Mercier Bridge Lane Closure, Lightspeed 250 Layoffs & Sentencing — Montreal Wednesday

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🚨 Crime & Public Safety

Montreal man convicted of killing his 9-year-old daughter faces sentencing in New York today. Luciano Frattolin, found guilty Aug. 10 by a jury in Elizabethtown, N.Y., of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in the death of Melina Frattolin, will be sentenced in Essex County Court; district attorney Michael Langey has said Frattolin faces a possible life term with parole eligibility after 15 or 25 years.

Barbie maker releases Céline Dion doll modelled on her 1998 Oscars look. Mattel’s collectible recreates Dion’s navy-blue gown and blue diamond necklace from her 1998 Oscars performance of “My Heart Will Go On,” and the doll appears at Montreal’s downtown Barbie Expo; the 58-year-old Dion recently began a sold-out Paris residency after revealing a diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome.

Montreal Alouettes have clinched first in the East as Roughriders fight for a playoff spot. Montreal (13-3) beat Saskatchewan 44-24 at Molson Stadium last week; quarterback Davis Alexander threw for 403 yards and five TDs in that game and leads the CFL with 5,247 yards, 35 TDs and a 72.1% completion rate, while Saskatchewan (8-8) must win to secure a playoff berth.
Montreal Canadiens won a 4-3 shootout over the Buffalo Sabres, their second straight victory. The Canadiens outshot Buffalo 34-17 in regulation and won in the shootout; Kaiden Guhle returned from a core-injury surgery and rejoined Alexandre Carrier on defence, while Mike Matheson has been listed day-to-day and the club adjusted pairings accordingly.

Quebec has opened flu vaccine appointments as an early influenza season looms. Provincial clinics and pharmacies have begun booking influenza vaccinations for residents in Quebec, with public-health messaging noting an early season; the rollout follows provincial readiness measures announced in advance of expected upticks in cases.

Montreal-based Lightspeed is cutting 250 roles through layoffs and by not filling vacancies. The company announced a reduction of 250 positions, describing the cuts as layoffs and hiring freezes rather than voluntary departures; this follows prior restructuring steps at the point-of-sale and e‑commerce firm.

Quebec publisher Éditions du Boréal stands by author Thélyson Orélien amid AI-authorship allegations. Boréal says it cannot independently verify a manuscript submitted Sept. 12, 2025, and published a statement quoting Orélien’s claim he began the novel in 2017 and completed a 300+ page draft in 2019; the publisher condemned plagiarism in earlier writings but refused calls to demand proof of authors’ processes.

Police seeking 14-year-old boy missing from Lévis, Que.
Left lane on Mercier Bridge towards Montreal closed indefinitely.
Police investigating death of woman found injured on road near Quebec City.
Four more defendants plead guilty in Akwesasne-linked firearms trafficking case.
Lightspeed cuts 250 roles by laying off staff, not filling vacancies.
Canadian health reporter Helen Branswell dead at 69, obituary published.
Montreal man convicted of killing 9-year-old daughter to be sentenced today.
Montreal Metro marks its 60th birthday, commuters may see celebrations.
Experts say roller-coasters are safe despite Six Flags death, study cited.
Angine de Poitrine album illustrator discusses the group's art and timing.
Quartier Molson project to break ground at former Molson brewery site.
Police investigating death of woman found injured on side of the road near Quebec City.
Four defendants pleaded guilty in firearms trafficking case tied to Akwesasne.
Lightspeed announces further cuts after prior restructuring.
Alouettes clinched first in East; Davis Alexander leads CFL in passing.
Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3 in shootout at Bell Centre.
Éditions du Boréal defends author Thélyson Orélien amid AI authorship claims.