Bon matin, West Island — 2026-02-25

Bon matin, West Island — while we're all shivering through this arctic blast, Pierrefonds mayor Jim Beis is heating up the debate over that long-promised road to the new Kirkland REM station, demanding cars be allowed alongside buses and bikes. The Martinez Ferrada administration just earmarked $60.5 million for the project (most work happening in 2028, naturally), but Plante's original plan kept it transit-only to avoid more traffic chaos, according to the Montreal Gazette. Because nothing says "West Island infrastructure" quite like a decades-old highway promise that's morphed into a very expensive bike path argument.

The Samuel-De Champlain Bridge is playing hard-to-get again — exit 58 to A-10 West closes overnight Wednesday and Thursday (10 PM to 5 AM) for joist installation. If you're heading downtown or Île des Sœurs late, take A-15 North to exit 60 instead. Otherwise, our beloved orange cone collection remains surprisingly well-behaved this week.

The lake is finally ours again — and Pointe-Claire Village is buzzing with that perfect shoulder season energy. Between the boutiques along Lakeshore and the waterfront cafés stretching their patios, this is peak "why do I ever leave the West Island" weather. Grab a coffee and remind yourself why tourists pay good money for what we get in our backyard.

Mother Nature's dumping enough snow to make even the Fairview mall parking lot look picturesque — that's how you know it's serious.