Summary#
On August 24, 2026, Montréal city council unanimously adopted a position supporting $525,000 in funding for Beach Volleyball Évènements to organize the Montréal Beach Pro Tour from 2026 to 2028. It also supported approving a draft agreement and adding $75,000 to the Culture, Sports and Recreation Department’s budget base for each of 2027 and 2028. The agglomeration council makes the final decision at a later meeting.
- The proposed grant is $125,000 for 2026 and $200,000 in each of 2027 and 2028.
- The draft agreement would set the grant’s payment terms and conditions. City staff say payments would be made in two installments each year.
- The event is planned for August at parc Jean-Drapeau. The organizer handles its logistics and must pay the full cost of services provided by the park.
- The organizer must follow an existing protocol for giving the City visibility.
What it means for you#
- Beach Volleyball Évènements: If the agglomeration council approves the funding, the organization would receive the grant under the agreement and would pay for all services provided by parc Jean-Drapeau.
- Taxpayers: The proposed grant would be paid from the City’s operating budget. The decision does not create a direct benefit or payment for residents.
Money#
The proposed City grant totals $525,000 over three years, funded from the operating budget.
- The City would add $75,000 to the department’s budget base in each of 2027 and 2028.
- City staff report that the event’s economic and tourism impacts are estimated at $1.2 million, including ticket sales. This is staff’s estimate, not a guaranteed return to the City.
- No publicly available information on the City’s other administrative costs for this decision.
What is unclear#
- The supplied materials do not give the draft agreement’s detailed conditions, including what the organizer must do to receive each payment.
- No publicly available information on how the City will measure whether the event meets its expected results.
Case for#
- City staff say the 2025 event was successful, with 19,000 paying spectators at parc Jean-Drapeau, and report international media coverage.
- The funding could help continue an event that gives Canadian athletes a chance to compete for ranking points at home.
Case against#
- City staff say the request exceeded the sports department’s usual funding parameters. A concern is whether the proposed public contribution is justified by benefits that may not all accrue to the City.
- The materials give expected economic and tourism impacts, but do not explain how those impacts were measured or verified.