Articles from Radio Canada En continu

The article discusses the challenges faced by the original six teams in the Women's Professional Hockey Federation (LPHF) following the expansion draft which introduced teams in Seattle and Vancouver. While this expansion offers more opportunities for women in hockey, it weakens the existing teams by requiring them to give up key players. Danièle Sauvageau, the general manager of the Montreal Victoire, expresses optimism about drafting new talents and sees this as a chance to strengthen the league. The overall aim of the expansion is to ensure competitiveness and growth while maintaining balance within the league.

The Parti Québécois warns that Bill 69, a proposed energy law, could cost Quebec consumers a billion dollars by allowing Hydro-Québec to pass on more costs to customers. The bill would enable tariff increases, and costs from agreements with Indigenous communities and municipal redistributors, to be transferred to consumers. Minister Christine Fréchette argues that the bill is necessary to cap residential tariff increases at 3% and enable wind power initiatives, expected to bring significant savings and create jobs. This bill, yet to be fully studied, aims to increase Hydro-Québec's electricity production by 30% by 2035.

The Quebec government has appointed two women, Renée Amilcar and Ann MacDonald, to lead the newly established Mobilité Infra Québec agency, which will focus on managing complex public transport projects. This marks a shift in the traditionally male-dominated transport sector. Amilcar, who previously managed Ottawa's public transit system, and MacDonald, who has a background with Bombardier Transport Canada and VIA Rail, will oversee the East Montreal tramway project as their first task. This initiative aims to regain control of major transport developments and decrease dependency on private organizations.

Canadian minister Dominic LeBlanc discussed concerns with U.S. commerce secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the U.S. decision to increase tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%. The Canadian government, alongside ex-Quebec Premier Jean Charest, criticized the tariffs as unlawful and harmful to Canada's economy, impacting the export of Canadian steel and aluminum. This move by the Trump administration is seen as part of a broader strategy of applying global tariffs to extract concessions in trade agreements.

The city of Montreal will convert eight major streets into pedestrian-only zones this summer, spanning a total of 7.3 kilometers across six boroughs. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility to over 1300 businesses and foster more community-friendly spaces. The project involves a $12 million investment over three years, supported by the Quebec government. However, it also poses challenges for motorists who will face disruptions due to concurrent major roadworks.

The article discusses the debate in Quebec over whether to abolish the carbon pricing on gasoline, with 56% of Quebecers in favor of removal for a potential 10-cent per liter price reduction. Despite reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990-2022, the government faces challenges in communicating the benefits of its carbon pricing. The decision contrasts with federal actions, and social acceptance of the policy is low, impacting Quebec's inflation. Quebec Premier François Legault must decide whether to maintain or abandon the system under political pressure.

On a construction site in Blainville, Canada, two retaining walls collapsed, resulting in one death and three injuries. Signs of weakness in the walls were previously observed by a safety representative but were not addressed before the incident. Investigations by local police and the workplace safety commission are underway to determine if there was criminal negligence. The company involved, Syscomax, is cooperating with authorities and has provided psychological support to its employees.

Major traffic disruptions are expected this weekend in Montreal due to construction work that will close two significant tunnels. The Ville-Marie tunnel will be closed westbound from Friday night to Monday morning, while the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel will be completely closed from Saturday night to Sunday morning. Additional partial closures will affect other roads, and the REM network will be shut down on weekends in May for further service implementation. The closures aim to facilitate tasks like road marking and may be rescheduled due to weather conditions.

Sonia Bélanger, the Quebec Minister responsible for Seniors, is considering halting overly expensive elder care home projects due to rising costs. The average construction cost per room is reported to be $800,000, but some projects exceed $1 million per room. A meeting will be held to review all ongoing projects, and Bélanger has previously stopped projects due to high costs. She emphasizes the need for adequate healthcare infrastructure, which cannot be directly compared to private sector costs.

The article discusses the strategy of housing cooperatives in Quebec aiming to increase the share of non-profit rental housing to 20%. The cooperative La Visionnaire has achieved success by merging with other cooperatives, allowing them to pool resources and become more efficient. This consolidation model is encouraged by Quebec's minister responsible for housing, who sees it as a way to strengthen the sector against private developers and to promote non-profit housing projects. However, concerns remain over maintaining the community focus and social mission of these organizations.

The Quebec government has allocated funds to start reconstruction work at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, built in the 1950s, in Montreal. The project will begin with the construction of a parking facility as the first phase, enabling other reconstruction operations. Amid political criticism and pressing infrastructure deterioration, the government emphasizes the necessity and urgency of these renovations, which are projected to begin in 18 months. This decision also comes amidst upcoming elections, sparking debates on political motives behind the funding allocation.

Consignaction has secured the necessary millions in funding to resume its project of building return centers for refundable containers in Quebec. This comes after their financing was halted due to a government investigation into the management of the organization. Despite delays, Consignaction plans to open more sites to meet its target, as a new financial partner has stepped in. The organization aims to open 400 return sites by March 2027, initially focusing on establishing 100 sites by September.