![The Bulletin: AI tour guides, an Old Montreal ghost hotel burns down, and Leonard Cohen eats a cheese sandwich [Issue #17]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2023%2F03%2FDALL-E-2023-03-21-18.14.43---A-skyline-of-Montreal-on-fire.png&w=3840&q=75)
First things first.
The fire in Old Montreal last Thursday exposes a huge problem in this city around housing, safety, and lack of accountability that's best summed up in one thread from @FNoMTL:
We’ve read half this article before. Illegal airbnbs. Ghost hotels. Renovictions and sky high rents. Neighbours complaining about safety issues. Weak government response. Nobody can say they didn’t see this coming, and everyone who let it happen has blood on their hands.
— Grimes 👽 🧚♂️ 💎 🍼💰 (impersonator) (@FNoMTL) March 21, 2023
Let's take a beat.
Breathe in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Devastation and destruction. Reckless and needless loss of life. Our thoughts and prayers.
OK – let's get to it.
Join The Main free and keep reading.
Create a free account.
Create a free account to unlock this story and get 3 articles a month, plus our weekly Bulletin.
- 3 free articles per month
- Save your favourite places & guides
- Weekly newsletter The Bulletin
- Stay connected to Montreal culture
Become an Insider.
Unlock unlimited access, exclusive guides, and member perks — and help support the independent Montreal stories we publish every week.
Subscribe- Unlimited access to all stories
- Exclusive features & local insights
- Special offers and event invites
- 10% off in our shop
- Support local storytelling
Already a member? Sign in
![The Bulletin: A landmark burns, a brunch legend returns, and an après-ski with Russian disco [Issue #165]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F01%2F68ee73c305b15e8f92cc92fd_FOIEGRAS-06-1.jpg&w=256&q=75)
![The Bulletin: What to do on Saint Patrick’s Day, summer announcements, and giving people the finger [Issue #16]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2023%2F03%2F3421927420_857407bf6f.jpg&w=640&q=75)
![The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F0601%2F1709%2F0544%2Ffiles%2FIMG_9098.heic%3Fv%3D1730301494&w=3840&q=75)