Joining Forces
A Year of Partnership and Growth
HONOURING MOUNT ROYAL’S NETWORK OF TRUSTED FRIENDS
“Community engagement is the heart and soul of Les amis de la montagne. For the past 34 years, our organization has succeeded in the protection and enhancement of Mount Royal due to the care and commitment of Montrealers. The grassroots movement that was launched in 1986, when citizens united to defend the mountain’s precious green spaces, is stronger than ever.”
HONOURING MOUNT ROYAL’S NETWORK OF TRUSTED FRIENDS
Community engagement is the heart and soul of Les amis de la montagne. For the past 34 years, our organization has succeeded in the protection and enhancement of Mount Royal due to the care and commitment of Montrealers. The grassroots movement that was launched in 1986, when citizens united to defend the mountain’s precious green spaces, is stronger than ever.
Les amis de la montagne has grown to include a vast network of volunteer experts in heritage, urban planning, environmental conservation, education and governance. They serve on committees that owe their strength to the experience of distinguished members and the energy of young professionals, all passionate about the mountain and its challenges. The sum of this shared expertise constitutes an unequalled wealth of knowledge, allowing Les amis to capitalize on past experience and new opportunities to better shape the future.
Les amis de la montagne relies on a loyal community of donors. For more than three decades, individuals, families, corporations and foundations who care about our mountain have collectively contributed the funds to finance Les amis’s advocacy activities as well as its environmental education and conservation programs.
We are further energized by the support of partner organizations. In 2020, more than 50 partners contributed valuable time and expertise to the causes championed by Les amis.
The collaborative nature that defines Les amis de la montagne is anchored in a long-standing partnership with the City to protect and animate the mountain’s parklands. This unique partnership is cited as an inspiring model across Canada for its operational agility, economic advantages and overall efficiency.
Les amis de la montagne bears testimony to the value of civic engagement. As more and more Montrealers show their strong attachment to Mount Royal, partnerships for the sustainability of the mountain have flourished for the ultimate benefit of the community.
To all the trusted friends of Mount Royal: thank you!
WHEN PROTECTION AND MOBILIZATION GO HAND IN HAND
“It is with pride that I present Les amis de la montagne’s 2019-20 activity report in an all-new digital format. This impact report features the highlights of an exceptional year during which we worked with the community for the welfare of Mount Royal.”
SPRING 2020: COVID-19 OUTBREAK
At the peak of the city’s COVID-19 lockdown in March and April, the lure of the mountain’s parklands grew exponentially. Already popular destinations for rest, relaxation and recreation, Mount Royal Park and Tiohtià:ke Otsira'kéhne Park turned into neighborhood parks, sports tracks and training rooms for thousands of citizens deprived of their usual gathering places. In this age of global pandemics, the benefits of urban green spaces for our collective health and safety are more than evident.
Impacts on Les amis de la montagne
Les amis de la montagne was severely impacted by the health measures deployed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. All of our education and environmental stewardship programs as well as our park services had to be suspended. We were also forced to close our offices and visitor welcome services at Smith House. The situation resulted in the temporary layoff of many employees and the implementation of a new teleworking schedule for a small team in charge of the organization’s essential services. As regards our strategic plan and goals, had it not been for COVID-19, 2019-20 would have been an outstanding year.
Environmental Conservation
Les amis de la montagne relies on community support to protect and preserve Mount Royal. Through awareness-raising, as well as volunteer and citizen science programs, our Conservation team works side by side with the City of Montréal and local volunteers to promote the mountain’s biodiversity and protect its ecosystems. Today more than ever, Montrealers understand the importance of a healthy urban forest and the role they play in its sustainability.
MOUNT ROYAL CLEAN-UP 2019
Every first Sunday of May since 1991, the Montréal community joins Les amis de la montagne to collect waste and recyclables in the woodlands of Mount Royal Park. This long-standing tradition allows citizens to play an active role in the protection of their beloved urban green spaces
Nearly 30 years of mobilization
Montrealers of all ages gathered on Sunday, May 5, 2019, to take part in the 28th annual spring cleaning of the mountain.
