A Montreal kosher bakery with a long history of health violations and nearly $40,000 in fines has now been hit by two arson attacks in just over 24 hours, leaving the business extensively damaged and Montreal police searching for whoever is responsible.
Mimimelon, located at 2069 Saint-Louis Street in the borough of Saint-Laurent, was struck by fire early this morning, after an earlier attempt to set the business ablaze Monday night. The attacks come just 11 days after the Journal de Montréal published a damning investigation exposing years of rodent infestations, filthy food-preparation areas, improper refrigeration and repeated violations of Quebec’s food-safety regulations.
Police were first called to the bakery at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Monday, November 2, following an attempted arson. Roughly 25 hours later, at approximately 12:30 a.m. this morning, officers were back at the same address, this time finding the business on fire. Investigators discovered evidence that the blaze had been deliberately set, while SPVM spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron confirmed that the damage was considerable. No injuries were reported.
The Montreal police arson squad is investigating both incidents. No arrests have been announced, and police have not identified a motive.
Mimimelon is a familiar business in Montreal’s kosher community, offering baked goods, pastries, cakes, prepared foods and catering. The establishment operates under the supervision of Montreal Kosher, commonly known as the MK, and has been serving customers for years. But behind the bakery’s display cases, government inspectors had been documenting a very different picture of the operation.
On October 24, the Journal de Montréal published the results of an investigation by journalist Stéphan Dussault, who obtained 152 pages of inspection records detailing years of sanitation problems at Mimimelon. The findings included 16 fines totalling approximately $40,000 since 2019, with inspectors repeatedly documenting rodents, contaminated equipment, dirty preparation areas and food being stored at unsafe temperatures.
The records describe conditions that went far beyond an occasional mouse or a refrigerator running a little warm.
In August 2023, inspectors discovered extensive mouse droppings throughout the basement, where the bakery prepared salads, baked goods and other foods. Droppings were also found on the main floor, while floors, shelves, cooking equipment and storage areas were described as dirty. Officials ordered the bakery to stop preparing food in its basement for 10 days and required potentially contaminated products to be discarded. Certain products that had already been distributed were ordered recalled. The violations resulted in $6,500 in fines.
More than a year later, the situation had hardly improved. During a November 2024 inspection, officials again found evidence of mice, along with large numbers of flies. Some refrigerated products had deteriorated so badly that inspectors had difficulty identifying them. Other food containers showed signs of rodent activity, while 34 bourekas were discarded because they were being kept at unsafe temperatures. The bakery received another $8,200 in fines.
Inspectors returned in January 2025 and found more rodent evidence, including a bag of wheat that mice had gnawed through. Another 36 bourekas were found being stored at questionable temperatures. That inspection resulted in $6,000 in additional fines.
By May 2025, mouse droppings were still being discovered, including on food containers and in areas accessible to customers. Inspectors found mille-feuille pastries being held at 14 degrees Celsius and fish fillets at temperatures above 10 degrees, far beyond the four-degree maximum required for refrigerated perishable foods. They also discovered that the belt of a dough-rolling machine was deteriorating, creating a risk that fibres could contaminate the dough. The machine was ordered out of service for 10 days.
Another $6,000 in fines followed. A July 2025 inspection documented still more mouse droppings, including in the retail area, resulting in another $5,200 fine.
The violations continued to produce court judgments well after the original inspections. In November 2025, the bakery was hit with $14,200 in penalties, while judgments in 2026 imposed another $11,200 for violations documented the previous year.
The inspection records, photographs and court judgments made public in October revealed a business that had repeatedly been caught violating food-safety requirements over several years. Authorities issued fines, ordered contaminated food destroyed, restricted food preparation and required equipment to be taken out of service, yet subsequent inspections continued to turn up problems.
The October 24 exposé placed Mimimelon’s sanitation record before the Montreal public. Nine days later, someone attempted to set the bakery on fire. This morning morning, a second attack left the business with extensive damage.
The sequence is striking, although police have reported no connection between the newspaper investigation and the fires.
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