MTLQC – Montreal QC
Montréal QC ☕ Morning Chat
Good morning, Montréal.
Good morning, Montreal. We hope you’ve kept your coffee nice and warm this Tuesday morning, because after a night of powerful winds and widespread power outages across the province, we’ve got a special edition for you.
With hundreds of thousands of households still without electricity, a few positive local updates, and several developments worth your attention, there’s a lot to take in.
Take a good sip, and let’s look at how our city is recovering from this storm.
🔦 Top Story
About 300,000 Hydro‑Québec customers left without power after severe windstorm
Nature hit hard Monday night into Tuesday morning. About 300,000 Hydro‑Québec customers lost power as strong winds swept across Quebec. Montérégie was the hardest‑hit region, with nearly 85,000 addresses affected.
As a cold front pushed through and temperatures dropped, the strong winds caused outages in nearly every region of the province. By 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, more than 70,000 Hydro‑Québec customers were without power, a number that had climbed quickly over the previous hour.
As of 8 a.m., roughly 39,732 customers were without power in Montreal, 76,778 in Montérégie, 13,884 in Laval, and 34,191 in the Laurentians. The Laurentians, Lanaudière, and Montérégie were among the most affected regions, each with more than 10,000 outages.
Hydro‑Québec said in a statement that strong winds are currently affecting large parts of Quebec, with gusts reaching up to 90 km/h—and up to 120 km/h in some areas. Most outages are caused by vegetation coming into contact with the distribution network. High winds weaken trees and branches, which can fall onto power lines and interrupt service.
More than 1,100 workers are currently deployed across the province, including line crews, splicers, vegetation teams, pole‑replacement crews, and telecommunications support. The utility is also contacting external contractors to confirm availability if needed.
A weather system began sweeping across the province Monday night and continued moving northeast Tuesday morning. Beyond the precipitation, rain or snow depending on the region, it’s the strong winds that are causing the most issues. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a “yellow” wind warning for several regions, with gusts expected to reach up to 90 km/h.
The warning noted possible damage to roofs, fences, branches, and temporary shelters, as well as a risk of injury from flying or falling debris.
The system’s passage also brought a sharp drop in temperatures. In Montreal, where it reached 14°C Monday evening, the mercury was expected to fall to –8°C on Tuesday. With the wind chill, it could feel as cold as –16°C.
⚡ Noteworthy
February home sales dipped, but CREA remains optimistic for a strong spring market.
The Canadian Real Estate Association says home sales continued at a slow pace in February, though activity began to pick up toward the end of the month. The number of homes changing hands nationwide was 8.1% lower than in February 2025, while seasonally adjusted month‑to‑month sales fell 1.3%.
Despite a quiet start to the year, CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart says the association still expects pent‑up demand from first‑time buyers to translate into stronger sales in 2026. The national average selling price in February slipped 0.2% year‑over‑year to $663,828.
There were 151,850 properties listed for sale across all Canadian MLS systems at the end of February, up 3.7% from a year earlier, but still 12.3% below the long‑term average for this time of year.
Israel seeks a “significant change” in how Canada addresses antisemitism.
Israel is mounting a broad diplomatic and public‑relations effort to persuade Canada to change its approach to combating antisemitism. Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed said during a virtual forum last week: “We have a very clear goal this year, and that is to create a significant change in how antisemitism is addressed here in Canada.”
Moed spoke after Israel issued several high‑level statements following shootings at three synagogues in the Toronto area. Israeli President Isaac Herzog held a call with Jewish community leaders in the region on March 9.
On March 8, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand about the synagogue attacks and requested special measures to protect Jewish communities and “Israeli diplomats serving in Canada.”
During a virtual panel hosted last Thursday by the Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith, Moed suggested that Canada may need to restrict certain freedoms to curb the influence of harmful actors. Data from Canadian police and Jewish organizations show that reports of antisemitic hate, including violent acts such as arson, have risen sharply in recent years.
In December, Carney said Canada had a “need to act” in response to two years of escalating hate. He linked this to Bill C‑9, legislation that would create new offences for intimidating or obstructing someone outside a religious or cultural institution. The bill is expected to reach third reading in the House of Commons as early as next week.
Why it could take years to trace the Indigenous artifacts returned by the Vatican
More than 60 Indigenous objects repatriated from the Vatican are now back on Canadian soil, but their journey home is only beginning. Experts and Elders are now working to trace their origins and return them to the communities that created them.
For now, the objects are being housed at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. They are not available for public viewing without permission from the national Indigenous organizations working to determine their origins.
The 62 objects were among thousands sent to Rome by missionaries from around the world for an exhibition organized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. In November, Pope Leo XIV said the items would be transferred to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Cody Groat, an assistant professor of history and Indigenous studies at Western University, said tracing the objects back to their original communities or families could take years. Two of the items have already been identified.
The three national Indigenous organizations are developing their own processes for repatriating the objects and deciding who will be allowed to study them. One of the challenges they face is the lack of national legislation guiding the return of Indigenous artwork and cultural items.
Quebec’s finance minister lowers expectations ahead of pre‑election budget
Finance Minister Eric Girard is set to table Quebec’s provincial budget on Wednesday, less than a month before the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) chooses a successor to Premier François Legault.
