Sylvie Rochette

Sylvie Rochette has battled against precariousness and poverty in Montreal for almost 25 years. She is the co-founder and executive director of Regroupement Partage, an organization that produces its own organic vegetables to assist underprivileged families, and unites and supports the Magasins-Partage stores.

Under her leadership, the Magasins-Partage mutual assistance network has grown from 15 to 31 institutions and extended its reach across 17 Montréal boroughs. Twice a year, at Christmas and back-to-school time, these community groceries offer underprivileged people food, backpacks and assorted school supplies.

In 2015, Sylvie Rochette initiated an urban agriculture project Cultiver l’Espoir, now the largest of its kind in Canada. Previously untapped agricultural lands on the Island of Montreal now produce organic vegetables that contribute to feeding 60,000 disadvantaged families. Since its founding in 1997, the organization has handed over $13.5 million in food and consumer products to more than 500,000 Montrealers.

The picture and biographical information appearing on this page were current at the time this person was admitted to the Ordre de Montréal.