I don't agree. Allowing this carriage riding, even from a supposedly "good" farm, normalizes the act of carriage riding. And even from the "best" farm, accidents happen. What large animal veterinarian would attend to a horse in West Mount? If it was possible for horse carriages to be ethical, then why does Montreal and plenty of other cities ban them? These horse carriage rides keep Westmount trapped in the past, behind more progressive cities that no longer use animals for entertainment.  I looked up the owner of the farm. Turns out he was a spokesperson for the Quebec dairy industry.  I heard a lecture at McGill University today suggesting that Quebec has the worst conditions for cows in Canada, chaining the cows in barns. I don't trust the opinion of this contractor who was a spokesperson for the factory farm Agropur.  Robert Coallier - Director at Transat | The Org https://share.google/DEoStL667cqfiA0BI

On Monday, February 9, 2026 at 03:44:53 p.m. EST, Dufour, Annique <annique.dufour@westmount.org> wrote:

Good Afternoon Ms. Corrado,

Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns and for providing detailed information regarding the welfare of horses in urban carriage settings. We appreciate residents engaging thoughtfully on these matters.

It may be helpful to clarify the context of the horses participating in Westmount’s Winter Carnival. These animals are not part of a commercial, year-round carriage industry, and the concerns raised in the materials you shared do not reflect the conditions under which our event horses live or work. In fact, the documents and arguments circulating online are entirely inconsistent with the reality of their environment and care.

For over twenty years, Robert Coallier—an independent contractor—has provided sleigh rides during our Winter Carnival using a 12-person sled pulled by two strong, healthy working horses, each standing over 15 hands. Their participation is limited to this annual event, and their workload is carefully managed. They receive scheduled breaks between every sleigh ride to rest, hydrate, and eat, and warm blankets are placed on them during all downtime to ensure comfort in winter weather. Their well-being is, and has always been, our highest priority.

When not at our Carnival, these horses live on a rural working farm on the outskirts of Boucherville, QC. There, they balance light chores with ample time to graze and socialize freely in open pastures. Their owner treats them like family, ensuring they receive expert veterinary care and a diet tailored specifically to their needs.

We take animal welfare very seriously, and we ensure that any activity hosted by the City meets high standards of care, safety, and ethical responsibility. The situation described in the advocacy materials simply does not apply to our context.

Thank you again for reaching out and for sharing your perspective.

Meilleures salutations / Best regards,

Annique Dufour

Adjointe exécutive / Executive Assistant

Bureau du maire / Mayor’s Office

4333 rue Sherbrooke Ouest

Westmount, Québec H3Z 1E2

Tél : 514-989-5200 poste. 5314