Montreal sex workers strike during F1 Grand Prix weekend over bar fees

The Sex Work Autonomous Committee (SWAC) announced a city‑wide strike of strippers and massage‑parlour workers for Saturday, May 23, timed to the Montreal Formula 1 Grand Prix. The action targets clubs during the event’s most lucrative period, aiming to pressure owners who charge a nightly “bar fee” – a cost that can exceed $100 per dancer and total tens of thousands of dollars in fees each weekend.

SWAC’s demands go beyond fee elimination. They call for formal employee status for dancers, granting sick‑leave, workplace‑safety protections and access to Quebec’s labour board, and they urge the federal government to fully decriminalise sex work in Canada. Organisers note that the current contractor model forces workers to pay to work, often leaving them in debt, especially when clubs over‑book staff without adding security, which they say heightens violence.

The strike follows a similar threat announced for the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, signalling a continuing campaign to improve conditions for sex‑industry workers in Montreal.