A one-year moratorium has been placed on horse-drawn carriages, or calèches, operating in Montreal, Quebec. The announcement was made by Montreal mayor Denis Coderre on May 17th.
Coderre says the one-year ban will allow lawmakers time to examine the issue and make changes to ensure the welfare of the horses and safety of citizens, or to enact a permanent ban. In an online broadcast of an executive committee meeting, Coderre said, “I’m not at all satisfied with the way things have been going with horse-drawn carriages. The best option is to start from scratch.”
An incident in April, in which a horse got away from its driver and was hit by a car, prompted this most recent review of the industry, leading to the decision.