Pride always has a city
Culture at the heart of Projet Montréal's vision
Montreal, October 6, 2025 – To preserve and strengthen culture, a unique asset of the metropolis, Projet Montréal today presents a series of concrete commitments to house artists, support creative spaces, and ensure the sustainability of performance venues.
"Culture is the soul of Montreal. It is at the heart of our identity and our appeal. But above all, it relies on the women and men who create, innovate, and inspire us. The city's role is to give them the means to do so: a roof over their heads, a studio, a stage. That is what we are proposing today, with concrete measures to strengthen the cultural ecosystem and ensure that Montreal continues to shine here at home, in our neighborhoods, and everywhere else in the world," said Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal.
Housing for everyone, including artists
Projet Montréal is committed to developing housing projects that include affordable housing specifically reserved for artists and cultural workers, drawing inspiration from promising initiatives such as Faubourg à musique, Maison des écrivains, and Chez-nous des artistes. The party also proposes to encourage the conversion of vacant premises, including some in the city center, into artists' studios in order to consolidate an accessible creative ecosystem, through financial and regulatory incentives, including the waiver of certain permits.
Sustainablyprotecting creative spaces
Montreal's cultural vitality depends on the strength of its creative and exhibition spaces. To protect them, Projet Montréal proposes the creation of a $1 million social trust fund. This tool will facilitate the purchase of independent venues by cultural actors themselves in order to protect them from real estate speculation and ensure that they remain dedicated to culture, without the threat of closure or conversion.
This will be complemented by direct financial support: the permanent abolition of property taxes for cultural NPOs, implemented by Projet Montréal in 2025, so that they can devote their resources fully to their artistic mission.
Fundingcommensurate with Montréal's creativity
Finally, Projet Montréal intends to prepare for the future by increasing the budget of the Conseil des arts de Montréal to $30 million by 2030 and introducing a levy on billboards, part of the revenue from which would be reinvested in local culture. These measures aim to ensure that Montreal remains a city where artists can live, create, and share, and where culture remains a source of pride, cohesion, and international influence.
Projet Montréal also proposes the creation of a fund dedicated to small and medium-sized festivals that have been impacted by the pandemic, as well as the maintenance of stable funding of $1 million for major festivals that already promote Montréal here and internationally.
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Source :
Simon Charron
Chief's press officer
Projet Montréal
