Sustainability

For a fifth year, the Festival team is ensuring that the 2024 edition will reach the BNQ Standard 9700-253 – Responsible Event Management. FTA therefore reports to the Réseau des femmes en environnement and its Conseil québécois des événements écoresponsables (CQEER) on the following five elements: selection of suppliers; management of materials, water, and energy; waste management; selection of food; and participant and user mobility.

+ Level 3 classification reached (FTA 2023 + FTA 2022 + FTA 2019 + FTA 2018)

Finding artists from around the world and bringing them to Montreal is at the heart of FTA’s mission. This naturally requires multi-modal transportation, which we offset in its entirety. Our artistic team strives to optimize its international travel and favours the use of trains and other forms of public transportation.

FTA has a professional membership for the Communauto car-sharing service. The entire Festival team is encouraged to use active and public transportation.

+ 89% of festivalergoers and 95% of employees and volunteers used active or public transportation to attend the event (FTA 2023), compared to 87% and 91% in 2022
+ 3 international companies toured North America following their participation in FTA, thereby optimizing the impact of the artists’ stay on the territory (FTA 2023)

Since 2023, festivalgoers automatically contribute to carbon offsetting efforts related to FTA’s programming whenever they buy tickets for a show. Specifically, the service fees now include an environmental fee of $0.75 per ticket, which is placed in FTA’s Environmental Sustainability Fund along with direct contributions by the Festival. The amount collected during each edition will be reinvested in carbon offsetting or donated to organizations committed to protecting and conserving the environment once the event is over.

Each year, the Festival offsets all the carbon emissions generated by transportation during the event, which includes the mobility of the team, artists and collaborators. We also offset part of the emissions linked to public transport, as well as the annual travel of the programming team.

Via Planetair, we finance various initiatives such as the protection of Quebec’s flora and fauna, wind, solar and energy recovery projects, university research into the fight against climate change, and habitat projects for the most vulnerable families in the Sahel. We also offset part of our emissions through Cheakamus Community Forest, a community forest regeneration project in British Columbia, jointly managed by the Lil’wat and Squamish communities and the Municipality of Whistler.

+ 259,23 tonnes of CO₂-eq neutralized, for a total of $7,000 invested in 2023 (compared to 203,37 tonnes and $5,500 in 2022)
+ $1,500 provided to Eau secours as carbon offsetting for the Holoscenes show (FTA 2022)
+ 3.1 tonnes of CO₂-eq offset, corresponding to our annual digital footprint (FTA 2021)

Click here to view the carbon summary for the 2023 edition.

We encourage audiences to be aware of the environmental footprint associated with attending the Festival and offset their impact by making a nominal individual contribution.

Want to offset the impact of your attendance at the Festival? Make a donation to Planetair. Benefit from a 10% discount on the amount of your compensation with the code FTA2024.

With a view to reduction at source, the Festival is careful to limit its purchases and favours local suppliers, especially those who are also committed to sustainable practices. To promote the reuse of material, the Festival rents, lends, and sells a wide variety of equipment to other arts organizations. At the end of each edition, several drop-offs are made at the Eco-Centre and Friperie Renaissance.

+ 7 eco-responsible partners: RECYC-QUÉBEC + Écoscéno + Communauto + Go Zéro + CQEER + Planetair + BIXI (FTA 2024)
+ 5 venues accredited “Scène écoresponsable” by the Conseil québécois des événements écoresponsable (FTA 2024 + 2023) 
+ 90% of equipment used is rented or borrowed (FTA 2023 + 2022)
+ 44% of suppliers have training and pay equity programs, 24% have a commitment to sustainable development, and 22% are incorporated as non-profit organizations or cooperatives (FTA 2023)
+ 76% of suppliers located within 100 km (FTA 2023)

The Festival is proud to offer exclusively vegetarian food, including vegan options.

We support Quebec food producers by offering local, organic, and seasonal dishes. Along with using exclusively reusable dishware and prohibiting the distribution of water bottles, the Festival offers reusable cups for bar service. Surplus food is distributed to the team and to an organization that supports people experiencing homelessness.

+ 100% of the food served at QG is vegetarian, with several vegan options (FTA 2024 + FTA 2023)
+ 100% reusable dishware and utensils (FTA 2024 + FTA 2023)
+ 44% of food and beverages are supplied from within 500 km of QG, 26% are certified organic or fair trade and 36% are regionally sourced (FTA 2023)
+ 51.20 kg of food was donated to the Women’s Centre, volunteers and team (FTA 2023)
+ 5,000 Ecocups reused (and approx. 12 kg of plastic waste avoided) (FTA 2023)

The Festival encourages mindful use of resources on the outdoor sites where it holds activities and in its Quartier général. Recycling bins are installed on site, and compostable, recyclable, and disposable waste is weighed, making it possible to set concrete reduction targets.

