City ends distribution of baby box
The city used to welcome new babies with the gift of a baby box containing diapers and other items useful for a newborn, but it’s been discontinued by the new administration. Not only are new parents likely to be disappointed, but some firms that used to provide the materials will now have to lay off workers.
su 13:17 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
There is no need to reward breeders over other folks. This was a very strange costly program.
David S 14:05 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
I’m confused as to why the contract for this Montreal initiative, paid by Montreal taxes, was given to a Laval company in the first place.
It doesn’t sound like it’s an expertise or anything like that, which could potentially justify this. Am I missing something?
Meezly 14:20 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
Why use the derogatory “breeder” term? It sounds resentful. Besides, adoptive parents were also entitled to a baby box if their baby was less than a year old, so I’m assuming this would include families of all sexual orientations who wanted to start a family.
Baby boxes have been implemented in many countries for generations, mostly as a way to counteract low birth rates/high infant mortality, so I find it odd you’d see this as a “strange costly program”.
I think baby boxes may also be a societal indicator and cutting such a program is another sign of an economic recession.
dhomas 14:22 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
It’s kinda stupid that they discontinued this initiative. This should be part of the city’s advertisement budget. Lots of local products get known by new parents through this, who then continue buying these local products. I know the city has a budget, but I see this as an investment more than anything.
Oh, well, at least our taxes will go down on account of these savings… Oh wait, no? Then will the extra savings go to pothole repair? No to that, too? Hummm…
I guess they need money to tear up all that bike infrastructure.
Daniel 15:19 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
As a new parent who picked one up at our local library, I can tell you it was a much appreciated gesture. Not only did our child get their first library card on that same visit, as mentioned above it was filled with local or Montreal-branded items, and even passes to the Espace pour la vie facilities, that gave us a great sense of pride and appreciation for our city. It’s a cynical and sad decision to discontinue it.
Joey 15:44 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
Didn’t even try to get companies to contribute goods – as dhomas points out, this is incredible advertising for companies targeting parents of young kids. Get them to donate the essentials and have the city pay for distribution.
Nicholas 16:21 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
Why would we want to help out people during one of the most stressful and difficult times in their lives, just so we could bring them some joy? Isn’t their new child, who we’re going to have to pay for for decades, enough? Maybe we could also stop paying for health care for these unnecessary, optional pregnancies, and daycare and school for those kids once born.
azrhey 16:40 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
yeah, I am child-free by choice and happy about it, but this program was great and a good signal that this city cares about families. I have several friends that have benefited from it here and abroad int he many places where it exists. I would rather my taxes go to this that to a very long list of other wasteful things.
I also don’t bike and I want more bike paths. Someone should run on a bike-paths & babyboxes ticket. I’d vote for them.
Breeders is such a uselessly derogatory word…
DavidH 16:47 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
Seeing as how making and raising children is absolutely essential to all of society, yes there is definitely reason to reward parents (breeders and non-breeders alike). With no kids, everything collapses within one generation.
For over forty years people have been complaining that families are moving to the suburbs and the city doesn’t do enough to make them feel welcome here. Projet managed to do a little something and it helped level the field for those with money problems (diapers get expensive) as well.
The money spent on this is peanuts compared to the rest of the city budget. We will still spend money to advertise libraries and the science equipments at large. But somehow, we need to stop the publicity initiative that targeted most precisely and efficiently the one segment they need to reach.
If this initiative wasn’t so identified with Projet Montreal and Valerie Plante, it would probably have been kept. Same as dropping the REV name for major bike paths.
dhomas 19:57 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
I just looked it up. It seems the”Bienvenue Bébé” boxes had a budget of 2 million dollars:
https://www.985fm.ca/audio/576773/d-ou-vient-l-idee-des-boites-bienvenue-bebe
Out of a budget of 7.67 BILLION for 2026. Less than one percent of the budget. A drop in the bucket. I think DavidH hit the nail on the head. They are getting rid of it because it was a PM initiative.
SMD 20:52 on 2026-01-15 Permalink
RIP Baby Box. It was a wonderful program. I worked last year with pregnant newcomers to Canada and they were always so pleased to get their box. The items were useful and of high quality. It also brought the moms into the library and introduced them to all the services there. I gotta say, this move feels cheap and petty.
patatrio 00:14 on 2026-01-17 Permalink
They’re really winning over hearts and minds there in city hall with this one.