As the federal election nears, The Rover's Christopher Curtis says the sentiment he’s hearing across Montreal is one of quiet frustration and resignation. “People aren’t voting with hope anymore,” he said. “They’re voting like there’s a gun to their head.”

Curtis, who’s been speaking with residents, organizers, and readers in recent weeks, described a city where people feel boxed in politically—worried more about avoiding disaster than shaping their future. “Folks who would normally vote NDP, Green, or even Bloc are saying, ‘This time I just can’t risk it,’” he said. “It’s defensive voting across the board.”

Housing, he said, remains the top concern. Many Montrealers told him they feel locked out of a market that’s become impossibly expensive. “Even people who bought 30 years ago don’t know what to do with the wealth they’ve gained—they can’t buy back in,” he said. “And for renters, it’s terrifying. Families are ending up in emergency shelters when leases expire.”

Curtis said there’s also deep unease about health care and cost of living. “Parents are asking whether they should spend a day’s wages to go to a private clinic because they can’t wait in emergency,” he said. “Two million Canadians a month are using food banks. These are things I hear constantly.”

At the leaders' debate, Curtis noted that those issues barely surfaced. “The Trump stuff dominated everything,” he said. “Meanwhile, border policies are getting tougher even as asylum claims are falling. People feel like the soul of the country is slipping away.”
Still, he said, Montrealers haven’t given up entirely. “They’re angry, but thoughtful. They want change. They’re ready to talk about what comes next.”