Press release — for immediate release
Are Animals Treated Better Dead Than Alive?
Montreal SPCA Launches Province-Wide Campaign Urging Parties to Commit to Regulating Farmed Animal Welfare Ahead of 2026 Provincial Election
Montreal, March 15, 2026 — The Montreal SPCA is launching this week a major public campaign calling on Quebec provincial parties to commit to regulating the treatment of animals raised for food in their 2026 election platforms. The campaign, which will appear across Quebec, including a prominent placement at Berri-UQAM metro station, and a thought-provoking television spot that aired for the first time during Tout le monde en parle on March 15th, asks a striking question: Are animals treated better dead than alive?
“In Quebec, we take great care with how we prepare our food. We take pride in our local products, we cook thoughtfully, and we serve our families with love. But as things currently stand, we have no guarantee that animals raised for food were shown that same care during their lives,” said Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy and Legal and Government Affairs at the Montreal SPCA. “Consumers shouldn’t have to wonder whether what they are putting on the table reflects their values. It’s time to change the recipe and grant all animals the basic protections Quebecers expect.”
Despite the adoption of a new law in 2015 that was originally intended to protect all animals, most animals – those raised for food – remain systematically excluded from the law’s most basic protections provided they are treated in accordance with standard industry practices, a legal loophole highlighted in a recent report published by the Observatoire québécois de droit animalier. As a result, treatment that would be considered legal in agricultural settings, could lead to a conviction and even imprisonment if inflicted on a dog or cat; for example, immobilization in a cage so narrow the animal can’t even turn around or castration without anesthesia. Additionally, unlike other animals, farmed animals are not subject to detailed regulations, and there are no proactive government-conducted inspections on farms to ensure animals’ wellbeing.
Solid Regulations to Support Producers and Benefit Everyone
The SPCA is calling on provincial parties to commit to establishing clear regulations governing on-farm animal welfare, as have already existed for decades in other jurisdictions. The organization is also calling for financial support for producers to transition to higher welfare systems. An independent economic analysis by the firm Aviseo found that supporting producers in this transition could return $3.20 to Quebec’s economy for every net dollar invested over ten years while supporting more than 6,200 jobs primarily in rural regions. The analysis also emphasizes significant structural benefits to the province’s economy stemming from the regulation of farmed animal welfare, including access to new export markets such as the European Union.
“Creating clear, legally-binding rules will not only protect animals, but also strengthen Quebec’s agricultural sector as well as benefiting public health, the economy, and the environment,” added Gaillard “Research shows that higher welfare standards can improve animal health and productivity, reduce reliance on antibiotics, enhance public trust, lower environmental risks, and open access to premium export markets. With government support, this transition can help future-proof our agricultural sector while protecting animal welfare and building Quebec’s reputation.”
Support From a Major Quebec Pork Producer
The SPCA’s campaign is supported by duBreton, a Quebec pork producer with over 140 farms in Quebec known for higher-welfare practices. DuBreton’s model demonstrates that giving animals more freedom to express natural behaviours during their lives can go hand in hand with building a successful, competitive business.
“Consumers today want to know where their food comes from and how it was produced,” said Vincent Breton, President of duBreton. “We’ve built our company on the belief that it is possible to raise animals in a way that respects their welfare and still operate a profitable, growing business. When producers invest in better practices, everyone benefits―farmers, consumers, and the animals.”
The Montreal SPCA is calling on Quebec’s provincial political parties to commit or re-commit, in their 2026 election platforms, to regulating on-farm animal welfare. Members of the public can sign a letter on the SPCA’s website urging parties to make animal welfare a clear electoral commitment this year.
For more information, visit: www.spca.com/en/change-the-recipe
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Media contact: VROY Communications
Maude Lussier – mlussier@vroy.com – 514 929-4527
Source : Montreal SPCA www.spca.com/en/
About the Montreal SPCA
Founded in Montreal in 1869, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (better known as “Montreal SPCA”) was the first animal welfare organization in Canada. The SPCA has come a long way since: it is now the largest animal protection organization in Quebec and speaks on behalf of animals wherever they face ignorance, cruelty, exploitation or neglect.
