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Montréal, January 7, 2026 — Équiterre is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Rotman as Executive Director of the organization. Prior to joining Équiterre, he served for eight years as Executive Director at The Depot Community Food Centre (formerly the NDG Food Depot), an organization widely recognized for its work addressing food insecurity in Montreal’s West end.
Daniel Rotman is taking over from Colleen Thorpe, who worked with the organization's Board of Directors to ensure a smooth transition after announcing her intention to move on in 2024. Having joined Équiterre in 2008, Colleen Thorpe held several leadership roles before being appointed Executive Director in 2019.
“Équiterre is very confident in this leadership transition. Colleen is passing the torch to Daniel after 17 years of committed and deeply human work, including nearly seven years as Executive Director. She’s leaving us a strong and resilient organization. Her leadership has helped build the solid foundation on which Daniel will continue to build,” said Isabelle Morin, Chair of Équiterre’s Board of Directors.
“After several months serving as Deputy Executive Director during the transition, Daniel is fully prepared to assume this strategic role. He has remarkable skills, vision, and capacity to address the challenges ahead.”
During the transition period, Daniel Rotman contributed significantly to the development of Équiterre’s new strategic plan, working with stakeholders to refine the organization’s vision moving forward.
A strong track record
With more than 15 years of experience, Daniel Rotman has worked alongside local and international communities, led non-profit organizations and social enterprises, and contributed to the development of collective solutions to systemic challenges, consistently placing environmental and social justice at the heart of his work.
Between 2019 and 2023, he led the transformation of The Depot Community Food Centre, enabling the organization to grow, strengthen its operational effectiveness, and rapidly adapt its services during the pandemic. During this period, he contributed to developing stronger partnerships, evolving intervention models, and increasing the organization’s impact within the community.
Daniel Rotman has also worked at the international level with the Sustainability for Resource Collectors Initiative (SRCI), the United Nations, and Innovations for Poverty Action, contributing to initiatives that support communities and promote more sustainable and inclusive approaches.
These experiences will help him lead Équiterre in a rapidly evolving context.
Important challenges ahead
“My number one priority is to ensure that Équiterre continues to strengthen its reputation as a leader and that it remains relevant in the face of the many challenges confronting the environmental movement,” said Daniel Rotman.
“The current context is particularly complex. Everything is changing extremely quickly—politically, socially, and technologically, and this environment can be challenging for organizations like ours. But it also represents an opportunity to rethink how we work. At Équiterre, we will continue to evolve our approach and develop creative solutions that improve the lives of Quebecers.”
Daniel Rotman will be working to align Équiterre more closely with other social movements that are working toward a more fair and environmentally responsible society.
He also intends to strengthen the internal culture so that audacity and experimentation guide the team, in order to build upon Équiterre’s position as one of the most influential environmental organizations in Quebec and Canada.
“Équiterre has a strong reputation and is recognized for its rigour and credibility. In the coming years, I would like for it to be known as well for its creativity, adaptability, and ability to think outside the box to challenge the status quo and accelerate change,” he concluded.
Équiterre's offices are located on Indigenous lands that have not been ceded by treaty, which we now call Montreal and Quebec City. We recognize that Indigenous peoples have protected their territories since immemorial times and have used their traditional knowledge to guard the lands and waters. We are grateful to live on these lands and are committed to continuing our efforts to protect them. Read more »
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