal shooting involving SQ officers in Chaudière–Appalaches.

Quebec’s police oversight agency is investigating after Sûreté du Québec officers were involved in a fatal shooting on Saturday in Saint‑Raphaël, about 65 kilometres southeast of Quebec City.

Snow and freezing rain continue across much of Canada.

Snow is still falling in parts of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, with heavy rain and freezing rain expected in some communities in the Maritimes and Ontario.

🏙️ Local Stories

Notre‑Dame‑des‑Neiges Cemetery considers immersive nighttime tours to boost revenue.

Montreal’s Notre‑Dame‑des‑Neiges Cemetery is considering launching “immersive” nighttime walks on its grounds, produced by the well‑known multimedia studio Moment Factory.

Montreal wants to remove all garbage bins from Parc La Fontaine.

This pilot project is being criticized by blue‑collar workers who fear the park will turn into “a pigsty.”

La Victoire blows a 3–0 lead and loses the battle for first place to Boston in overtime.

When it comes to heartbreaking losses against the Boston Fleet, Montreal’s Victoire has been here before. After losing 4–3 in overtime to the first‑place Fleet despite holding a 3–0 lead in the third period, the team is now trying to focus on the positives.

Unlike 2024, when the team lost three straight playoff games in overtime to Boston and saw its season end in a sweep, there are still 11 regular‑season games left. With Montreal defender Erin Ambrose on long‑term injured reserve and captain Marie‑Philip Poulin leaving Sunday’s game in the first period, the team faced significant adversity.

With just over three minutes left in the first period and Montreal on the power play, Poulin collided with Boston forward Shay Maloney along the side boards. She immediately favoured her right leg, the same one she injured against Czechia at the Winter Olympics on February 9.

Ella Huber scored 1:33 into overtime as the Boston Fleet defeated Montreal’s Victoire 4–3 in a first‑place showdown in Professional Women’s Hockey League action Sunday afternoon at Place Bell in Laval.

Kirby Dach injured again during a losing weekend for the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach (36‑20‑10) suffered an upper‑body injury during the team’s 4–3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday at the Bell Centre.

💛 Spotlight

Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, two Montreal creators who continue “playing with dolls” well into their fifties to craft films that inspire audiences around the world, expressed their gratitude for Canada’s cultural funding system.

They credit this support for giving artists like them the freedom to pursue bold, eccentric ideas and bring their creative visions to life on the global stage.

🚗 Practical Tip

Should you really swap out your winter tires after March 15 in Quebec?

Quebecers are technically allowed to remove their winter tires after March 15, but with winter weather still going strong, some say drivers should think twice before making the switch.

Snow continues to fall in parts of Quebec, and freezing rain is expected in some regions.

It’s best to wait a little longer before putting those winter tires away.

👋 Before We Go

That’s it for this Monday morning. Between an Oscar win that’s putting Montreal on the world stage, challenges for our local sports teams, and a few developments affecting our daily lives, you’ve got plenty to start your week.

Stay safe on the roads, congratulations to our Montreal creators, and have a great week. ☕