On September 8, 2026, the City of Montreal and the Montreal Firefighters Association announced that they had signed a principle agreement to end a long‑standing collective‑bargaining dispute. The agreement follows more than two years without a valid collective contract, after the previous agreement lapsed on January 1, 2024.
The signing marks the conclusion of extended negotiations that began shortly after the contract expiration. Throughout 2024 and 2025, both parties engaged in a series of talks aimed at restoring a formal labor framework for the city’s fire service. The lack of a standing contract had left the firefighters operating under an interim arrangement while municipal officials worked to reach a new accord.
City officials described the principle agreement as a pivotal step toward restoring stability for the fire department and the broader municipal workforce. The Montreal Firefighters Association welcomed the development, noting that the accord provides a foundation for a full contract to be negotiated in the coming weeks.
While the details of the forthcoming contract have not been disclosed, the principle agreement is intended to address the core issues that have driven the prolonged negotiations. Both sides indicated that the document will serve as a roadmap for finalizing salary, benefits, work conditions, and other essential elements of employment for the city’s firefighters.
The resolution of the dispute comes after more than two years of uncertainty for the fire service, during which the municipality continued to rely on existing emergency response capabilities. With the principle agreement in place, the city and the union now have a clear framework to move forward and finalize a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement.
The signing ceremony took place in Montreal, Quebec, and signals the end of a period of labor tension that began with the contract’s expiration at the start of 2024.