MTL Blog

MTL Blog is your top source for daily news in Montreal, featuring the finest dining and drinking spots, along with weekly suggestions for activities around the city.

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Quebec's ER wait times are the worst in Canada and one Montreal hospital is off the charts

3 days ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

If it feels like a trip to the emergency room in Quebec takes all day, you're not alone. And while the province's long hospital wait times are not exactly breaking news, a new report shows just how much worse the wait is here compared to the rest of the country. According to fresh data from the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), the median ER stay in Quebec is now 5 hours and 23 minutes — the longest in Canada by a long shot.
You can get up close to Audi’s iconic vehicles at this immersive art exhibit in Montreal

3 days ago | mtlblog.com | Louie Murray

Nothing beats Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal. Not only is there the thrill of race, but the city comes alive with amazing events that add extra pizzazz to this electric time of year. If you love F1, you need to check out Audi Haus—Performance Art.
Montreal's metro is shutting down for hours at a time during a week-long STM strike

4 days ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

If you rely on the Société De Transport De Montréal (STM) to get around, brace yourself: a wave of service disruptions is set to hit Montreal's public transit system from June 9 to 17, as maintenance workers begin a multi-day strike. According to a document released by the province's labour tribunal, métro and bus service across the island will be reduced to three limited windows per day — except for the Grand Prix weekend, when full service will resume temporarily.
2 Montreal food spots were fined over $6,000 each for hygiene violations this year

4 days ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

Quebec's food inspection agency has been busy, and for some restaurants and food shops in Montreal, that's not exactly good news. According to a recent batch of decisions published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ), two establishments located in Montreal's Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough have each been hit with more than $6,000 in fines so far in 2025. The penalties stem from hygiene and sanitation violations uncovered during routine inspections.
Canada's least-liked premiers have been revealed and it's not looking great for Legault

4 days ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

François Legault may be the premier of Quebec, but a new poll suggests he's viewed more favourably outside the province than within it. According to fresh polling by Pollara Strategic Insights, Legault has a +1 net impression score outside Quebec, compared to a -10 rating within his home province. This makes him one of only two premiers in Canada — alongside Ontario Premier Doug Ford — who are more popular nationally than locally. In Quebec, Legault's perception appears to have soured.
Canada's university rankings are slipping - Here's where McGill landed

5 days ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

McGill University has kept its global prestige intact — but many of Canada's top schools can't say the same. In the newly released 2025 Global 2000 university rankings by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), McGill held steady at 27th place worldwide, maintaining a score of 87.2.That makes the Montreal institution the second-highest ranked university in Canada, behind the University of Toronto (23rd).
9 name-brand items I was surprised to find on Dollarama shelves

1 week ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

Dollarama's shelves always seem to be full of surprises, especially if you haven't given the store a proper walk-through in a while. We recently published a story called These 12 name-brand items are worth buying at Dollarama, according to shoppers, based on picks from MTL Blog readers. The responses were solid, and they got me curious. I’m more of a casual dollar store shopper myself, usually popping in for a birthday card or a couple of mini cans of soda.
Having a kid in Quebec? This new law could impact your rights

1 week ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

If you and your partner are planning to have or adopt a child in Quebec this year, a major change is about to affect your legal rights, even if you're not married. Starting June 30, 2025, a new law called the "parental union regime" will come into effect, automatically applying to common-law couples (also known as de facto unions) who become parents after that date.
New French signage rules hit Quebec businesses June 1 - Here's what changes

1 week ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

Starting June 1, Quebec's French language laws are getting stricter for businesses, and many storefronts across the province could start to look a little different. Under new rules coming into effect as part of Bill 96, all companies in Quebec with 25 to 49 employees will now be required to register with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) to prove that French is being used broadly in the workplace. Previously, this rule only applied to businesses with 50 or more employees.
Sunwing Airlines is officially done and it could change how Quebecers fly down south

1 week ago | mtlblog.com | Al Sciola

Quebec's go-to airline for affordable beach getaways just flew its final flight. That's right, as of this week, Sunwing Airlines no longer exists. On Wednesday, the WestJet Group officially folded the low-cost carrier into its operations, meaning all future Sunwing flights will now be operated by WestJet planes and crews. The move marks the end of an era for Canadian leisure travel, especially for Quebec travellers used to flying out of Montréal-Trudeau to Cuba, Mexico, or the Dominican Republic.