Laval QC ☕ The morning chat
Good morning,
Today, Laval sits at the centre of items touching public safety, justice and everyday life across the region. There are also a few Québec and Montréal stories that spill directly into the lives of its residents. Here is the essential version for a quick read, followed by a more detailed look for those who like to go a bit deeper before the first coffee, or after the second.
What to Know This Morning
- Laval sees a drop in crime in 2025: The annual police report shows a decline in the total number of cases, firearm‑related incidents, vehicle thefts, property crimes, crimes against persons and road accidents.
- Laval father sentenced to life in prison: Kamaljit Arora received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years for the premeditated murder of his two children.
- SPVM asks families to check funeral niches: Jewellery and valuables were recovered in an investigation into thefts targeting funeral centres in Montréal, Laval, the North Shore and Saint‑Hyacinthe.
- Rosemont–La Petite‑Patrie aims to reduce traffic around schools: The Montréal borough is launching a program that will transform more than a dozen school zones by 2029.
- MusiquePlus returns on TikTok June 11: The channel, closed in 2019, will relaunch in a new format.
Justice and Society
- Manslaughter conviction at the Orange Julep: A 25‑year‑old man has been found guilty after unsuccessfully arguing self‑defence.
- Federal government stands by its legal‑access bill: Ottawa refuses to remove the most controversial part of Bill C‑22.
- Québec wants to move forward on the constitution: Simon Jolin‑Barrette accuses opposition parties of obstruction with two weeks left in the parliamentary session.
Québec and Beyond
- Public transit receives new transfers: The PLQ says the funding will help address delays in already‑announced projects.
- Recycling industry concerned about Québec’s new targets: The sector fears more materials will end up in landfills or be shipped abroad.
- Canada slips in global university rankings: Thirty‑eight Canadian universities still appear in the 2026 ranking.
- Paying rent by credit card is growing: Apps offering this option are becoming more common across Canada.
- Donald Trump says he is open to meeting Ayatollah Khamenei: The possibility is being discussed in the context of a still‑fragile ceasefire.
Top Story
Laval’s 2025 police report shows a drop in crime, with clear warning signs still present
The Laval police service says overall crime decreased in 2025. The total number of cases fell by 11 percent compared with the previous year.
The report also notes a drop in firearm‑related incidents, from 25 to 16. Vehicle thefts fell by 18 percent, property crimes by 8 percent and crimes against persons by 6 percent.
On the road‑safety side, the total number of accidents also decreased by 5 percent for a second consecutive year. On paper, the picture looks calmer, which is not the kind of line that makes headlines, but it is sometimes good news in itself.
The report also highlights several ongoing challenges. Extortion cases targeting businesses are on the rise. Police also note growing pressure linked to mental health and homelessness.
In 2025, officers responded to 3,293 calls involving people in a mental‑health crisis. That represents about 20 percent of all police interventions for the year.
Digging Deeper
Laval father to serve life sentence for the premeditated murder of his two children
Kamaljit Arora has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the premeditated murders of his two children in October 2022 in Laval.
He was also sentenced to eight years for attempted murder of his eldest daughter and one year for strangling his wife. These sentences will be served concurrently.
Laval families may be affected by funeral‑niche thefts
The SPVM says a man and a woman were arrested on May 14 in an investigation into several break‑ins at funeral centres in Montréal, Laval, the North Shore and Saint‑Hyacinthe.
The suspects allegedly forced open funeral niches and stole jewellery and other valuables placed with the deceased. Many items have been recovered and police are now trying to identify their owners.
For affected families, it is the kind of news no one wants to hear, turning an already delicate process into a very painful ordeal.
Rosemont–La Petite‑Patrie launches plan to calm traffic around more than a dozen schools
The Montréal borough of Rosemont–La Petite‑Patrie is rolling out a program to reduce vehicle traffic around more than a dozen school zones by 2029.
The first phase begins this year with several changes to traffic direction near schools including La Petite‑Patrie, Saint‑Jean‑de‑Brébeuf, Sainte‑Bibiane, Saint‑François‑Solano, Rose‑des‑Vents and Louis‑Hébert.
An online consultation platform has also been launched to let residents identify priority areas. Even though the initiative is happening in Montréal, the logic applies across the metropolitan region, especially in places where traffic around schools can feel like a small daily puzzle.
Montréal universities slip slightly in the 2026 global ranking
The 2026 ranking shows a decline for several Montréal universities. McGill drops one spot to 28th.
The Université de Montréal sits at 126th, down two places. Concordia ranks 639th and UQAM 722nd.
The ranking also shows that 38 Canadian universities appear overall.
Coup de CÅ“ur
The return of MusiquePlus on TikTok is simple but meaningful. Taking a brand deeply rooted in collective memory and giving it a new entry point is a reminder that culture changes shape without disappearing.
Before We Go
Wishing you a smooth end to the day, or a good start if you are reading this early. May your commute be easy, your coffee honest and tomorrow’s news a little lighter. ☕