Peter A. Howlett, Co-Founder and President of Les Amis de la montagne since 1986, Awarded 2023 Prix du Mont-Royal

November 03 2023

Montreal, November 1, 2023 – As part of a major day of activities held at the Mount Royal Chalet to celebrate the mountain with the Montreal community on October 29, Les Amis de la montagne was pleased to award the Prix du Mont-Royal to Peter A. Howlett, C.M., the organization’s Co-Founder and outgoing President.

An Awardee with a Tremendous Legacy

In his capacity as President of Les Amis de la montagne until recently, the recipient of the 2023 Prix du Mont-Royal forged and maintained critical links between decision makers, the community, the general public, philanthropists and other Mount Royal stakeholders over several decades. Peter Howlett played a vital role in developing a culture of preservation around the natural and historic treasure that is the mountain.

Today, protecting Mount Royal is in the community’s DNA. Everyone who now enjoys the mountain and its social, heritage and ecological value owes him a debt of gratitude. Mr. Howlett has now passed the torch of the presidency to a qualified successor after 37 years of outstanding service to the mountain and the community.

A McGill University law graduate, former professional football player with the Montreal Alouettes and successful businessman who has worked for a number of companies on several continents, Peter Howlett has demonstrated a strong commitment to community and fundraising activities throughout his career.

In addition to his work with Les Amis, he was President and Founder of Portage Canada, a national organization specializing in drug rehabilitation services, and a founding member of the Montreal International Institute for the Environment. Mr. Howlett is a member of the Order of Canada. He was honoured with the title of Great Montrealer in 2008, and named Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.

“From the moment Les Amis de la montagne was established, the City of Montréal has had the pleasure of maintaining fruitful collaborations with the organization and its outgoing President, Peter Howlett. We applaud this great Montrealer’s leadership and tireless enthusiasm, both of which clearly demonstrate the importance of citizen involvement in protecting gems like Mount Royal. We are pleased to see his legacy acknowledged through the Prix du Mont-Royal, an award the City has been involved with since its creation.” said Caroline Bourgeois, the City of Montréal Executive Committee member responsible for large parks, sports and recreation, and Mount Royal.

Representing the TD Bank Group which, as a financial partner, supports Les Amis de la montagne’s mobilization, environmental stewardship and community involvement recognition programs, Danielle Quenneville, Regional Director of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, had this to say about the ceremony: “TD is proud to support Les Amis de la montagne through various programs, and we are very pleased to see ongoing commitment to the protection, conservation and improvement of Mount Royal. Les Amis’ actions and vision have made Mount Royal what it is now. Today, on behalf of TD, we would also like to acknowledge and thank Peter Howlett, whose actions, both large and small, have helped drive conservation efforts on Mount Royal.”

“Thanks to Peter, thousands of people have dedicated their energy and talent to protecting the iconic landmark that is Mount Royal over the years," declared Julie Laurence, Chair of Les Amis de la montagne’s Board of Directors. “In the words of Les Amis’ founding document: …the remarkable natural beauty of our mountain is fragile and must be preserved. It is our duty to keep this precious heritage intact for future generations. It is an honour for me to continue Peter Howlett’s work and I look forward to collaborating with him in his new role as President Emeritus.”

Honourable Mention Awarded to the Coalition des Montérégiennes

The Coalition des Montérégiennes received an honourable mention for the leadership it has demonstrated in protecting the Monteregian Hills and their connectivity corridors. This was an opportunity to reiterate the inseparable nature of the natural spaces that lie between Montreal and its neighbouring regions, and the importance of maintaining their connectivity. The actions undertaken by the Coalition, which recently celebrated its second year, highlight the importance of harnessing and mobilizing the efforts of civil society at a time when the governments of Quebec and Canada are redoubling their efforts to counter increasingly pressing threats to the environment.

About the Prix du Mont-Royal

Awarded annually since 2005, the Prix du Mont-Royal allows Les Amis de la montagne to pay tribute to individuals and institutions whose commitment and remarkable actions contribute to the protection and improvement of Mount Royal.

Les Amis de la montagne

Founded in 1986, Les Amis de la montagne is a nonprofit organization with the mission to protect and enhance Mount Royal through advocacy, community involvement, environmental education and stewardship.

The Prix du Mont-Royal award ceremony is supported by the TD Bank Group, Les Amis’ lead sponsor as part of the TD Ready Commitment.

The 2023 edition of the annual event also received generous funding from the City of Montréal and the government of Quebec as part of the Montréal Cultural Development Agreement.

Lastly, Les Amis de la montagne would like to thank the City of Montréal for allowing us to hold the award ceremony at the Mount Royal Chalet.