400 participants
New this year, volunteers were put to the task of recovering residual materials for recycling or valorization.
Over 70 bags
Participants collected over 50 bags of waste, 8 bags of recyclables and 15 bags of materials for recovery.
Top 3 types of trash
The many aluminum cans, tin cans and glass bottles found in the woodlands were collected and sorted by our volunteers.
SOWING THE SEEDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Created in 2007, Les amis’s Environmental Stewardship Program gets citizens, associations, businesses and school groups involved in the protection of the mountain’s biodiversity and natural environments through a range of seasonal actions and activities.
Citizen Science Programs
- Mission Monarch
- Birdwatching excursions
- Project FeederWatch
- Christmas Bird Count
Planting and Reforestation
- Monitoring tree and shrub plantings
- Maintaining the educational tree nursery
- Planting native trees and shrubs
Controlling Invasive species
- Common buckthorn
- Dog-strangling vine
- Ragweed
Special Events
- Mount Royal Clean-Up
VOLUNTEER ACTION AT A GLANCE
3,122
hours in total spent by 1,376 volunteers as part of our environmental stewardship actions
+10%
increase in volunteer actions
35,000
trees planted by Les amis on Mount Royal over 33 years
15,000
surface area in m2 in which invasive species were controlled by over 250 volunteers
500+
hours dedicated to citizen science
VOLUNTEER ACTION AT A GLANCE
3,122
hours in total spent by 1,376 volunteers as part of our environmental stewardship actions
+10%
increase in volunteer actions
35,000
trees planted by Les amis on Mount Royal over 33 years
15,000
superficie en m2 ayant fait l’objet d’actions de maîtrise des espèces envahissantes par plus de 250 bénévoles en 500 h
500+
hours dedicated to citizen science
“By planting a tree that will probably outlive me, I am making a lasting gesture for the mountain.”
Eliane Kinsley, volunteer
MONITORING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
As part of our partnership with the City of Montréal, the Conservation Patrol acts as the eyes and ears of Les amis de la montagne in the field. In 2019-20, the Patrol increased its operations to better identify problems, document the state of the mountain’s ecosystems and share its results with city officials.
450
hours spent patrolling Mount Royal Park and Tiohtià:ke Otsira'kéhne Park
Top 3 reasons for intervening with park users:
1. Off-trail walking 2. Cycling off permitted paths 3. Off-leash dogs
520
remarkable trees inventoried in Mount Royal parklands
100+
hours spent informing over 300 park visitors about tree-felling operations carried out as part of the emerald ash borer eradication campaign
DID YOU KNOW?
Les amis de la montagne is a finalist at the GALA du CRE-Montréal 2020 for its awareness campaign carried out with the City of Montréal in support of actions against the emerald ash borer, as well as mobilization actions involving tree planting and invasive species control.
Winners will be announced on October 7, 2020.
Advocacy
Les amis de la montagne endeavours to bring public authorities, institutional property owners, associations, business stakeholders and the Montréal community together around a shared vision for Mount Royal. Our work contributes to enlightened decision-making that supports the integrity of the mountain’s cultural, landscape and natural heritage, provides safe and people-friendly access to the territory, and reinforces its biodiversity.
Les amis de la montagne endeavours to bring public authorities, institutional property owners, associations, business stakeholders and the Montréal community together around a shared vision for Mount Royal. Our work contributes to enlightened decision-making that supports the integrity of the mountain’s cultural, landscape and natural heritage, provides safe and people-friendly access to the territory, and reinforces its biodiversity.
Repurposing the Royal Victoria Hospital
Three years after relocating the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) ...
