Laval QC ☕ The morning chat
Good morning,
Today we’re talking about rising homelessness in Laval, a digital health system that’s still hitting a few bumps, a nationwide product recall, and several issues that touch daily life… from work, to roads, to the weather.
Another full morning, in the useful sense.
The Essentials
- Homelessness is surging in Montreal’s suburbs: In Laval, the number of people living on the street has jumped nearly 60% in three years.
- Canada’s unemployment rate held at 6.7% in March: The economy added 14,000 jobs after two tougher months.
- Bissell recalls nearly 100,000 steam‑cleaner accessories in Canada: Some parts can detach during use and cause burns.
- Technical issues expected as Quebec launches its Digital Health Record: Santé Québec says the first weeks will require adjustments.
- Worker killed after being crushed by a truck in Montreal: The accident happened Friday morning in Saint‑Michel.
To Watch
- Quebec says it has regained control of francisation: The waitlist has dropped from about 33,000 to 6,000 people in one year.
- Guilbault wants to abolish the “double welcome tax” for inherited homes: Bill 22 could be expanded to certain succession cases.
- Thousands of students lose their teachers every year in Quebec: On average, 10,000 teachers take disability leave annually since the pandemic.
- Reminder : Work resumes on the Côte‑Saint‑Luc viaduct on April 13: Partial closures are expected until the end of 2026.
Across Canada
- 2026 wildfire season expected to be difficult: A hot, dry summer could make conditions worse.
- Jeremy Hansen set to return to Earth after Artemis II: The Canadian astronaut and his crew are expected to splash down in the Pacific on Friday evening.
- Environment Canada preparing a new AI‑enhanced weather model: The goal is to improve forecast accuracy and speed.
From Our Neighbours
- Suspicious vehicle fire in Verdun: Two cars were damaged and residents were temporarily evacuated.
- Rain moving into the weekend in Montreal: Friday will be rainy, Saturday more mixed, and rain may return Sunday evening.
Main Story
In Laval, homelessness has jumped nearly 60% in three years
Among today’s numbers, this one stands out without hesitation: in Laval, the number of people living on the street has risen by nearly 60% in three years.
It’s one of the heaviest figures of the day.
A rise like this is no longer an abstract trend. It speaks to growing social pressure in the region and a reality that is increasingly visible in everyday life.
When a number climbs this fast, it doesn’t just describe a problem — it signals that the issue has changed scale.
In Detail
Digital Health Record arriving, with early hiccups already acknowledged
Santé Québec is maintaining the May 9 launch of the Digital Health Record, while warning that minor technical issues should be expected in the first weeks.
The long‑term goal is to centralize patient clinical data in a single system. The rollout will begin in two regions, including northern Montreal Island.
What stands out is that these early adjustments are being presented as normal. In everyday terms, it means Quebec’s big digital shift will likely begin with a few screws that squeak.
Bissell recall affects nearly 100,000 accessories sold in Canada
A major recall affects several Bissell steam‑cleaner accessories sold in Canada between October 2024 and March 2026.
The issue is straightforward: some parts can detach during use and release hot water or steam. About 95,788 units were sold in Canada.
It’s the kind of recall worth checking at home, especially if you recently bought one of these devices. We like appliances when they clean — much less when they turn into reflex‑testing machines.
Canada’s labour market holds steady, without much momentum
The unemployment rate remained at 6.7% in March, while the economy added 14,000 jobs.
After losses in January and February, the result looks more like a small rebound than a real surge. Not spectacular, but not nothing either.
For households, a number like this doesn’t change a day on its own. But it helps read the broader climate, especially when the cost of living and uncertainty continue to loom large.
Quebec wants to expand the end of the “double welcome tax”
Minister Geneviève Guilbault wants to broaden Bill 22 to eliminate property transfer duties in certain cases involving inherited homes.
The change would apply to some succession situations, such as those involving siblings. The minister frames the measure as a correction to inequities already raised by citizens.
The file is one to watch — and for many families, it’s the kind of change that matters at a difficult moment. Administrative headaches rarely feel gentler during a period of grief.
Coup de Cœur
If there’s one useful thing in a morning brief, it’s putting simple words on realities that otherwise stay blurry. Today’s look at homelessness in Laval does exactly that: it forces us to face a local issue directly.
Before we go
Thanks for starting your morning with us.
Here’s the essential in your pocket, a few things to watch, and just enough context to get through the day without opening twelve tabs. A small modern victory in itself. ☕