Over the past few months, we have begun an important process of transformation and return to our roots in order to honour the history of our movement and the people for whom we work. Led by a renewed team and a new vision, this work has been built in dialogue with communities, through the multiplication of listening spaces, meetings, and participation mechanisms so that their voices can directly help guide our decisions.
After several months of rebuilding and dialogue, this work is still ongoing. It does not claim to be perfect, but it reflects a clear commitment: to rebuild trust, together, through concrete actions, in order to continue celebrating and advocating, each in their own way. We are aware that over recent years, tensions have run through our communities, as well as through our relationship with them. Individuals, collectives, and organizations have shared with us their disappointments, frustrations, and pain. We have heard these voices.
As an organization, we wish today to acknowledge the responsibility that falls upon us. To all those who have been harmed, who did not feel heard, or who experienced difficult moments in their relationship with Fierté Montréal, we offer our most sincere apologies. We know that our communities are extraordinarily rich, diverse, and resilient. They deserve to be listened to, respected, and considered at every stage of our work. Here are, therefore, in full transparency, the actions that have already been taken and that we will continue to strengthen, together with you.
A reaffirmed place for communities
As a unifying festival offering a platform to our communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations by and for communities will continue to participate free of charge in Community Days and the Parade. This is a fundamental principle that reflects the core mission of Fierté Montréal. In the spirit of the earliest demonstrations and Pride marches, which are at the roots of our history and purpose, community organizations and grassroots groups will be placed at the front of the Parade, in order to highlight those who, on the front lines, support 2SLGBTQIA+ communities every day.
In addition, the organization is committed to offering strengthened recognition of Indigenous groups, who will symbolically open both the Festival and the Parade. The Parade will also be structured around major themes in order to highlight the multiple realities, intersections, and strengths that make up our communities. The route will notably highlight Indigenous Pride, Intergenerational Pride, Community Pride, Spiritual, Religious and Cultural Pride, as well as Pride and Allies, offering a more representative presentation of the diversity of communities.
A program focused on local talent
From July 31 to August 9, the Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary with more than 80 events and 250 artists and artisans, placing emphasis on local talent and paying particular attention to marginalized communities. The program, revised in collaboration with two new advisory committees made up of artists, collectives, and community organizations : artistic programming and community programming. This aims to offer a diverse, accessible, and representative lineup: free outdoor shows, indoor events, community activities, conferences, exhibitions, cinema, literature, sports, and festive nights.
Fierté Montréal launched an open call for projects in order to broaden and democratize its programming for local artists, particularly those from underrepresented communities. More than 115 artistic proposals were received. This initiative helps bring forward new voices and reflect the full diversity of current creative expression within the Festival.
Thanks to this approach, the Village will once again become the beating heart of the celebrations. For ten days, a daily free outdoor program on the stages, along with an increased presence of activities with cultural partners in the neighbourhood, will strengthen the Festival’s anchoring in this territory that is so important to all of us.
Despite a context of budget cuts, their impacts on the entire festival, cultural, and community ecosystem, and necessary reductions, we have made the choice not to reduce artists’ performance conditions. This response remains imperfect, and we continue to advocate for adequate and sustainable funding, enabling improved working and creative conditions for everyone.
Learn more about the cultural programming and community programming.
Clear framework for institutional, partisan, and commercial participation
We are aware that the presence of public and private sector partners can raise questions. We nonetheless believe that these collaborations, when framed clearly and grounded in concrete commitments (long-term engagement, prevention of pinkwashing, inclusion policies), make it possible to generate essential resources to support artists, organizations, and the vitality of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. This investment directly contributes to creating opportunities for communities, while strengthening our collective capacity to advance the struggles and rights of our communities.
We also recognize the importance of allowing 2SLGBTQIA+ employees from various companies to be visible and represented. A dialogue process is therefore underway with private and public sector actors to clarify participation frameworks and better support their involvement. In the selection process, institutions, companies, and organizations are invited to highlight concrete commitments to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, particularly in terms of long-term engagement, prevention of pinkwashing, and inclusion policies. They are also invited to showcase their diversity committees.
The goal is to preserve safe spaces where members of our communities remain at the forefront, protected from any form of appropriation.
Preservation of the non-partisan nature of spaces
In a context marked notably by an election year and by the need to preserve celebratory spaces by and for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, Fierté Montréal reaffirms the non-partisan nature of its events. To this end, a new regulation governs the participation of institutions, organizations, and elected officials, specifying that it may not be used for electoral solicitation, partisan promotion, or the justification of positions or actions contrary to the values and vision of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
All such participants commit to respecting the fundamental values of the event, in order to ensure inclusive, respectful, and safe environments.
Furthermore, in an international context marked by violence, armed conflicts, genocides, forced displacement, and systemic oppression, we are suspending category C4 for the 2026 edition. This category previously included diplomatic and consular bodies and foreign delegations. In the same vein, Fierté Montréal has chosen not to allow their national flags associated with this category during the Parade.
Please note: “non-partisan” refers here to the absence of affiliation with or promotion of political parties. This principle does not in any way diminish or alter Fierté Montréal’s positions, including those expressed on March 24, 2026.
A new section dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ spiritual, religious, and cultural communities
As a result of a consultation process initiated with several groups, this new section reflects a desire to foster dialogue and inclusion of faith-based, spiritual, and cultural communities, without any amalgamation with discourses, practices, or ideologies incompatible with Fierté Montréal’s commitments to fighting all forms of oppression, discrimination, and hatred.
A renewed commitment for 2026 and beyond
Through these transformations, Fierté Montréal pursues a clear objective: to be a driver of social change, in solidarity with the struggles and realities of our communities, promoting visibility, inclusion, and the full recognition of the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
These actions are part of a long-term process, intended to continue and expand over time, notably through the gradual establishment of new structures for dialogue and consultation. Aware of the limited time initially allocated to this first phase, Fierté Montréal now intends to anchor this approach over the long term.
