Montreal police are investigating a fire that caused significant damage to a kosher restaurant in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough early Saturday morning. Authorities are treating the incident as arson but have not established a motive and are not currently classifying the case as a hate crime.
The fire erupted around 3 a.m. near the intersection of Plamondon Avenue and Vézina Street, heavily damaging Nöam, a kosher establishment located on Decarie Boulevard in an area known for its sizable Jewish community. Nearly 80 firefighters responded to the two-alarm blaze, according to the Montreal fire department.
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough Mayor Stéphanie Valenzuela acknowledged that the fire might raise concerns among residents, especially as it occurred days after a vehicle fire damaged the exterior of a mosque elsewhere in the borough. However, she emphasized that investigators have not found any evidence linking the two incidents. Montreal’s fire department is looking into the mosque fire, though it remains under their jurisdiction and has not been transferred to police; it is not currently considered suspicious.
Valenzuela stated that local authorities continue to coordinate with police and community leaders to closely monitor the situation. In a social media post, she said, “Acts of violence and intimidation have no place in our neighbourhoods,” adding that officials remain vigilant to ensure community safety.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree expressed concern over what he described as an apparent arson attack targeting a gathering place for Montreal’s Jewish population. On social media, he condemned antisemitism and called for concerted efforts to eliminate it in all forms.
Mount Royal Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather condemned the fire and called for the case to be investigated as a hate crime. He urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Similarly, Federal Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller called the incident a “disgraceful act” and expressed confidence that the investigation would be pursued with attention to its potential hate crime status.
B’nai Brith Canada, an advocacy organization representing Jewish Canadians, also denounced the fire in a statement. The group demanded concrete measures beyond condemnation, emphasizing the need for action to protect the community.
The investigation into the Montreal restaurant fire remains ongoing as police seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the blaze and any potential connections to other recent incidents in the area.