Should Montreal ban horse-drawn carriages?

MONTREAL – The clip clap of horse hooves dragging wooden calèches through the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal has been a fixture of the city’s tourist scene for years.

READ MORE: Mayor to require mandatory vet checks after horse falls in downtown Montreal

But this iconic – and old fashioned – means of seeing city sites may become a relic of the past.

The opposition at Montreal City Hall is renewing calls for Mayor Denis Coderre to hold a public consultation on the future of calèches in the city.

READ MORE: Calèche horses: sturdy and made to work hard

“This summer, there were several incidents reported involving horses driving calèches,” said Sterling Downey, a spokesman for Projet Montreal.

“The incidents, whether they involved horses having health problems or working in extreme heat conditions, demonstrates gaps in the regulation governing horse-drawn vehicles.”

“It’s time to ask the people of Montreal if it still wants to see horse-drawn carriages through the streets of the city.”

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Thursday afternoon, one Global viewer sent in a picture of a horse who got spooked near Place d’Armes.

“The horse cleared the jump but the buggy got stuck,” she wrote.

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“About a hundred people witnessed the accident. No bystanders were hurt and Blanko (the horse) seems fine and not injured.”

This wasn’t the first incident.

In the summer, many animal activists came down hard on the city for allowing horses to work in extreme heat conditions.

READ MORE: Vaudreuil horse rescue fundraising to continue care

Photos of a horse lying on the ground, struggling to get up, saw quick condemnation on social media.

For years, animal lovers have questioned whether calèches are safe for horses.

READ MORE: Montreal calèche kingpin defends against allegations of animal mistreatment

Some said horses dragging tourists through streets full of traffic and cars is inhumane.

READ MORE: Calèche horses in good health, says report

Coderre had said he would launch a debate on the role of horse-drawn carriages in the city, but Projet Montreal insisted nothing has been done.

The opposition said Montrealers should decide whether calèches belong in stables or on the streets.