In 2018, Quebec brought in restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides that had been shown to be harmful to bees. Now Vermont is becoming the latest U.S. state to take similar steps. In this episode from Vermont Public Radio Podcast Brave Little State, reporter Sabine Poux heads into the field with This is Montreal’s Ainslie MacLellan to find out what impact the restrictions have had on this side of the border.

As the school year begins, Quebec schools are still dealing with the aftermath of budget restrictions imposed by the province. Some parents worry that, even if specialized education positions are spared, they could still go unfilled. We hear from parents, a special education technician and a school psychologist who say meeting the needs of all students is an investment in our future.

Ribbed like a pumpkin, but with a spiderweb exterior like a cantaloupe, the Montreal melon was a wildly popular fruit in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it all but disappeared by the 1950s. In this archive episode, we'll hear why some people are going to great lengths to try to restore the Montreal melon to its former glory.

From Verdun to Rosemont to NDG, wild turkeys have been popping up all over Montreal in recent years. In this archive episode from June 2024, we'll hear about the curiosity turkeys have spurred amongst Montrealers and get some advice for how to avoid accidentally running afoul of our urban bird neighbours.

From 1923 to 1983, the sounds of a rumbling roller coaster, carnival games, and the laughter of a giant animatronic woman invited people to Belmont Park, an amusement park along the Des Prairies river in Cartierville. In this episode from the archives, we take you through the twists and turns of the amusement park's history, tying together a former prime minister, a Quebec superstar singer, a Guinness World Record and a police raid.

Dive into the Montreal stories you’re curious about and the issues you want to understand. Host Ainslie MacLellan explores the complexities of our colourful, vibrant and sometimes frustrating, but always interesting city. Every Thursday.

If you check out a compass or maps app, you may notice our sense of direction in Montreal is a bit … tilted.

Our "north" leans pretty far west and if you head over to the South Shore and keep going, you end up in the Eastern Townships — which are not in Eastern Quebec. In this favourite episode from March 2024, we try to help you find your bearings by exploring our off-kilter geography. 

New housing developments, especially highrises that require zoning changes, can draw opposition from residents, in some cases leading to referendums on whether the projects can go ahead. While some argue referendums amount to NIMBYism during a housing crisis, others argue citizens should have the power to block projects that don’t meet neighbourhood needs.

No matter who wins the NBA finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, a Montrealer will be hoisting the trophy. And perhaps no one is cheering harder for both the Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin and the Thunder’s Luguentz Dort than people in Montréal-Nord. We’ll hear from Montrealers who love basketball about their sport in their city: how far it’s come, how far it can go, and what it takes to get there.

This week’s strike by maintenance workers has left many commuters out of luck. The labour action is happening at a time when the STM is facing pressure to cut costs, all while facing some major maintenance challenges over the next decade. We’ll look at what this all means for workers and Montreal transit users in the long term.