The city is abolishing 200 posts, mostly vacant white- and blue‑collar positions in the central city, none in the boroughs. The plan is to save a recurring $50 million item on the annual budget.
The blue-collar union is not thrilled and sees it as the city turning again to outsourcing work. The Gazette piece says the positions are “either vacant or held by permanent employees” and that the city will try to find people other work.
It’s not really news that rents have soared out of the reach of many tenants in Montreal. Does Quebec really have anything like true rent control any more?
Especially given that going to the TAL gets you blacklisted.
A very old water main gave way on Notre‑Dame in Hochelaga on Tuesday morning, closing the westbound side of that street indefinitely.
Four white Québécois dudes were rounded up by the RCMP and charged with terrorism for a plot to seize land somewhere near Quebec City and create an anti‑government militia. One or more of them is alleged to be members of the Canadian armed forces.
As more details percolate through, it’s being reported that two of the four are members of the armed forces. It hasn’t been made clear yet whether the weapons and other materiel they were stockpiling came directly from army sources.
Le Devoir will be looking at the summer pleasures of different neighbourhoods, starting with the greenery of Verdun’s riverside.
Last month I played a concert at a venue in Verdun near the river. It was a beautiful location (too bad I didn’t have much more time to explore the area.)
How were the shadflies, EmilyG?
I don’t recall. Nice area, though.
I assume you played at the venue in the Circus School. The walk along the bike path from there along in front of the seniors’ residences has been particularly nice the last week as there are oodles of fireflies along that stretch. It’s even more magical (because darker and more natural) along the footpath directly beside the river but also not as accessible or possibly safe for everyone.
Absolutely. The riverside is magical, not just in Verdun. It stretches all the way through LaSalle, Lachine, and even further west. That kind of continuous, accessible waterfront is rare in any city around the world. What I love most is that it’s not overly developed. It’s just open space, bike paths, trees, the river. Since I live near the river in LaSalle, I have a bit of a double feeling. On the one hand, I want to share it with everyone. On the other, part of me hopes it stays just like it is, fairly quiet, natural, and peaceful.
Fun fact: the “natural riverside” we enjoy in my end of Verdun is actually fill (I believe from Metro digs) that has regrown naturally. There used to be a street down by the waterside. Image.
We played at Quai 5160 – Maison de la culture de Verdun. I know there’s a circus school around there, not sure if it’s the same place.
I like that there are chimney swifts in the area, though you see them downtown as well.
The circus school is in the same building but has a separate entrance.
Monday’s heavy rain means the Grand Splash, scheduled for Tuesday at the Old Port, is cancelled after already being rescheduled once.
24hres asks whether Montreal could imitate Paris and make the river really safe for swimming. But the Seine and the St Lawrence are very different waterways, which isn’t taken into account.
The problem much more is access. The article notes there are only three locations where samples are taken that have free access. A lot near downtown is blocked off by railways, roads, industry and high structures or significant boating (like the Old Port). A lot of it is private property. And then a fair amount is dangerous: the flow of the river is like 30-50x that of the Seine. I bet the city still thinks of swimming in most adjacent parkland as a liability, as people have died, and so has no interest in making access easy.
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