Baby in Camp, Overpass Demolition & Coroner Report — Montreal Friday

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🏛️ Government & Politics

CAQ leader Fréchette met Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada after a one-year-old was found in a Notre-Dame St. encampment. Fréchette announced a $250-million emergency homelessness fund and promised co-ordination on transitional housing and mental-health supports if elected on Oct. 5; Montreal police say the child’s health and safety were not at risk and an investigation is underway. (Why it matters: provincial-municipal funding and duties are now in play.)
Campaign signs are scarce north of the 55th parallel as Quebec’s election approaches. Reporters found no signs in several Nunavik villages about three weeks before the Oct. 5 vote; Ungava turnout in 2022 was 30.21 per cent versus the provincial 66.15 per cent, and all five major parties have registered candidates for the riding that covers an area larger than Alberta.
Supreme Court action overturned a Liberal MP’s one-vote victory after an Elections Canada error. The court said it invalidated the result because of an administrative mistake by Elections Canada; the decision removes a 1-vote win and triggers follow-up steps under federal electoral law.
The Van Horne overpass will be demolished; replacement plans remain undecided. City officials have confirmed demolition is scheduled and public debate continues over what structure or design will replace the overpass along the corridor.

Smash-and-grab jewelry heists are rising in Quebec, with youth participation noted. Police and retailers report an uptick in coordinated store robberies targeting jewelry shops across the province, and investigations highlight involvement of younger offenders in several recent incidents.
Hamed Shafia, convicted in four 2009 murders, is scheduled for a Parole Board of Canada hearing. Shafia was convicted in January 2012 of first-degree murder in the deaths of three sisters and another woman; the bodies were found in a car in the Rideau Canal in June 2009 and his earlier appeals were dismissed by Ontario courts and the Supreme Court.

Davis Alexander threw two TD passes as the Alouettes beat the Tiger-Cats 37-25 in Hamilton. Alexander finished 21-of-27 for 218 yards in Montreal’s 11-3 season, the Alouettes improved to 7-0 against East Division rivals, and RB Stevie Scott rushed for 108 yards on 21 carries; receiver Tyler Snead left with a second-half knee sprain.
Coroner finds lack of coordinated care contributed to three patient deaths at Val-d’Or Hospital. The coroner’s report attributes system and co-ordination failures to the deaths at the regional hospital, identifying specific gaps in patient care and follow-up procedures.

Montreal mayor mulls legal action against Quebec after a baby was found in an encampment.