Repurposing the Royal Victoria Hospital
Three years after relocating the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) to the Glen site of the MUHC, the Quebec government has mandated the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI) to develop a vision and master plan for repurposing the RVH, which will be submitted to a public consultation in 2021. Les amis de la montagne responded proactively to the SQI’s invitation to stimulate participation in the process by hosting an information and discussion session with the community.
In addition, Les amis de la montagne led representations with McGill University, the SQI and the City of Montréal aimed at ensuring the integrity of the Mount Royal Heritage Site, rehabilitation choices that serve the community, improved access to the mountain, as well as the protection and enhancement of its natural environments.
New Ownership of the Shriners Hospital for Children
The acquisition of the Shriners Hospital by the Chinese government ....
New Ownership of the Shriners Hospital for Children
The acquisition of the Shriners Hospital by the Chinese government to make it its consulate general in Montréal was announced in 2019. For many observers, the conversion of a large property in the heart of the mountain's woodlands to provide consular services could complexify the achievement of the protection and improvement goals established for the Mount Royal Heritage Site, a collective asset prized for its historic and iconic value.
Responding to these concerns, Les amis de la montagne initiated a series of meetings with the City of Montréal, federal government and new property owners. Our exchanges focused on the importance of taking the steps required to ensure that the growing number of rehabilitation projects on sites forming the mountain’s ring of institutional properties serve to achieve these goals, namely to protect the natural, built and landscape heritage of Mount Royal, to maintain the public use of these large properties, and to maintain and develop access to and from the mountain's parks and green spaces.
Our discussions with the purchaser of the Shriners Hospital, led jointly with Héritage Montréal, revealed the new owners' willingness to take these collective aspirations into consideration in their repurposing plans.
Waste Management Plan
In January 2020, as part of the public consultation on the City of Montréal's ...
Waste Management Plan
In January 2020, as part of the public consultation on the City of Montréal's 2020-2025 Waste Management Master Plan, Les amis de la montagne introduced a vision for the roll-out of an innovative and effective waste management plan for all Mount Royal parks.
In its recommendations tabled in spring, the City’s Commission sur l’eau, l’environnement, le développement durable et les grands parcs advocated the implementation of a waste management strategy on the mountain and in all major Montréal parks. Several other recommendations presented by Les amis de la montagne were adopted, including the development, with local stakeholders, of public awareness and mobilization campaigns promoting environmental education.
Accessibility
Accessibility to and within the Mount Royal territory must address challenges of transit, conflicts ...
Accessibility
Accessibility to and within the Mount Royal territory must address challenges of transit, conflicts of use and land-use planning. Since 2016, Les amis de la montagne has been working with the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal to develop a comprehensive vision of accessibility to Mount Royal. Ultimately, this global vision will establish key guidelines that enable informed decision-making relating to safe mobility and visitor experience on the mountain.
In May 2019, the Office de consultation publique de Montréal published its report on the Camillien-Houde/Remembrance access routes to Mount Royal as a follow-up to the public consultation that generated record citizen participation. Since then, Les amis has been cooperating with the City of Montréal in the preparation of studies and analyses required to deliver the global vision of accessibility in 2020.Parallel to this, Les amis conducted a series of representations with neighbouring borough mayors and cities, as well as elected officials responsible for large parks, to call attention to the importance of having such a vision document in hand as an essential resource for rethinking the future of public access ways to the mountain.
Côte-des-Neiges/Remembrance interchange
The Côte-des-Neiges/Remembrance sector redevelopment project led by ...
Côte-des-Neiges/Remembrance interchange
The Côte-des-Neiges/Remembrance sector redevelopment project led by the City of Montréal will significantly transform the cultural and natural heritage of Mount Royal in the decades to come. Les amis de la montagne played an active role in the consultation process from the start, seeing it as an exceptional opportunity to develop an entrance threshold to Mount Royal Park worthy of a heritage site.
