Laliberté's Foundation Winds Down

One Drop's 18-Year Run Comes to a Close

Laliberté created One Drop in 2007 with a focus on water access and sanitation around the world. The foundation ran for nearly two decades, becoming one of Canada's most high-profile philanthropic organizations. Its closure marks the end of a long chapter for the Quebec billionaire's charitable work, according to The Recorder.

The Board's decision did not come overnight. Spokesperson Anne Dongois said the transition has been "following months of reflection." The foundation will shift its model "over the coming months," she added, though no specific timeline was given for every step of the wind-down.

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More Than 25 Jobs Lost in the Shutdown

The layoffs will affect a little over 25 people. That is the full staff of the foundation. Once the transition is complete, no employees will remain dedicated to One Drop's operations, Montreal Gazette reported. The cuts make the closure total, not partial.

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Foundation's Values Said to Live On Despite Closure

Dongois said the wind-down does not erase what One Drop stood for. "While the operational structure of the Foundation is changing, the values that have influenced its work will continue to exist," she said, according to Cold Lake Sun.

It is not yet clear what form those values will take without staff or operations in place. No new organization or successor fund was announced. Laliberté himself has not made a public statement about the closure.

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Laliberté Built an Empire — and Then Lost It

Laliberté founded Cirque du Soleil in 1984 and built it into a global entertainment giant. He sold his majority stake in 2015. He has faced significant financial and legal troubles in the years since, including a 2020 drug trafficking charge in Hawaii, which was later resolved. The closure of One Drop adds another chapter to a turbulent stretch for the once-celebrated billionaire, according to County Market.

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