Drive For Smiles® Montreal Brings Dream Rides to Hundreds of Seriously Ill Children

Fourteenth annual event at Circuit Mont-Tremblant raises a record-breaking $900,000 for Starlight Children's Foundation® Canada

MONTREAL, June 25, 2026 /CNW/ - Childhood illness takes more than a child's health. It takes away precious moments that every family deserves to share. That's why Starlight Children's Foundation Canada's Drive For Smiles (D4S®) Montreal, presented by Groupe Gabriel, brings together extraordinary cars and an extraordinary community to create moments of joy, connection, and hope for families facing serious childhood illness.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Starlight Canada's signature automotive event returned for its 14th year, transforming Circuit Mont-Tremblant into a place where hundreds of seriously ill children and family members could leave their medical realities behind and simply make memories together.

As Canada's largest automotive charity fundraiser, D4S pairs seriously ill children and their families with volunteer drivers of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Porsches, and other extraordinary vehicles for professionally managed, safety-controlled laps around the track. This year, more than 70 exotic and luxury vehicles, alongside generous drivers from Quebec's automotive and philanthropic communities, came together to offer Starlight families a respite from treatments, appointments, and uncertainties.

"The smiles you see are about so much more than a ride in an exotic car," said Brian Bringolf, CEO of Starlight Canada. "They're about giving families a chance to put illness aside. Watching a child climb into a dream car, offering comfort to siblings whose lives have also been shaped by illness, and giving parents the simple gift of watching their children smile again reminds us why this event matters. Those moments of joy don't change a diagnosis, but they can change how a family gets through it."

Powered by volunteer driver fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and community support, the event achieved its greatest fundraising success to date, raising a record-breaking $900,000 for Starlight Canada. Funds raised will help ensure thousands more children can access Starlight Canada's hospital and outpatient programs that provide play, distraction, family experiences, and emotional support throughout their medical journey.

"One day of smiles from my children equals a thousand smiles for me," said Dominique, a Starlight parent whose nine-year-old son, Néhémie, lives with muscular dystrophy and other complex medical needs.

Since its inception in 2013, D4S has become one of Starlight Canada's largest fundraising initiatives, raising more than $5 million while creating more than 10,000 dream ride experiences over the years.

What began in Montreal has grown into a national movement, with D4S events now taking place in four Canadian cities: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Together, local automotive communities come together to share meaningful moments with over 1,000 children and family members each year.

D4S Montreal was made possible through the support of sponsors including Groupe Gabriel, The UPS Store Canada, Environmental 360 Solutions, Fuel It Refuelling, Lamb Auto, Sekure Payment Experts, Urban Art & Metal Works, Birdhouse Wingerie & Bar, B&C Service Centre, BFL CANADA, Chevrolet Buick GMC De LaSalle, Lamborghini Montreal, Lotus Montreal, Motorcarlease, POWERPLAY, Valnet Inc., and the Air Canada Foundation, as well as the many drivers, fundraising champions, donors, and community partners who contribute to the event's success each year.

About Starlight Children's Foundation® Canada

Starlight Children's Foundation Canada brightens the lives of seriously ill children and their families. For over 30 years, Starlight Canada has spread joy, laughter, and relief through in-hospital and out-of-hospital programs that provide distraction, comfort, and a sense of normalcy when it's needed most. Whether it's a once-in-a-lifetime wish, hospital gaming stations, or family events, Starlight Canada creates moments of happiness for children facing serious illness across the country.

Learn more at starlightcanada.org and follow @StarlightCanada on social media.

SOURCE Starlight Children's Foundation Canada

For more information, photo requests, or interview accommodations, please contact: Kristina Hopp, Starlight Children's Foundation Canada, p: 514-288-9474 ext. 2225, e: [email protected]