Desperate times call for desperate measures. That is why the Taverne Crescent, situated on one of Montreal’s historic party streets, decided to implement a new policy: Pay what you can.
Restaurants are feeling the decline of American tourists and are doing what they can to survive.
After enjoying their meal of what could include an appetizer, plus either tagliatelle bolognese, salmon or braised beef, and coffee or tea- customers can pay as they like, ten dollars, a dollar or nothing.
“Some people might pay nothing,” said owner George Pappas, “but maybe when they have more money in three or six months, they’ll come back and pay more.”
Read more.
The local and provincial government yesterday announced a program to invest $2.4M to make Montreal stand out as a fashion hub. The idea is not to compete with NYC, Paris or Milan, but to differentiate it.
More here. Incidentally, the city actually asked us to edit a video we had produced on a Lara Croft designer competition, here is the original, and below I’ve embedded the version we cut for the city, enjoy:
Oh-oh:
Late Wednesday, six new sandwiches and two sandwich platters were added to the long list of products, including cooked ham and salami sandwiches sold in Sobeys, Foodland and IGA stores in Ontario and two Kirkland Signature sandwich platters sold at Costco.
Unconnected to Maple Leaf Foods, two brands of Quebec-made cheeses — Riopelle de l’Île and Mont-Jacob — have also been pulled from store shelves after officials found contamination from a strain of listeria different from that found in meat products linked to the deadly nationwide listeriosis outbreak. At least nine cases of listeriosis have been associated with the cheeses.
Maple Leaf Foods said Wednesday it shoulders the blame in the listeriosis outbreak, absolving Canada’s food inspection system.
Read more.
Only in Quebec! I cannot I say disagree with ways for the government to save tax payer’s money, but still… sued?
Quebec’s open-source software association is suing the provincial government, saying it is giving preferential treatment to Microsoft Corp. by buying the company’s products rather than using free alternatives.
I am not sure what my thoughts are on this… read more in the meantime.
Apparently, yes, according to Maxim Magazine.
Julien Brault penned a biography on Quebecor founder Pierre Peladeau. Our own Leila Lemghalef sat down with him to talk about his book, Peladeau’s legacy and place amongst media titans, see the video here:
Pierre Peladeau Biography
MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(Marketwire - March 20, 2008) - Aeroports de Montreal (ADM) is pleased to announce the opening of a new common-use VIP lounge at Montreal-Trudeau airport. Located in the international jetty, after the pre-boarding security screening checkpoints, this new lounge offers travellers awaiting their flights spacious surroundings and an array of exclusive services.
The ADM Lounge is operated by Servisair, an international company with extensive expertise in managing airport lounges. First- and business-class passengers on participating airlines have free access to the lounge, while other travellers can enter for a fee. For information and to reserve: www.executivelounges.ca.
Lounge customers can enjoy a bar service featuring a varied selection of beverages and light meals, in addition to being able to use two work stations equipped with computers, telephones and printers. Newspapers, magazines, televisions and Wi-Fi Internet service are also available.
The furniture in the ADM Lounge was designed by the Quebec companies Editorial, Espace Cote Sud and Periphere.
For more information about Aeroports de Montreal and its operations, please visit our website at www.admtl.com.
Housing affordability in Canada ended last year at its lowest level since 1990, Royal Bank said Friday.
In its quarterly outlook on the cost of owning a home, the bank said affordability eroded in every quarter of 2007 as house prices rose on the strength of the economy and job growth.
RBC assistant chief economist Derek Holt said the home affordability deterioration back in 1990 was driven by soaring interest rates and a recession.
During the fourth quarter of last year, housing affordability in four classes — condominium, townhomes, detached bungalows and two-storey homes — fell across the country, except in the cooling Alberta market.
In Alberta, average prices in all four classes dropped in the October-December quarter, improving affordability.
RBC’s affordability study measures how much of pre-tax household income is necessary to carry the cost of owning a home.
Condos most affordable
Nationally, the standard condo remained the most affordable housing type, requiring about 30 per cent of pre-tax household income. A standard townhouse was next at 34.5 per cent, followed by a detached bungalow at 42.5 per cent while a standard two-storey home required 48 per cent.
Rising fixed mortgage rates continue to push up home-ownership costs, but RBC said it sees some improvement on the horizon. The bank said it expects the five-year mortgage rate will drop by three-quarters of a percentage point by the end of 2008.
The bank also said that falling mortgage rates, weakening house price gains and decent income growth should all boost home affordability across most markets.
Holt said new homeowners are taking out longer mortgage amortizations to cope with skyrocketing prices, adding that the 40-year mortgage is now dominating the market.
“We’re actually estimating about 60 per cent of mortgage applications in the insured segment are now going for longer amortization products, longer than the traditional cookie-cutter 25-year mortgage,” Holt told CBC News.
“And of that share, about half is going into the 40-year mortgage product, and that’s an industry-wide figure that’s true across most lenders in the marketplace today.”
Read more
| Percentage of household income needed to afford a detached bungalow |
| |
| Vancouver |
74% |
| Toronto |
47% |
| Calgary |
42% |
| Montreal |
37% |
| Ottawa |
32% |
| Source: Royal Bank |
Nurun - an ad agency founded by Alexandre Taillefer and now part of the Quebecor empire - is being targeted by global ad agency superpower WPP. Read more.
Quebecor Media’s sister company Quebecor World failed to secure a $400M financing, so it is seeking bankruptcy protection.
Tags: Business, Media|
Posted By: froosh | Jan 21st
Earlier this month, the city said that snow removal was hampered because drivers were not always moving their cars. It was a ridiculous joke of an excuse, but given the sheer size of the snowfall, we let it slide.
This week, the city is saying that the snow removal from the second big dump will be slower than usual because of the impending warm weather and rain.
What a freaking joke. Montreal is a city of excuses. It seems to be that anyone with a modicum of ambition and drive has long left the city. I am not sure of this yet, but I think this time next year, I might no longer be a Habitant, unless, of course, the Habs lure Alexander Ovechkin, at which point I’d have to reconsider. Read that on Canada.com. It’s a good thing the owner of the Montreal Canadiens is an American, otherwise I doubt this would ever happen. Yep, I said it…
Montreal, the city of big dreams but small thoughts… and many excuses.
