A terrified family say they have been forced to move after a masked group fired shots into their home in south-west Melbourne.
Three people, armed with a machete, gun and what appeared to be a hammer, smashed through the windows of a home on Powlett Street in Werribee about 9pm yesterday.
CCTV showed them firing shots into the home, one of which narrowly missed a 23-year-old man who was asleep in his bedroom.
The trio then made their way into their silver sedan and fled the scene.
Inside the home, the family of six hid in their bathroom. The entire ordeal played out in less than a minute.
9News understands a teenage boy living at the home was the target.
Neighbours who heard the commotion said they were left terrified.
"When hearing this sort of stuff goes on in your local neighbourhood, you're petrified about it," Earle Boulter said.
"I was actually pretty scared to be fair. I've never been around violence or anything, so it's a wake-up call," Caleb Vincent said.
The family has lived at the home for five years but are now too scared to stay there.
They said they will be moving out.
The trio remain on the run as police investigate.
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<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/people-walk-in-montreal-right-a-stack-of-canadian-cash.jpg?id=61420869&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=96%2C0%2C96%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Thinking about what it <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/cost-of-living" target="_blank">costs to live in Montreal</a>? Whether you're budgeting your next move, rethinking your spending, or just trying to make peace with your <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal-grocery-prices-quebec-stores" target="_blank">grocery bill</a>, it helps to have a clear picture of the essentials (and a few extras).</p><p>Using up-to-date data (as of July 2025), we've crunched the numbers to estimate what a single person needs to live reasonably in the city. This breakdown assumes you're living alone, and not in a luxury condo or a shoebox apartment with four roommates. It includes rent, transportation, food, and some breathing room for going out, staying caffeinated, and occasionally pretending you can afford to party.</p><p>With that in mind, here's where your money goes every month.</p><h3>Rent - $1,690</h3><br/><p>This is, by far, your biggest monthly expense. According to <a href="https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/montreal-qc" target="_blank">Zumper</a>, the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Montreal is currently $1,690. That's for a decent place on the island — not necessarily Plateau glam, but definitely livable.</p><p>For context, the median rent across all bedroom counts and property types is $1,808, which is still about 7% lower than the national average. Montreal's rent remains more affordable than cities like Toronto or Vancouver, but prices here are creeping up fast. </p><h3>Groceries - $400</h3><br/><p>Everyone's food budget looks a little different, but a reasonable monthly estimate for one person is about $400. That works out to roughly $100 per week, which is enough to keep your pantry stocked with staples and maybe even a few luxury items (hello, $9 oat milk).</p><p>Whether or not you let things go bad in the fridge is up to you...</p><h3>Utilities - $99</h3><br/><p>Even after you've paid rent, you'll still need to keep the lights on, the water running, and the place warm in winter. <a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Montreal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Numbeo</a>, the world's largest crowd-sourced database focused on cost of living, lists the average cost of monthly utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city at around $99. That includes electricity, heating, cooling, and water.</p><p>If you're living in an older building with electric baseboards or inefficient insulation, that number could spike in colder months. </p><h3>Internet - $60</h3><br/><p>You're going to want Wi-Fi for streaming, doomscrolling, and arguing on Reddit. Expect to pay around $60 per month for a standard plan, according to <a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Montreal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Numbeo</a>.</p><h3>Phone plan - $55</h3><br/><p>Canada's phone plans are notoriously pricey, and Montreal is no exception. A typical mobile plan (with data) in Montreal costs about $55 per month, per <a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Montreal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Numbeo</a>. You might be able to score a cheaper deal with a smaller provider, but that's the general ballpark.</p><h3>Transportation - $104.50</h3><br/><p>On July 1, the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/stm-new-fares-july-1" target="_blank">STM's unlimited monthly OPUS pass</a> for bus and metro travel across the island rose to $104.50 per month. If you're downtown and transit-dependent, this is likely your best option.</p><p>Now, if you have a car, that number goes way up when you consider the cost of gas and insurance </p><h3>Eating out - $200</h3><br/><p><a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal-restaurants-hidden-gems-tourists" target="_blank">Montreal's restaurant scene</a> is one of the best in the country. Whether it's late-night poutine, $10 bánh mì, or a solid lunch special, dining out is part of the culture here.