A woman died in an apartment fire Friday morning down near the stadium. Fatal words: the smoke detector wasn’t working. The fire department immediately sent people to check smoke detectors in the area.
Updates from September, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
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Kate
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Kate
A man was issued a $664 fine this week for tying his dog to a parking meter while he did a brief errand. Doing that is against the law, but he’s challenging the ticket all the same.
Ian
People do it all the time, and while I do think it’s irresponsible, it’s not a well-known law and the fine is remarkably steep.
Anton
That fine is almost diabolical.
Paul
Too bad he wasn’t speeding a vehicle through a school zone…would have been much cheaper!
dwgs
That’s ridiculous.
yasymbologist
I just read this piece to my wife. And she suggests that a dog owner can use a long leash, e.g. those retractable models, when going to bakeries. So the duo can still be on both ends of the leash when one is giving orders at the counter indoor and the other is sitting outside waiting.
But this solution obviously works only for mom-and-pop shops with a limited depth. Big groceries can use amenities like a 10 sqft indoor dog parking area.dwgs
Maximum leash length is 1.85m so you can get a $664 fine for using a retractable leash, even if you keep it at the shortest length which is within the legal limit. AFAIK pretty much any dog infraction (including not having a microchip) is $664. Run a red light in your 2 tonne SUV? The fine is between $100 and $200. Ridiculous.
Kate
yasymbologist’s solution would risk having people get tangled in the long leash or trip over it.
A woman once randomly asked me to mind her dog while she popped into a fruiterie near here. I was surprised, because I hadn’t given any sign of noticing the dog or wanting to pat it or anything like that. Luckily it was a large placid creature so that holding its leash and talking to it for a few minutes wasn’t a problem, and the woman insisted on giving me $2 when she came back out.
I suppose I looked trustworthy. But not everyone is, so doing this can’t be a solution to the problem. Maybe asking a fellow dog walker for a few minutes’ help?
Kate
dwgs, looked at that way, it is ridiculous.
Is the driving fine set by the city or by Quebec? (I don’t drive, forgive me for not knowing this.)
Dwgs
Traffic code is provincial
Ian
@Anton well played, I hope whatever he bought cost exactly 2 bucks.
Kate
dwgs, so there’s no point in emailing the mayor and pointing out the ridiculous discrepancy you mention.
Sometimes I find the ways that authority is distributed among our levels of government is practically meant to stymie any form of dissent.
Joey
We got (our first) dog a year ago. I am not interested in walking my dog off-leash or letting him roam around parks that aren’t designated for dogs. I am extremely sympathetic to people who are afraid of animals and would rather not have to deal with unsupervised or unleashed dogs (Kate, I remember a story you told a few years ago about a dog owner in Mile-End who scoffed at you even as his dog was ready to pounce). Many dog owners disagree – it’s common to think that because your dog is nice to you, the person they are trained to love and obey, they will be nice to strangers, even if strangers can appear threatening.
That being said, this city seems to forbid – and is extremely punitive about – behaviour that is extremely common in many parts of the world. Dogs are essentially forbidden from all indoor places, even if they are leashed and well behaved. By the book, you can never run an errand with your dog unless you have someone to watch them while you shop. Most cafes won’t allow you to wait for your latte with your dog by your side, as if it is a biting and shitting machine ready to pounce. And the fines are obscene and extremely aggressively enforced.
@dwgs I think the fine for not having your permit in order is *only* ~$450. I did a quick check of other Canadian cities – the typical fine for having a dog off-leash ranges from $100 to $350, depending on the city (Toronto is the highest). That’s basically 15% to 50% of the fine in Montreal. Seems to me that you should choose to have either extremely stringent rules with mild enforcement or relaxed rules with aggressive enforcement. We have the strictest rules and the highest fines.
@Kate my partner will often ask neighbourhood panhandlers to keep an eye on our dog when she’s got to run in somewhere. They have always been kind and helpful, without exception. A workable solution in many cases, but hardly a model that works at scale…
Kate
Joey, I hope that woman didn’t take me for an itinerant! I may not be a notable fashion plate, but I hope I don’t go about looking like I sleep outdoors.
Orr
Montreal parks would be better places if dogs were banned from them.
All the parks.
And especially the major parks.
I’m very happy to see fines of the level that will cause dog owners to think twice before doing it a second time.JP
I’m fine with dogs at parks…but our company allows people to bring dogs to our office. I noticed that productivity dips and no one gets anything done…but everyone loves dogs…
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Kate
A shelter was inaugurated in Ville‑Marie on Friday that will house 26 previously homeless women, offering each a space with a private kitchen and bathroom, and common spaces as well.
Joey
A rare, genuinely good story. Thanks for sharing.
Ian
Yeah, absolutely. Chez Doris is a really great organization, and always has been. This is a great initiative and I’m glad to see itbearing fruit like this.
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Kate
Advanced voting has begun in the LaSalle‑Émard‑Verdun federal byelection, well ahead of the official date of September 16.
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Kate
CultMTL presents what it calls its 13th annual Student Survival Guide (PDF) although – like its annual survey of the best things in town – it’s an older tradition inherited from the Montreal Mirror.
Mozai
Are there physical copies of CultMTL ? The Mirror’s lists sit in my kitchen closet where the Yellow Pages used to sit.
Meezly
Yes there are. Usually at independent supermarkets and deps.
Ian
They have them at the Delphi (dep, papeterie and post office) in Mile End, at least that’s where I get mine.
Joey
Always an enjoyable read – and helpful if you need to, once your done, light a charcoal grill…
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Kate
Weekend notes from La Presse, CityCrunch, CultMTL.
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Kate
TVA has photo and video evidence of rats alongside the ducks at the Jarry Park pond.
Chris
I watched the video and looked at all the photos, I see no attack.
We’ll have more and more rats the more people like my neighbour leave out seeds and nuts for the “birds” and “squirrels”. I’ve told him he’s feeding rats, but he insists the squirrels need our help. Sigh.
Kate
OK, you’re right. Fixed.
Chris
Pity though, I wanted to see how such a fight turned out!
Blork
Those rats look remarkably clean and even sort of cute. Park rats vs. sewer rats?
Kate
I wonder if there’s any chance they’re abandoned pets, or descendants thereof.
Blork
Even the rats in Villeray are gentrified.
Bert
OMG! Wildlife coexisting with other wildlife! The end is near.
Ian
Where’s Beatrix Potter when she is needed. This is a beloved childrens’ book in the making, I can sense it.
Uatu
Rat and Duck decided to enjoy the lake view before heading to Toad Hall for high tea…
Ian
Someone needs to make a whole pile of tiny waistcoats and head to Jarry Park
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Kate
A woman was nearly tossed into a garbage truck as workers dismantled her homeless camp in Jeanne‑Mance Park. Item doesn’t say exactly when this happened.
Ian
Who needs metaphors when the city is actually treating the homeless like garbage.
You can almost hear the airquotes in the “sorry”.
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