Montreal’s calèche horse owners to receive $1K in compensation

Montreal’s calèche owners will receive compensation from the city as the Plante administration moves forward with plans to shut down the industry for good.

Starting May 1, horse owners can sign up to receive $1,000 in compensation. The SPCA and another animal rights association will help place the animals with adoptive families and shelters, the city announced Wednesday.

Last June, the Plante administration announced it would ban calèches, the horse-drawn carriages operated mostly as a tourist activity downtown and in Old Montreal, as of  Dec. 31.

That announcement followed a succession of accidents and complaints involving calèches. Then, five months later, a calèche horse died in the street, reviving public outrage.