Federal government unveils Bill C‑22 to protect Canadians and combat digital crime
At a press conference Monday in Montreal, Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the government is updating its laws to give law enforcement and CSIS new tools to fight serious crime. Bill C‑22, introduced last week, creates a modern legal framework for lawful access to digital information, aiming to disrupt organized crime, human trafficking, online sexual exploitation, fraud, and money laundering.
Anandasangaree said the legislation balances investigative needs with Canadians’ privacy rights and ensures authorities can only access information necessary for criminal investigations, not to monitor ordinary citizens.
Under the bill, law enforcement would be able to quickly identify service providers linked to phone numbers or IP addresses and, with court approval, obtain basic information when there is reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred or is about to occur.
However, some privacy experts worry that Bill C‑22 may expand digital‑access powers too far by allowing authorities to obtain sensitive information more quickly under a lower legal threshold.
Man who drove bus into Quebec daycare, killing two children, designated high‑risk accused
The Quebec man found not criminally responsible after driving a city bus into a Montreal‑area daycare, killing two children, has been designated a high‑risk accused.
🏙️ Local Stories
Strong winds force school closures in Montreal
High winds and power outages forced several Montreal schools to close on Monday morning. The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) confirmed that some schools are closed.
The following schools are affected: Soulanges Elementary School, Pierrefonds Community High School and the West Island Career Centre.
About 300,000 Hydro‑Québec customers were without power Tuesday morning as Environment and Climate Change Canada issued yellow warnings for snow squalls and strong winds across much of the province.
As of 9 a.m., about 25,000 people in the Montreal area were still without electricity.
Arson investigation underway after fire at Ville‑Marie hair salon
A hair salon in Ville‑Marie was the target of an arson attack Monday night. Montreal police (SPVM) were called around 2 a.m. for a fire that had started inside a business on De Maisonneuve Boulevard West near Bishop Street.
When officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished by an employee who was on site at the time. The building sustained minor damage and no injuries were reported.
Authorities say the suspect broke the storefront window, entered the building and attempted to set it on fire before fleeing on foot. The case has been handed over to the SPVM arson unit.
Police have questioned witnesses, but no arrests have been made.
Montreal’s annual spring cleanup begins two weeks earlier than usual
The operation will begin before April 1 under the Martinez Ferrada administration. Cleanup crews will also work longer hours than in previous years.
Garbage bins will remain in La Fontaine Park as the city abandons pilot project
The pilot project to remove garbage bins from La Fontaine Park was developed under the previous Projet Montréal administration as a possible solution to overflowing bins, but Claude Pinard ended the initiative on Monday.
Montreal’s 201st Saint Patrick’s Day Parade takes place Sunday
The 201st edition of Montreal’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will take place Sunday, bringing generations together as it has for more than two centuries. The parade is organized by the United Irish Societies of Montreal.
This year’s theme is “Little Shamrocks, Big Dreams,” celebrating the children and youth who carry the tradition forward. Ninety‑two groups will participate, including 15 marching bands and six dance groups.
The parade will begin Sunday at noon at the corner of Guy Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard, travel east along De Maisonneuve and end at Saint‑Urbain Street. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early, plan ahead and use public transit to avoid congestion.
No charges two years after Old Montreal fire that killed seven people
The Crown prosecutor’s office and Montreal police say the criminal investigation is ongoing and they are working to provide information to the public as soon as possible.
Montreal father loses nearly $20,000 in impersonation scam
A few weeks ago, Eric Sauvageau received a call from someone he believed was his son. He withdrew thousands of dollars from the bank and handed it over before realizing he had been scammed.
🏘️ South Shore
Longueuil police target 13 suspects in anti‑fraud program
Longueuil police announced Tuesday that they have relaunched their SALUT program, a campaign aimed at involving the public in efforts to combat fraud, particularly schemes known as the “fake representative” scam.
💛 Spotlight
More than 1,100 Hydro‑Québec workers are currently deployed across the province, including line crews, splicers, vegetation teams and pole‑replacement crews, working tirelessly to restore service as quickly as possible after the severe windstorm.
⚠️ Practical Tips
Check your power status and stay safe
If you are among the tens of thousands of Montrealers still without electricity this Tuesday morning, check Hydro‑Québec’s website for restoration updates. Hydro‑Québec is also contacting external contractors to confirm availability if needed. If you do have power, now is a good time to support neighbours who may not.
Watch for fallen branches and debris
After winds reaching up to 90 km/h, and up to 120 km/h in some regions, be cautious when walking or driving. Branches and debris may still fall, and there is a risk of injury from flying or falling objects.
Dress warmly as temperatures drop
After reaching 14 degrees Celsius Monday evening, temperatures are expected to fall to minus 8 degrees on Tuesday. With the wind chill, it could feel as cold as minus 16. Winter is not done with us yet.
Use public transit for Sunday’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
If you plan to attend the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, organizers encourage spectators to arrive early, plan ahead and use public transit to avoid downtown congestion.
👋 Before we wrap up
That’s it for this busy Tuesday morning. Between the severe windstorm that left hundreds of thousands of Quebecers without power, several important developments and preparations for Sunday’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, you now have a clear picture of what’s happening in our region.
Stay warm, stay safe and strength to everyone still without electricity. Take care, Montreal. ☕