Civil Rights Activist and US politician, Reverend Jesse Jackson has been described as a fighter for justice in the US and around the world at his memorial service taking place in Chicago.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is in the US and will join the Jackson family where he will pay tribute at the Reverend’s funeral on Saturday.
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ARRIVES IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TO DELIVER TRIBUTE TO LATE EMINENT HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER DR JESSE LOUIS JACKSON SR
President @CyrilRamaphosa has arrived at Chicago O’ Hare International Airport in the state of Illinois in the United States of America.… pic.twitter.com/hIVRXL17YB
World leaders including former US Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden are attending Friday’s service.
Many of the speakers described Reverend Jackson’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming an icon in the fight for the rights of the downtrodden.
Jackson’s son Yusef says his father brought light to a sometimes dark world.
“He went to jail at 17 years old in Greenville, South Carolina, protesting for the right to use a public library. And even near the end of his life, he never spoke to me about his existential struggle with life, his inability to express himself clearly, the loss of his gifts, his inability to walk and move. Instead, he urged me to organise churches and pastors to help feed millions of people who are affected by food insecurity as a result of the loss of SNAP benefits. He carried a well-read Bible, not as a symbol, but as a guide. He lived a revolutionary Christian faith rooted in justice, non-violence, and the moral righteousness of standing with the least of these.”
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/row-of-brick-house-in-westmount-quebec-canada.jpg?id=60206895&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>If you're hoping to <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-real-estate" target="_blank">buy a home in Montreal</a> anytime soon, you may want to brace yourself (unless you're pulling in well over six figures).</p><p>According to a new <a href="https://wealthnorth.ca/income-afford-home/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wealth North</a> report based on April 2025 data, the median price of a single-family home in Montreal has hit $625,000, up $15,000 from March. That jump means you now need an annual income of $163,330 to afford it — a $3,319 increase in just one month.</p><p>That income level puts buyers in the top 4% of earners nationwide, based on Canadian income percentiles. For context, the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/canada-average-salary-quebec" target="_blank">average Canadian salary in 2025 is about $67,000</a>, according to <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410022301&utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">Statistics Canada</a>. That's not even half of what it now takes to own a median-priced home in Montreal.</p><p>This calculation assumes the minimum down payment, CMHC mortgage insurance, a 25-year amortization, and typical monthly costs like $354 in property taxes and $150 in heating. </p><p>If you're hoping to get into the market with a condo instead, there's slightly better news. The median condo price in the Montreal CMA is $424,500, which requires an annual income of $118,970 — still nearly double the national average salary, but a significantly lower bar than for a house.</p><p>Here's how much you’d need to earn to buy a home in different parts of the region:</p><h4>Single-family homes (April 2025)</h4><ul> <li>Montreal CMA: $625,000 home → $163,330 income</li><li> Island of Montreal: $800,000 home → $202,048 income</li> <li> Laval: $600,000 home → $157,799 income</li> <li> North Shore: $561,900 home → $149,369 income</li> <li> South Shore: $633,500 home → $165,211 income</li> <li> Vaudreuil-Soulanges: $629,750 home → $164,381 income</li> <li> Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu: $581,500 home → $153,706 income</li> </ul><h4>Condos (April 2025)</h4><ul> <li>Montreal CMA: $425,000 condo → $119,000 income</li><li> Island of Montreal: $475,000 condo → $130,143 income</li> <li> Laval: $410,000 condo → $115,762 income</li> <li> North Shore: $370,000 condo → $106,913 income</li> <li> South Shore: $395,000 condo → $112,444 income</li> <li> Vaudreuil-Soulanges: $389,000 condo → $111,116 income</li></ul><p>You can explore more regions and test out your own affordability using Wealth North's <a href="https://wealthnorth.ca/income-afford-home/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">income-to-home-price calculator</a>.</p><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>
<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></p>
<p>The new UN aid leader has promised decisive measures to optimise funding allocation as global crisis resources diminish.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.arise.tv/new-un-aid-chief-pledges-ruthlessness-in-prioritising-funds-amid-declining-crisis-support/">New UN Aid Chief Pledges ‘Ruthlessness’ in Prioritising Funds Amid Declining Crisis Support</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.arise.tv">Arise News</a>.</p>
(@PresidencyZA) March 6, 2026
