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 you digest the news in one place.

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

Top coronavirus stories for June 15, as of 5 pm ET:

20 more coronavirus deaths in Quebec as case numbers pass 54,000

The Quebec government revealed that the province’s COVID-19-related death toll has reached 5,242, after announcing 20 more deaths since Sunday afternoon.

There are a reported 102 new known cases of the coronavirus, according to the Santé Quebec website. That brings the confirmed total to 54,054 known cases with 771 hospitalizations, 85 of whom are in the ICU.

Currently, a reported 477,179 tests have turned up negative throughout Quebec and over 20,000 cases have been resolved.

50 people will be able to gather indoors throughout Quebec as of next week

Groups of people gathering indoors could soon be a welcome site again as Quebec public health has announced the easing of indoor gatherings and physical distancing restrictions.

Quebec’s National Director of Public Health, Dr. Horacio Arruda, alongside Senior Public Health Adviser Dr. Richard Massé made the announcement from Quebec City this morning.

People in groups of maximum 50 — such as concerts or events — will be able to gather as of Monday, June 22, the same day that restaurants can open throughout Montreal.

Here’s what’s reopening in Montreal and Quebec today

As we enter the last official week of spring, a bevy of Quebec industries have reopened through the province today.

As several industries throughout the province have already gone back to work, and this marks another important phase of Quebec’s COVID-19 deconfinement phase.

Trudeau says government looking to extend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that the federal government is planning to extend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

According to the prime minister, they are working on a “solution to extend CERB for those that can’t return to work yet.”

Trudeau said more information on the extension will be coming this week.

Legault says Quebec has been victorious against coronavirus

As part of a busy Monday afternoon briefing, Premier François Legault said Quebec has had “one victory and one defeat” against COVID-19.

In an update three months after the arrival of the pandemic in the province, Legault expressed a “huge thank you” to Quebecers for continually following public health guidelines.

He says the province has had a “defeat” in long-term care homes (CHSLDs) citing that 4,700 deaths out of Quebec’s 218,000 CHSLD residents is “unacceptable.”

Legault said the main problem for long-term care homes had occurred before the crisis hit which resulted in 10,000 missing employees during the early winter. Once the pandemic struck, orderlies and employees didn’t want to work at CHSLDs throughout the province.

Study rates most trusted brands in Canada before and after pandemic

Canada’s most trusted brands have been released in two lists, one pre-COVID-19 pandemic and one post-pandemic, according to the University of Victoria’s Peter B. Gustavson School of Business.

The Gustavson Brand Trust Index measures the relationship between brand and performance, social equity, and trust and advocacy for brands in Canada.

The post-pandemic study was conducted in April and measured opinions from 1,050 Canadians of 105 brands, where Canada Post, Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, and CTV News were named the most trusted brands.