Montreal’s anti-radicalization centre rebrands in response to shifting mandate

MONTREAL — More than 10 years after it opened to great fanfare, Montreal’s anti-radicalization centre is getting a new name and focus to meet realities of a target population that is increasingly younger and more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and misogynist ideology.

The Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence is rebranding to Villes sans violence in order to adopt what it calls a “more inclusive, positive, and unifying stance,” as well as better reflect an evolving mandate.

Scientific director Dave Poitras said the centre opened in late 2015 amid concerns over young Quebecers leaving to join the Islamic State, and over attacks in Ottawa and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., that were inspired by the terror group.

While those concerns haven’t evaporated, Poitras says the centre’s focus has shifted in recent years, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in conspiracy theories, disinformation, and hateful discourse directed at LGBTQ+ people and women, among others.

“It’s not that ethno-nationalist and ethno-religious issues are no longer present,” he said. “They’re clearly still present, but they’re accompanied by other dimensions related to radicalization and hateful behaviour.”

Today, Poitras says the fastest-growing area of concern is misogynist and anti-feminist discourse, spurred in part by so-called masculinist podcasters and YouTube influencers.

The age of people needing intervention is also much lower than it used to be, he said.

“A few years ago, we were always talking about young adults, later teens,” he said. “Today it can be 12- or 14-year-olds.”

Poitras says the centre continues to work with families who have concerns about their loved ones, and provides education and resources and carries out research on radicalization, violence prevention and hate. With younger people, he says, it’s especially important to get parents on board.

The centre drew headlines when it opened and its offices received a stream of high-profile visitors such as then-UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon.

Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who oversaw the centre’s opening, describes the institution as one of his most important legacies. He said in a phone interview that the centre provided an important resource for families who were worried about their loved ones’ behaviour but didn’t feel comfortable going to the police.

Coderre says he doesn’t mind a name change, as long as the centre’s mission remains unchanged, but warns against moving away from a model that he said was both successful and internationally acclaimed.

“I’m not there now. They do what they want because it’s their cup of tea,” he said. “But my coffee was strong enough to be served everywhere.”

Over the years, the centre’s star has dimmed somewhat, following periods of organizational turbulence and questions on whether governments would continue to fund it.

Roselyne Mavungu, Villes sans violence’s executive director, says the centre’s funding sources are stable, but its budget hasn’t changed since 2019.

From an initial focus on radicalization, Mavungu said the centre expanded in 2017 to include preventing hateful acts. In 2023, it added prevention of armed violence to its core mission.

“What we’re seeing more and more of right now … is the rise of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and the growing issues surrounding social isolation and psychological distress,” she said.

Léa Clermont-Dion, a post-doctoral research associate at Concordia University who studies cyberviolence against women, says the centre’s new name is a good idea because it “more broadly encompasses violence prevention measures that do not lead to radicalization.”

She says misogynist rhetoric, in particular, has been rising as part of a backlash to the #MeToo movement — which encouraged victims of sexual assault to speak out — and is amplified by masculinist influencers and a lack of moderation on social media.

She said institutions like the centre can help, but notes that misogyny is a specific issue requiring people with specialized expertise. She also believes governments need to do more to prevent violence, beyond funding the centre, including working with experts to develop educational action plans.

While the centre has gone through many changes, Mavungu says it will continue its core mission of educating and intervening to stop violence before it happens, under a model she calls “prevention first, prevention still, prevention always.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2026.

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press