Montreal has decided to stop fluoridating drinking water in six West Island suburbs, following a citizen petition initiated by a college student who claims support from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The city council's vote Thursday came despite opposition from public health officials who endorse fluoridation as a proven method to reduce tooth decay, CBC reported.
Concordia University student Ray Coelho spearheaded the campaign, bolstered, he says, by support from Kennedy. "He gave me moral support, which is good," Coelho told CBC, claiming that he has spoken with Kennedy a few times and received a message of congratulations upon news of the city's plan.
Kennedy, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for health secretary, has vocally opposed fluoridation, calling fluoride an "industrial waste."
Montreal's water department recommended ending fluoridation, citing costs and a "citizen petition" in a March 2024 report. Critics, including affected suburban mayors, condemned the decision as undemocratic and influenced by conspiracy theories.
"I really question what type of due diligence Montreal does when they receive petitions," Heidi Ektvedt, mayor of one of the six affected suburbs, told CBC. "What's going on in the United States should not creep into decision-making in our country."
Public health director Dr. Mylène Drouin reiterated her support for island-wide fluoridation, emphasizing its benefits for low-income families.
The move aligns Montreal with most of Quebec, where only one municipality still fluoridates its water.
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