Rising social tensions, homelessness, and uneven enforcement of bylaws have made safety one of the defining issues of the 2025 campaign. For artists, venue owners, and community organizers, the stakes are clear: how can Montreal protect its people and its culture at the same time?

This city's sense of safety has always been tied to its sense of community: Festivals and block parties deserve just as much attention as bars and public gatherings, and some Montrealers feel safety comes from policing while others say it’s about belonging. The challenge now is how to make the city’s cultural spaces welcoming for everyone without turning them into places of surveillance or exclusion.

Ahead of the municipal election, The Main asked every party how they plan to keep Montrealers safe while ensuring cultural spaces remain open, inclusive, and vibrant. We also asked how they view policing’s role and what they would do to ensure marginalized communities feel a genuine sense of belonging in the city’s cultural life.

Rising social tensions, homelessness, and uneven enforcement of bylaws have made safety one of the defining issues of the 2025 campaign. For artists, venue owners, and community organizers, the stakes are clear: how can Montreal protect its people and its culture at the same time?

This city's sense of safety has always been tied to its sense of community: Festivals and block parties deserve just as much attention as bars and public gatherings, and some Montrealers feel safety comes from policing while others say it’s about belonging. The challenge now is how to make the city’s cultural spaces welcoming for everyone without turning them into places of surveillance or exclusion.

Ahead of the municipal election, The Main asked every party how they plan to keep Montrealers safe while ensuring cultural spaces remain open, inclusive, and vibrant. We also asked how they view policing’s role and what they would do to ensure marginalized communities feel a genuine sense of belonging in the city’s cultural life.