France and Canada enact multiple July 2026 policy and transport changes
France’s Constitutional Council declared the pre‑trial detention rule for 16‑ to 18‑year‑olds unconstitutional after the government missed the July 1 deadline to amend the law, leaving the provision without legal basis.
In Marseille, the RTM announced that metro lines M1 and M2 will open only at 14:00 on three Sundays (July 5, August 16 and September 13) to carry out long‑duration tests of a new central control system, with free bus shuttles provided.
In the Greater Montreal area, the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain raised most transit tickets by about 3% as of July 1, increasing the monthly pass to $170 for regular users and adjusting other fare categories.
The Quebec Tribunal administratif du logement will run a dedicated telephone help line on July 1 to answer tenants’ and landlords’ questions about moving‑day obligations and rights.
France also sees a 7.4% rise in the regulated gas price reference to €164.21 /MWh, pushing household gas bills higher, while a new “birth leave” decree adds up to two months of paid leave at 70%/60% of salary. Additional consumer‑protection measures for banks and housing benefits were introduced.