Thanks to participation in the Go Zero Event Material and Signage Recycling program, almost all materials are recycled: signs, displays, COVID masks, ID badges, tape, nails and screws, pencils, etc.

+ 98% of waste diverted from landfill in 2023 (vs. 97% in 2022 and 73% in 2021). Learn more.
+ 57.61 kg of scenic materials recycled through the Go Zero Program (FTA 2023)
+ No water bottles sold at the Festival’s QG

Each year, the Festival seeks to reduce the quantity of printed materials by diversifying its communication strategies. Our printed materials are certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and we also reuse or repurpose signage. 

The FTA also applies good waste management practices in its offices (composting, responsible waste disposal, etc.) and encourages its employees to adopt responsible office and digital practices (reduced printing, minding e-mail weight, server and inbox maintenance, etc.).

+ 57% reduction in printed copies of official program (FTA 2022 vs. 2020)
+ 100% digital accounting

The Festival has adopted a digital responsibility policy. It stipulates best practices in terms of using IT equipment and services as well as raising stakeholders’ awareness of digital activities’ environmental impact.

We rent the electronic equipment required for our shows. What’s more, we always try to repair existing office equipment before we considering making new purchases.

+ 36 second-hand laptops acquired since 2020 to facilitate remote work by employees
+ 1,820 hours of streaming offset (FTA 2021)

As a major event in Montreal, FTA is pleased to help develop Quebec’s economy and tourism industry and support the activities of artistic communities.

Programming Canadian companies as part of the Festival has a significant impact in terms of developing their tours and projects and growing their networks. Companies included in the programming, as well as those who perform as sidebars to the main event, keep us informed of the direct benefits to them.

FTA’s thoughtful and sustainable approach to business illustrates its commitment to supporting the local economy while promoting ethical and responsible practices within the cultural industry.

+ 5 co-productions, including one international co-production, for a total investment of $52,000 (FTA 2023)
+ 21 projects from Quebec, Canada, and other countries supported by FTA Respirations for a total of $112,000 injected into the arts sector (FTA 2022)
+ 2,175 nights booked directly by the Festival at four partner hotels, plus bookings by festivalgoers during the event (FTA 2023)
+ $1,387,580 generated in sales revenues and artist fees (FTA 2023)
+ 191 employees and volunteers hired, along with personnel at our 18 production partners (FTA 2023)

For FTA, the social aspect of sustainability – which is also addressed in our initiatives – is just as essential as the environment. The Festival is proud to have received the Prix Engagement socio-économique in the Les Vivats 2021 competition for sustainable events, as well as being a finalist for the Grand Vivat award.

FTA also won the Event of the Year Award at MPI Montréal/Québec’s Gala Hommage 2023 for its adaptability as well as ethical and eco-responsible management practices

Actively engaging with high school, college, and university students over the past 30 years, FTA fulfills its duty to introduce the next generation to the arts through access and outreach activities. It also runs dedicated programs aimed at young Indigenous people in Quebec and young international professionals. Visit the Eka shakuelem, Accessibility, and Student Outreach pages to learn more about our engagement in the community.

FTA makes its archives available to academic communities through the Centre de documentation de l’École supérieure de théâtre de l’UQAM (CEDEST) and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ). Its resources have also been made accessible.

+ 1 show offered with audiodescription
+ 5 relaxed performances (FTA 2023)
+ 75 tickets distributed to Eka shakuelem participants, including members of the Tio’tia:ke, Wendake, and Pessamit communities (FTA 2023)
+ 1,215 spectators from school programs (26 schools in 15 Quebec cities) (FTA 2023)

Given that exchanging information is vital to building a more sustainable future, FTA aims to be a leader in promoting best practices among the performing arts and events communities.

+ 1 theme day devoted to decolonial ecologies (FTA 2023) and 1 professional encounter on “Ecoconscience in the Performing Arts” (FTA 2024)
+ 3 shows addressing sustainability issues: The Cloud + Nigamon/Tunai + Weathering (FTA 2024)
+ 1 show encouraging collective reflection on climate change, where every effort has been made to minimize its ecological impact: Holoscenes (FTA 2022)
+ 1 workshop on the environmental crisis (The Week) provided to the team (FTA 2024)
+ 62 signatories of the Festivalgoers’ Sustainability Guide in 2023 (v.s. 87 in 2022)