For nearly 30 years, Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy has been showcasing the Outaouais through pyromusical shows that bring people together, inspire wonder and create lasting memories. For our organization, sustainable development isn’t a box to check: it’s a deeply rooted culture. A way of thinking, creating and collaborating.
We are a small non-profit with four permanent employees, but a non-profit that dreams big. Bringing joy to the community. Welcoming people from here and elsewhere. Contributing to the vitality of our town. Offering an event that is accessible, inclusive, innovative and deeply responsible. That’s what drives us.
We are proud to carry this iconic Outaouais event forward and to keep growing it responsibly.
– Julie Moffatt
President and Chief Executive Officer
Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy
In 2024, we introduced a new requirement for the international firms presenting their shows: integrating a minimum percentage of green pyrotechnics into their creations. With Royal Pyrotechnie, our production partner, we push this proportion a little further every year. We went from 20% in 2023 to 25% in 2024, 30% in 2025 and 35% in 2026, with a target of 40% for our 30th anniversary in 2027. Each show also includes two sequences where the quantity of explosive material is capped, reducing detonations and smoke without taking anything away from the magic. After each show, we recover pyrotechnic components and inspect the shoreline, paying particular attention to cleaning the riverbanks and immediately retrieving floating debris from the barge, to maximize recycling and material recovery. And because we work with fireworks artists from around the world, this practice travels with them to other stages, and we hope it will inspire other events to follow suit.
Reducing our impact also comes down to how we launch the fireworks and power the site. We own the six barges used to launch the pieces and reuse them from one edition to the next. Launch mortars are recovered and reused for several shows, and we use Royal Pyrotechnie’s docks rather than acquiring and storing additional infrastructure. On the energy side, the entire land site is powered by the Canadian Museum of History’s hydroelectric grid, and our diesel refrigerated trucks have been replaced with electric units. Only one generator remains, on the launch barge, where no electrical connection is possible.
Choosing local is a reflex that guides all of our decisions. 71% of our suppliers are based within 100 km of the Les Grands Feux site. Beer sold on site comes exclusively from Gatineau’s four microbreweries (À La Dérive, 5e Baron, Brasserie du Bas-Canada and Gallicus), alongside Quebec businesses Romeo’s Gin and Kando. More than 32 chefs, producers and food trucks from the region make up our culinary offering, and our décor is designed and built locally, notably by L’Atelier collaboratif de l’Outaouais. These choices translate into approximately $6.4M in economic benefits and nearly 4,000 overnight stays in the Outaouais each edition.
For several years now, no plastic bottles have been sold on site: we offer recyclable cans instead, and drinking water stations, installed with the City of Gatineau, allow everyone to refill their reusable bottle. Compostable containers are required for all food trucks, and we favour second-hand dishware for our two culinary experiences, Taste the Sky and the Harvest Table. No tickets or programs are printed, everything is digital, and disposable plastic is decreasing year after year. We have even reduced the number of accreditations produced by nearly 48% in two years, each one reused for at least three editions. Finally, our décor and activations are also created from salvaged materials, such as old posters and upcycled thrift store furniture.
We are committed to offering an experience that is accessible, safe and enjoyable for all. That’s why our Accessibility Zone, dedicated to people with physical or sensory limitations, offers an exceptional view of the show and an accessible washroom, at a single rate of $21 with a free companion. The site also includes quiet zones for neurodivergent or noise-sensitive people, a dedicated breastfeeding area and a shuttle to make getting around easier. In 2026, 1,490 tickets were donated to community organizations for their beneficiaries, volunteers and fundraising activities, including 100 general admissions for our Chouchou Cause and 120 suite seats for newly arrived families, in collaboration with SITO.
These practices are built and improved with the right people around the table, including our accessibility committee, formed with Trait d’Union Outaouais. Finally, a trained security team and an on-site paramedic presence look out for everyone, in addition to our partnership with the Lueur program.
Since 2024, our Chouchou Cause program has shone a light on a regional organization making a difference in the community: Le Gîte Ami in 2024, Espoir Rosalie in 2025 and Le Boulev’Art de la Vallée in 2026. The chosen cause benefits from donations collected through our online ticketing and on the Les Grands Feux site, major partner visibility, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of our children’s book. Les Grands Feux’s food surplus never goes to waste: it is redistributed, among others, to a shelter for women experiencing domestic violence.
Our approach is based on the indicators of the Conseil québécois des événements écoresponsables, a harmonized model for all major events in Quebec. The data presented comes from verifiable sources, including Enviro Éduc-Action’s eco-responsibility reports, the origin and attendance study by an independent firm, and our internal data.
Behind every action, there’s a number confirming we’re heading in the right direction.
Waste diverted
from landfill
Green pyrotechnic
pieces used
Suppliers based
within 100 km
Generated in economic
benefits for the region
Single-use plastic bottles, utensils or dishes on site
Unused volunteer meals donated to Centre Mechtilde
Cans recycled
Local producers and chefs featured in our culinary offering
Our approach is also built with you. Want to join our accessibility committee, share an idea or a concern,
or simply learn more about our practices? Write to us at info@feux.qc.ca. We look forward to hearing from you!