In 2019-20, we took part in work sessions organized by the City of Montréal and shared our recommendations with decision makers. Meetings with the elected officials of the concerned municipalities were an opportunity to highlight our observations and recommendations for an optimal repurposing of the sector. In March 2020, the Conseil du patrimoine culturel du Québec was seized of the case and held public hearings in which Les amis de la montagne took part.
Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan
The Table de concertation du Mont-Royal (TCMR) was mandated to assess ...
Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan
The Table de concertation du Mont-Royal (TCMR) was mandated to assess the first 10 years of the City of Montréal’s Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan. To carry out this vast project, the Bureau du Mont-Royal undertook a collaborative approach involving all members of the TCMR, including Les amis de la montagne.
We made 32 recommendations concerning the governance and protection of natural environments, cultural and natural heritage, views, landscapes and emblematic presence of Mount Royal. This concerted effort by stakeholders will support the City of Montréal in making informed decisions and proactive choices in favour of better protection and enhancement of the mountain.
Mount Royal UNESCO World Heritage Site status
In a bid to pursue our campaign to obtain UNESCO World Heritage ...
Mount Royal UNESCO World Heritage Site status
In a bid to pursue our campaign to obtain UNESCO World Heritage Site status for Mount Royal, Les amis de la montagne brought this promising project up during the 2019 federal elections. We wrote to all candidates for Prime Minister asking them to take a clear position regarding the support they intended to grant the process aimed at having Mount Royal included on Canada’s Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. In ensuing meetings with elected federal officials, we emphasized the importance of this recognition as a means of adopting the highest standards in terms of mountain protection.
In November 2019, thanks to the concerted efforts of partners such as Héritage Montréal, the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal adopted Consensus 52 that proposes the continuation of actions aiming to include Mount Royal on Canada’s Tentative List for World Heritage Sites.
Emerging sports and conflicts of use
As the primary cause of soil compaction and erosion, trail proliferation ...
Emerging sports and conflicts of use
As the primary cause of soil compaction and erosion, trail proliferation and undergrowth trampling, the development of new sports and recreational trends in mountain woodlands (cycling, hiking, orienteering, etc.) poses growing threats to biodiversity. These emerging sports practices also lead to conflicts of use with park visitors and hinder the relaxation and contemplation traditionally experienced on the mountain and still sought after by the vast majority of users.
In 2019-20, Les amis favoured a consultation approach with sports aficionados. We held awareness-raising meetings with the organizers of sporting events and guided them in choosing routes to minimize the negative impact of their ecological footprint. One-on-one meetings also helped inform influencers in certain sports disciplines about the growing pressure our collective choices represent in terms of protecting Mount Royal. In the same spirit, Les amis met with local borough mayors, as well as the elected officials responsible for large parks, to underscore the need for urgent concerted action in the sectors of the mountain’s woodlands most affected by the degradation of the undergrowth.
Sporting events on Camillien-Houde
The closure of the Camillien-Houde roadway for sporting activities ...
Sporting events on Camillien-Houde
The closure of the Camillien-Houde roadway for sporting activities creates accessibility challenges to key destinations on the mountain including Mount Royal Park and the neighbouring cemeteries. The number of such activities grew in the summer of 2019, more than doubling the quota specified in the Guide du promoteur - Événements publics dans le parc du Mont-Royal de la Ville de Montréal.
Les amis launched discussions with major event promoters to identify common values and find possible solutions to preserve accessibility to the mountain for the greatest number of visitors. These steps have led to a better understanding of the challenges and the development of plans to reduce the future impacts of such events.
Les amis also worked with the City of Montréal to update the Guide du promoteur and raise awareness among key decision-makers with a view to agree on the desired number of admissible street closures annually, in full respect of the intended uses and purposes of the site.
Educational, Cultural and Outdoor Programming
Les amis de la montagne proposes a wealth of programs in environmental sciences, history and culture as part of its mission to highlight Mount Royal’s natural and cultural heritage. All of our programs seek to forge a strong bond between visitors of all ages and the mountain by showcasing its past, green spaces and myriad benefits for the population, while calling attention to its influence on the development of the urban environment that surrounds it and the challenges facing its protection.
