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Sustainable development

For a more sustainable FEQ

Because the Festival d'été de Québec dreams of thrilling festival-goers for many more years to come, the organization has implemented sustainable development initiatives, both on-site and year-round, thanks to the involvement of an interdepartmental green committee.

Governance
  • Obtained Biosphere Certification
  • Ongoing collaboration with Planetair since 2014
  • Promotion of our sustainability initiatives during the event and year-round (website, communications, publications, etc.)
  • Ongoing dialogue with food vendors to prioritize local products, and with all suppliers to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices within their organizations.
Environment
  • Working toward carbon balance since 2014 by offsetting part of the event’s GHG emissions through the purchase of Gold Standard carbon credits via Planetair
  • Collaboration with Stratzer Environmental Strategies
  • Installation of numerous garbage and recycling bins on-site, as well as the creation of a sorting center near the event grounds
  • Efforts to reduce the number of plastic cups in circulation by selling canned beverages (aluminum being 100% recyclable)
  • Creation and use of a machine that washes and decontaminates cans to recover pure recyclable materials
  • Installation of multiple water fountains across festival sites and encouragement for festivalgoers, employees, and suppliers to bring reusable water bottles
  • Pedestrian-friendly sites located in the heart of Québec City, encouraging walking and reducing festivalgoers’ carbon footprint
  • Provision of secure bicycle parking areas with the support of Desjardins and promotion of active transportation
  • Encouragement of sustainable transportation through collaborations with RTC and Allons Covoiturage
  • Reuse of construction materials, décor elements, and signage for site installations
  • Restoration of all festival sites to their original condition following the event (cleaning, waste collection, grass seeding, and shrub planting when required)
  • Diverse food offering that includes vegetarian and vegan options provided by local restaurateurs
  • Diversion of certain non-recyclable materials through Go Zéro, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill
  • Implementation of a cooking oil collection system
  • Protection of trees on festival sites: no cutting, fastening, anchoring, or screwing into trees
  • Reuse of former festival flags and banners (production of recycled pouches, fabric donations, etc.)
Social
  • All unclaimed lost and found items are donated to local organizations (YMCA since 2024)
  • Creation of the Effet Rassembleur initiative, supporting organizations that combat social isolation
  • Free access, with no pass required, to the Hydro-Québec Stage (Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale) and the Crave Stage (Place D’Youville), helping make culture accessible to all
  • Free admission for children aged 0 to 10 in General admission 
  • Baby Care Zone (breastfeeding and relaxation area) at Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale
  • Presentation of a series of family-oriented performances on weekends, in partnership with Le Lait, to encourage access for families
  • Accessible viewing areas for people with reduced mobility at all festival sites (in addition to cable ramps, access ramps, and adapted washrooms)
  • Modification of water fountains to improve accessibility for people with reduced mobility since 2025
  • Collaboration and consultation with the Kéroul team regarding event plans and procedure
  • Implementation of La BRIGADE, in collaboration with CALACS Québec and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, to ensure all festivalgoers can celebrate in a safe environment
  • Establishment of an Occupational Health and Safety Committee tasked with identifying health and safety risks for all employees
  • L'Espoir FEQ Award presented by the Government of Québec to encourage and support emerging musical talent.
Compensate for your carbon footprint!

Destination Québec City has created an awesome user-friendly tool to calculate and offset your carbon footprint related to your visit to the Festival d'été de Québec. Give it a try!

Measure my carbon footprint

Biosphere certified for 2026

Thanks to multiple efforts to offer an increasingly sustainable event, the FEQ has achieved the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and thus earned this distinction!

The Festival is also part of the first cohort of Destination Québec Cité, which aims to support businesses in transitioning to environmentally and community-friendly tourism.