Coronavirus: Everything you need to know in Montreal today

Every day in Canada, a lot of news regarding COVID-19 comes out nationally and locally.

And for now, we will be putting together Montreal and Canada’s top headlines daily to help digest the news in one place.

Throughout the day, you can see all the headlines in real-time here.

Top coronavirus stories for April 30, as of 5 pm ET:

Quebec confirms 98 more coronavirus deaths as cases spike past 27,500

The Quebec government revealed that the province’s COVID-19-related death toll has reached 1,859 after announcing 98 new deaths since Wednesday afternoon.

As part of Quebec’s daily briefings, Premier François Legault provided an update on provincial numbers. Quebec now has 27,538 known cases and 1,684 hospitalized patients, 214 of whom are in intensive care.

A total of 186,509 cases have turned up negative throughout Quebec.

Public health to increase testing capacity in Montréal-Nord

Public health and the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal will be increasing testing for COVID-19 in Montréal-Nord starting on Friday, as the borough grapples with the highest number of known cases on the island.

Santé Montreal says an increased number of tests will give officials a better understanding of the region’s outbreak.

Residents in Montréal-Nord who have symptoms can make an appointment by calling 514-644-4545.

Canada collecting blood from recovered coronavirus cases for clinical trials

Canadian Blood Services wants to know if you’ve recently recovered from COVID-19.

The national agency has begun collecting plasma from recovered coronavirus cases as part of a national clinical trial, CONCOR, that is testing the safety and effectiveness of convalescent plasma as a treatment for those with the virus.

A release from Canadian Blood Services states that it received the first donation from a man in Vancouver this Thursday.

Everything you need to know about the Canada Emergency Student Benefit

Canada’s federal government has directed a $9 billion support package for students who are facing economic hardship due to the  pandemic.

In March 2020, the number of post-secondary working students, age 15 to 29, dropped by 28% from February 2020.

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) is aimed at to help students continue their studies, secure, and retain summer employment, pay their bills and save tuition for the fall.

Street parking restrictions in Montreal will go into effect tomorrow

As the calendar prepares to flip to a new month, the City of Montreal is reinstating street parking restrictions.

Last month, the city delayed April 1’s street cleaning operations and its corresponding fines as a result of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, Montreal announced that restrictions will be in effect as of May 1 and asked citizens to “comply with all parking restrictions” in order for maintenance crews to do their jobs.

Montreal’s biggest film festival is going completely virtual this summer

Given the continuing uncertainty related to physical cinema spaces and large gatherings, the Fantasia International Film Festival will be going completely virtual in August.

The 2020 edition will feature a “cutting-edge” platform, according to the festival’s website, by using a program that offers “studio-grade DRM” and will be “MPAA compliant,” citing the Motion Picture Association of America’s security operating standards.

“A number of screenings will be presented with real-time access, offering heightened security to the digital programming with attention to recreating the energy and sense of shared experience that make festivals so vital and beloved,” says Fantasia. “This unique opportunity allows us to program top-tier genre films that may not have otherwise considered online launches or premieres.”

Montreal extends deadline to remove tempos to mid-May

The City of Montreal has extended the deadline to remove car tempos to Sunday, May 17 as a result of you know what.

In March, city officials announced that home with tempos would not be penalized if they didn’t take them down by April.

Traditionally, users have until April 15 to remove tempos.

Lyft laying off almost 1000 employees due to “ongoing economic challenges”

Lyft is terminating 17% of its workforce, according to a filing through the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

On Wednesday, the San Francisco-based ride-sharing company said that it is committed to a “plan of termination as part of the company’s efforts to reduce operating expenses and adjust cash flows in light of the ongoing economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the company’s business.”

The termination includes approximately 982 employees.

Cadillac Fairview deferring rents for its retail tenants across Canada

Cadillac Fairview, which owns some of the largest shopping malls in Canada, says it is deferring rents for its retail tenants amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company, which owns and operates Toronto Eaton Centre, Calgary’s Chinook Centre, and Vancouver’s Pacific Centre, said it recognizes the challenges its clients are facing.

“Cadillac Fairview recognizes that many of our retail clients are facing economic challenges and we deferred April and May rents for a significant amount of our retail clients,” said a CF spokesperson in a statement to Daily Hive.