Montreal scraps baby box program, citing shift in priorities

City of Montreal budget cuts will stop the popular baby box program, affecting suppliers like Laval’s Veille Sur Toi and dozens of other local businesses.

Montreal has announced it is ending its baby box program, a municipal initiative that provided new parents with a free box of items for their newborns.

The program, known as the “Welcome box for the youngest Montrealers,” was launched by the former Plante administration to support families with newborns by offering practical items for babies.

In a statement released Friday, the office of Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada explained that the decision to end the program reflects broader budget priorities.

“Making a budget means making choices. And Montrealers have asked us to refocus the city’s priorities on their needs: homelessness, housing, and safety, to name a few,” the statement reads.

The statement also cited concerns raised by families across the city.

“Many families tell us that they are afraid for their children: school routes to avoid, syringes in daycare centres, strollers being stolen, neighbourhoods falling into disrepair. This is not normal. And it is not worthy of Montreal. Montreal has fallen behind. We are on it.”

The city has not indicated whether any replacement programs for new parents will be introduced.