PREPARING TOMORROW’S CUSTODIANS
Thanks to our summer day camp and youth group offer, our diversified school and nature immersion programs, not to mention our environmental stewardship and citizen sciences projects for families, Les amis is preparing the next generation of stewards of the mountain.
6,857
children took part in our school programs
1,803
children enjoyed our educational programs geared for families and youths
10%
more young people joined our programs and activities on the mountain this year
3,528
hours spent in nature by children ages 0 to 12 as part of our Forest School nature immersion program
INSPIRING THE GENERAL PUBLIC
people discovered Mount Royal’s historical, natural and cultural heritage with Les amis de la montagne thanks to exhibitions, activities, concerts and performances
10th Edition of The Mountain in Pictures Photo Contest
SHOWCASING THE MOUNTAIN’S GREAT OUTDOORS
Our year-round excursions, activities and services introduce thousands of children and adults to the mountain’s outstanding nature, history and heritage.
1,374
winter enthusiasts of all ages appreciated our guided snowshoe excursions
836
cross-country skiers of all ages honed their technique with our Cross-Country Ski Club
10,693
children tobogganed, skated, skied and snowshoed on the mountain with Les amis
15
French immersion groups discovered the joys of winter on Mount Royal with Les amis
924
hikers discovered the mountain’s landscape, heritage and panoramas during guided nature walks
9,845
visitors navigated the calm waters of Beaver Lake aboard our rowboats
![Inviter les Montréalais]()
SHOWCASING THE MOUNTAIN’S GREAT OUTDOORS
Our year-round excursions, activities and services introduce thousands of children and adults to the mountain’s outstanding nature, history and heritage.
![randonnées guidées en raquettes]()
1,374
winter enthusiasts of all ages appreciated our guided snowshoe excursions
![Club de ski de fond des Amis de la montagne]()
836
cross-country skiers of all ages honed their technique with our Cross-Country Ski Club
![enfants ont glissé]()
10,693
children tobogganed, skated, skied and snowshoed on the mountain with Les amis
![le paysage et le patrimoine de la montagne]()
15
French immersion groups discovered the joys of winter on Mount Royal with Les amis
![randonnées pédestres]()
924
hikers discovered the mountain’s landscape, heritage and panoramas during guided nature walks
![lac aux Castors à bord de nos chaloupes]()
9,845
visitors navigated the calm waters of Beaver Lake aboard our rowboats
DID YOU KNOW?
A new summer guided walk revealed the mountain’s scenic beauty at sunset, while our popular discovery walk exploring the three summits of Mount Royal took a new turn by starting in the secret garden of the Monastery of the Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph.
MAY: MOUNT ROYAL MONTH
Presented in partnership with the City of Montréal, with the support of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, May: Mount Royal Month has been showcasing the mountain’s majestic heritage and various conservation issues since 2005.
MAY: MOUNT ROYAL MONTH
Presented in partnership with the City of Montréal, with the support of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, May: Mount Royal Month has been showcasing the mountain’s majestic heritage and various conservation issues since 2005.
Ode to heritage
For the 2019 edition of May: Mount Royal Month, Les amis invited ...
Ode to heritage
For the 2019 edition of May: Mount Royal Month, Les amis invited the community to discover the rich natural and cultural diversity of the Mount Royal Heritage Site and the challenges facing its preservation and improvement.
Nearly 5,000 Montrealers enjoyed guided excursions, exhibitions and thematic activities hosted by Les amis on the mountain territory during the month of May 2019.
Prix du Mont-Royal 2019
Les amis de la montagne and the City of Montréal awarded the Prix du ...
Prix du Mont-Royal 2019
Les amis de la montagne and the City of Montréal awarded the Prix du Mont-Royal to Sylvie Guilbault for her outstanding contribution to the creation of consultative bodies and the development of community involvement and consultation for the protection of Mount Royal.
