New York has become the latest city to implement congestion charges, as a way to try to curb its traffic problem. Some Montrealers think it’s the solution to gridlock here, while others are concerned about it becoming a financial burden for drivers who don’t have many other options. We’ll look at how congestion pricing works and hear whether it’s on the radar of policymakers in Montreal.

When one Montrealer left an abusive partner, the financial strain of paying her ever-rising rent brought her to a breaking point. But thanks to a new long-term housing project for women and their children run by a women’s shelter, she feels like she can finally breathe. We’ll hear how, in the midst of a housing affordability crisis, Montreal women’s shelters are taking matters into their own hands and building housing, despite all of the challenges they can face getting projects off the ground.

If you’ve taken the metro in Montreal you may have found yourself throwing a shoulder into the rotating doors at some stations and getting a blast of wind in the face for your efforts, especially in winter. We’ll get into the science behind why it seems like you often need herculean strength to pry the doors open and we'll hear what the STM is doing to make metro stations more accessible.

This is Montreal off this week, so we're bringing you an episode of the podcast This is Ottawa. At the Canadian War Museum, you can find an imposing black armoured car that once belonged to none other than Adolf Hitler. Host Robyn Bresnahan looks at how the car ended up in Ottawa after a stop in Montreal, and how the museum balances public interest with critics who say it “glamourizes Nazism.”

Some Montrealers are looking for the perfect gift for someone on their list, but it won't be brand new with the tags still on. It will be from the thrift shop. Whether it's economic or environmental concerns or just the thrill of the hunt, we'll hear what's driving interest in thrifting and why one expert cautions that thrifting alone won't solve overconsumption.

As the cost of food has risen, more Montrealers have been relying on food banks. But for some people with dietary restrictions, it can be a challenge to find food that they can eat that won’t make them sick. We’ll hear about the obstacles Montreal food banks face in meeting specific dietary needs and why many advocates are calling for more financial support from governments.

With the second season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League underway, many Montreal-area women and girls are lacing up their skates and hitting the ice themselves. We’ll hear what La Victoire means for future generations of hockey players, and to the generations who have seen the evolution of women’s hockey in the city.

Quebec sends about three quarters of its international exports to the United States — twice as much as the province imports from south of the border. With the news that U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports, we’ll hear how Quebec’s business sector is bracing itself for what’s to come.

The temperatures are dropping and snow is on its way, but it’s not stopping some Montrealers from gearing up for the winter biking season. While winter cyclists are still only a fraction of the total bike riding population, they represent a growing group of commuters. We’ll hear what’s driving people to keep pedaling year-round and why one borough has even decided to subsidize 100 people to give winter cycling a try.

Ripped open bags, bad smells, even roving rodents: from Milton Park to Mercier, residents share their frustrations and their solutions for better garbage pickup. And Ainslie MacLellan gets the real dirt on trash collection from a longtime garbage collector, who shares which habits we should be breaking when we put our bags and bins to the curb.