</p><p>And let's be honest, you're not going to cook every meal at home. <a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Montreal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Numbeo</a> says the average restaurant meal costs $25. Assuming one or two outings per week (plus the odd $6 latte or $12 sandwich), $200 per month is a realistic budget for modest indulgence.</p><p>That's assuming you're being reasonable (no wine pairings or weekly tasting menus.)</p><h3>Partying - $120</h3><br/><p>A night out in Montreal doesn't always have to break the bank, but it can add up. If you go out a couple of times per month, expect to spend about $60 per night on drinks, cover, and tips. That works out to $120 a month, assuming you're not doing bottle service at Bord'elle every weekend.</p><p>Thankfully, the city's winter is harsh enough that it forces you to stay inside for a good chunk of the year.</p><h3>Fitness - $55</h3><br/><p>A mid-range gym membership in Montreal will cost you about <a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Montreal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">$55 per month</a>. That's for a spot with standard equipment, not boutique classes or fancy extras.</p><h3>Coffee - $65</h3><br/><p>Assuming you grab a basic $3 coffee on most weekdays, that's roughly $15 per week, or $65 per month. Good coffe is easy to come by in Montreal, so it's easy to justify this expense — just maybe don't start every day with a $7 matcha.</p><h3>Extras - $100</h3><br/><p>Life happens. Haircuts, Ubers, prescription meds, toilet paper, birthday dinner, umbrellas. A $100 monthly cushion should cover most of the random but inevitable stuff that doesn't fit neatly into a category.</p><h2>Grand total: $2948.50 per month</h2><p>So what's the takeaway? Living solo in Montreal in 2025 isn't exactly cheap, but it's still more manageable than in cities like Toronto or Vancouver. In fact, according to a <a href="https://iris-recherche.qc.ca/publications/revenu-viable-2025/" target="_blank">May report from the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS)</a>, the minimum after-tax income needed to live with dignity in Montreal jumped to $40,084 (after tax) in 2025.</p><p>So, if you're earning under $3,000 a month, budgeting gets tight fast. And while your actual spending will depend on your habits and neighbourhood, this breakdown offers a realistic snapshot of what it takes to live comfortably without constantly saying no to lattes, nights out, or decent Wi-Fi.</p><p>The good news? With some planning (and maybe a roommate), Montreal is still one of the more liveable big cities in Canada. Just don't forget to factor in the fun stuff — otherwise, what's the point of living here?</p>
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/birth-control-pills-on-wooden-background.jpg?id=56666449&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=45%2C0%2C45%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Could free contraception soon become a reality for people in Quebec?</p><p>On the eve of International Women's Day, Québec solidaire (QS) is pushing to make it happen.</p><p>QS co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal confirmed on Thursday, March 7, that she will be introducing a bill to ensure free access to all forms of contraception available in Quebec. QS, which launched a petition in November 2024 that gathered over 100,000 signatures, argues that this initiative would be cost-neutral since improving access to contraception could reduce unintended pregnancies and lower public healthcare expenses.</p><p>"As the only woman at the head of a political party in Quebec, I will not be satisfied with the status quo in terms of women's rights and I will fight against setbacks," wrote Ghazal in a <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/journee-internationale-des-droits-des-femmes-ruba-ghazal-annonce-qu-elle-deposera-un-projet-de-loi-pour-rendre-la-contraception-gratuite-808972355.html" target="_blank">press release</a>, urging Premier François Legault to take action. "That is why I am asking François Legault to take another step by making contraception free for everyone. It would save women and even the state a lot of money."</p><p>Currently, not all contraceptive methods are fully or partially covered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). However, they are free for certain groups, including people aged 18 and under, full-time students aged 25 and under living with their parents, and social assistance recipients, according to the Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances (FQPN).</p><p>"The best way to strengthen women's right to choose for their bodies is to offer contraception for free. The main obstacle to contraception is the cost," Ghazal added.</p><p>QS's goal is to fully integrate contraception into RAMQ's basket of services. British Columbia and Manitoba have already introduced similar measures in recent years, which Ghazal notes have saved money and improved contraceptive accessibility in those provinces. Once the bill is introduced, it will be reviewed in a parliamentary committee before being put to a vote. </p><p>So, while free contraception isn't happening overnight, QS is making moves to push it forward in Quebec.</p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em>
<p><br/></p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em>