As the Executive Director of Les amis de la montagne for more than 25 years, she provided a standard of leadership that enjoyed the highest recognition from all stakeholders. During that time, she worked intimately with the community to ensure the well-being of the most defining area of Montréal.
Listen to Sylvie Guilbault in an interview on Radio-Canada.
Honourable mentions
The ceremony was also the opportunity to grant honourable mentions to two specialists ....
Honourable mentions
The ceremony was also the opportunity to grant honourable mentions to two specialists whose research and teachings have significantly contributed to the advancement of knowledge about Mount Royal:
Christian Gates St-Pierre, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the Université de Montréal, for his research on the archaeology of Native Americans from Quebec and Northeastern North America
Pierre Bédard, geologist specializing in Mount Royal and lecturer at Polytechnique Montréal and UQAM, for his research on Mount Royal’s geological formation
Mount Royal Park Visitor Services
ENHANCING EACH EXPERIENCE
We offer a wide range of information, food and beverage, and outdoor services to park users, always with a view to reinvest proceeds in the protection and improvement of Mount Royal for the benefit of all visitors.
transactions at the 3 Café des Amis venues on the mountain
customer satisfaction with the Café des Amis
OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT RENTAL
Our team is on site 7 days a week to meet the needs of visitors wishing to row in the summer or skate, ski, slide and snowshoe in the winter.
pairs of skates rented
snow tubing passes sold
EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS FOR OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT RENTALS
Outreach and Community Engagement
Les amis de la montagne gives voice to Mount Royal issues and sustainability through our targeted communications and vast network of partners. Our interactions with the community raise public awareness while inviting citizens to contribute to the care and protection of their mountain.
345 000+
unique website visitors per year
100 000
webpage views per month
32 200+
followers on social media
35 620+
subscribers to our newsletter
55+
media mentions
100+
major partners
Website Visitor Profile
MAINTAINING COMMUNICATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC
With limited access to the territory from March to May 2020, Les amis’s field of action to fulfill our mission of protecting and improving Mount Royal was reduced to digital communications.
Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec
Avenir Parc Lafontaine
Boutique l'Escale Verte
Campus MIL
Canopée, réseau des bois de Laval
Coalition des amis du parc Jarry
Cardio Plein Air Plateau Mont-Royal
Cardio Plein Air Ville-Marie
Centre d'écologie urbaine de Montréal
Coalition montréalaise des Tables de quartier
Conseil régional de l'environnement de Montréal
Corporation de développement communautaire de Côte-des-Neiges
Corridor Darlington
Cyclovia Québec
De ville en forêt: Plein air responsable et durable & Programme Sans trace
Éco de la Pointe-aux-Prairies
Eco quartier NDG
Eco quartier Peter-McGill
Fondation David Suzuki
Gestion Inlandsis
GRAME
Grand potager
GUEPE
Héritage laurentien
Héritage Montréal
L’Oratoire St-Joseph
La Pépinière
Le lion et la souris
Les amis de Meadowbrook
Les amis du parc Angrignon
Les YMCA du Québec
Maglia Rosa vélo shop
Nature-Action Québec
Option Aménagement
Ordre des urbanistes du Québec
P.A.U.S.E. - Production Agricole Urbaine Soutenable et Écologique
Regroupement des éco-quartiers
Sauvons la falaise
Ski de fond Québec
Solon
Table de concertation jeunesse de Côte-des-Neiges
Table de concertation du faubourg Saint-Laurent
Tour du Silence de Montréal
Université de Montréal
Université McGill
Vélo Québec
Ville en Vert
Le Carré et sa ruelle
Les amies du parc nature Ruisseau de la Grande Prairie
Les amis du Courant Sainte-Marie
Park People / Amis des parcs
TOHU
Les amis du Champ des Possibles
#TogetherForOurParks
In a bid to maintain public access to urban green spaces during the COVID-19 confinement period, we launched a mass mobilization campaign inviting community stakeholders to simultaneously publish the same call to action to all park lovers and users across Montréal.
