Montreal, May 30, 2025 – In a warm and festive atmosphere, the 2025 Prix des libraires du Québec awards ceremony took place on May 29 at the Cabaret Lion d’Or. Hosted with charm and camaraderie by Audrey Martel and Philippe Fortin, the event brought together authors, booksellers, publishers, and literary partners to celebrate the most impactful books of the past year.
The Conseil des arts de Montréal is proud to once again present the Prix des libraires – Essay Category, accompanied by a $5,000 grant, to a work that powerfully embodies literature’s mission: to illuminate the grey areas of our society, to promote critical thinking, and to transform how we see the world.
The 2025 laureate in the Essay category is Simon Paré-Poupart, for his book Ordures! : Journal d’un vidangeur, published by Lux éditeur.
In this striking essay, the author immerses us in the often-invisible world of sanitation workers. With disarming clarity and deep humanity, he recounts the daily lives of those who collect what we prefer to forget. It’s a book that smells of sweat, metal, and garbage juice — but it overflows with dignity.
As Radjoul Mouhamadou, bookseller at Librairie La Liberté, so eloquently put it:
“Some books graft new eyes onto you. After closing them, you no longer see the world the same way. Suddenly, everything becomes brighter. What was always visible, right before your eyes, now appears with a new brilliance. Ordures! : Journal d’un vidangeur achieves this feat brilliantly!”
The Conseil des arts de Montréal warmly congratulates Simon Paré-Poupart for this essential work and extends heartfelt thanks to booksellers for their vital role in connecting stories, ideas, and readers.