58
participating organizations
60,000+
persons saw the message
600,000+
concerned citizens
#MountRoyalComesToYou
Our digital campaign helped maintain a strong connection with the community during the pandemic by broadcasting public health directives and constantly evolving information on the status of Mount Royal Park.
persons saw each post
Likes on Instagram
Financial Overview
REVENUE AND EXPENSES OF LES AMIS DE LA MONTAGNE
The current financial overview is drawn from the balance sheets and income statements of Les amis de la montagne, Centre de la montagne and Café des Amis, collectively referred to as Les amis de la montagne.
The financial statements of all three organizations are available upon request.
REINVESTING IN PARKS AND VISITOR SERVICES
Les amis de la montagne programs and services— gift shops, outdoor equipment rentals, cross-country ski lessons, guided discovery walks, outdoor and educational activities, food and beverage services, etc.—generated 67% of the organization’s gross revenue in 2019-2020. Net proceeds were reinvested in Mount Royal Park and visitor services.
Did you know?
Les amis de la montagne has worked with the City of Montréal for over 30 years to provide quality services in Mount Royal Park. Today, these services extend to Tiohtià: ke Otsira'kéhne Park, located on the mountain’s Outremont Summit.
LES AMIS AND THE CITY: PARTNERS FOR THE MOUNTAIN’S PARKS AND THE COMMUNITY
For over 30 years, Les amis de la montagne and the City of Montréal have enjoyed a fruitful partnership that enables them to work hand in hand to offer visitor services in Mount Royal Park and Tiohtià:ke Otsira'kéhne Park in keeping with their shared dedication to the protection and improvement of the mountain.
Our agreement with the City governs the following park services and programs offered by Les amis:
- Environmental education activities
- Planting projects, invasive species control and environmental monitoring with the participation of volunteers
- Interpretive services related to the heritage of Mount Royal
- Visitor welcome and information services
- Conservation Patrol (Mount Royal Park)
- Outdoor recreational equipment rental and services (Mount Royal Park)
- Food services, gift shops and mobile refreshment vendors
Les amis also supports the City in an advisory capacity relative to:
- Park management
- Development projects
- Access to the mountain
- Park usage and conflicting uses
- Outdoor park amenity maintenance
- Building restoration and parkland improvements
- Evaluation of proposals for public events in the park and documentation of impacts on parkland and park users
- Security and cleanliness in parks
Community Support
FUNDRAISING TO SUSTAIN OUR MISSION
We rely on a large community of mountain lovers to carry out our mission season after season. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, our Annual Campaign Cabinet and fundraising committees aptly mobilize support for the protection and improvement of Mount Royal.
KEEPING MOUNT ROYAL BEAUTIFUL
Launched in the fall, our annual campaign focused on the sustainability of the mountain and its tens of thousands of trees that improve the air we breathe and the quality of life we enjoy in the city. Montrealers responded positively to our call for help, proving once again that the protection of Mount Royal appeals to their better nature.
Funds raised in 2019-20
Campaign Cabinet
Peter A. Howlett, C.M.
Jeffrey Drummond
Diana Ferrara Scalia
Carole Labelle Molson
Andy Fratino, advisor
Hélène Panaïoti, ex officio
Chapeau mont Royal 2019
Every spring, we invite the community to show its attachment to the mountain by attending an elegant fundraising luncheon at the Mount Royal Chalet.
Honorary president
- Édith Cloutier, president, Rogers Quebec
Co-presidents
- Mary Bruns Creighton
- Diana Ferrara Scalia
- Carole Labelle Molson
- Kathryn Lund Drummond
Members
- Caroline Biron
- Rucsandra Calin
- Bita Cattelan
- Caroline Codsi
- Kim A. Drummond
- Carolina Gallo La Flèche
- Julie Godin
- Christine Harkness-Lapointe
- Jane Howlett
- Judith Kavanagh
- Diane Lanctôt
- Julie Laurence
- Françoise E. Lyon
- Christina Miller
- Gwen Nacos
- Katrin Nakashima
400 guests
wore their finest hats and fascinators to the 6th edition of the Chapeau Mont Royal! benefit luncheon on June 12, 2019.
200,000 $
was raised for environmental educational programs for youth on Mount Royal.
Students from Notre-Dame-des-Neiges elementary school held a booth presenting the year-long Seeds for the Future of Mount Royal project they carried out on the mountain.
Adding a festive note to the event, a jazz band composed of Grade 9 students from Collège Sainte-Anne provided live musical entertainment throughout the cocktail party.
Tuques bleues 2020
Inspired by the mountain’s storied past, this benefit event invites outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate the tradition of snowshoeing during a festive evening on the summit.
Honorary president
- Michel Leblanc
President and CEO
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal
Organizing Committee
- Alexandre Beaudoin
- Éric Bouchard
- Dominique Codère
- Jeffrey Drummond
- Marco Dufour
- Diana Ferrara Scalia
- Érik Moisan
- Joanne Rossy
- Martin Spalding
- Robert Tellier
- Michel Leblanc
400 MONTREALERS
raced or walked up the mountain on snowshoes on February 13, 2020, during the 23rd edition of Tuques Bleues, celebrating a 150-year-old sports tradition
150,000 $
raised in support of Les amis de la montagne’s environmental conservation programs
26 partners
contributed to the experience at the Kondiaronk Belvedere and Beaver Lake
NEARLY 100 VOLUNTEERS
helped make this event a success
![Tuques bleues 2020]()
Tuques bleues 2020
Inspired by the mountain’s storied past, this benefit event invites outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate the tradition of snowshoeing during a festive evening on the summit.
![Tuques bleues 2020]()
400 MONTREALERS
raced or walked up the mountain on snowshoes on February 13, 2020, during the 23<sup>rd</sup> edition of Tuques Bleues, celebrating a 150-year-old sports tradition
![Tuques bleues 2020]()
150,000 $
raised in support of Les amis de la montagne’s environmental conservation programs
![Tuques bleues 2020]()
26 partners
contributed to the experience at the Kondiaronk Belvedere and Beaver Lake
![Tuques bleues 2020]()
NEARLY 100 VOLUNTEERS
helped make this event a success
Donors and Sponsors
Thank you!
We wish to thank the generous supporters who have shown their attachment to Mount Royal by donating $250 or more to Les amis de la montagne between May 1, 2019, and April 30, 2020.
Major Benefactors - $50,000 and more
Mount Royal Circle - $10,000 and more
- Atrium Innovations
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Conseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec
- Succession Joseph H. Vega
- Ivanhoé Cambridge
About Les amis de la montagne
The success of our organization depends on committed individuals who share the same vision
for the preservation and conservation of this iconic site.
Find out more about our mission
21
Board members
Board of Directors As at April 30, 2020
president
- Peter A. Howlett, C.M.
VICE-PRESIDENTS
- Jeffrey Drummond
- Louise Roy
TREASURER
- Sébastien Perron-Carle
SECRETARY
- Philippe Beauregard
Members
- Dominique Codère
- Clément Demers
- Diana Ferrara Scalia
- Richard M. Hart
- Patrick Kenniff
- Carole Labelle Molson
- Annick Laberge
- Me Armand L. C. de Mestral, C.M.
- Rachel Léger
- Eugene N. Riesman
- Robert Tellier
- Patrick Tobin
- Peter F. Trent, C.Q., C.D.
- Marie-Odile Trépanier
- Peter Vamos
EX OFFICIO
- Hélène Panaïoti
