MONTREAL — Organizers of Montreal’s Canada Day Parade are canceling this year’s event, blaming red tape and politics.
Nicholas Cowen said in a news release that as of last year, it had become increasingly difficult to secure permits, funding and approvals from government authorities.
“Despite respecting all of the terms presented, Cohen was faced with last-minute rule changes that made it virtually impossible for the parade to go ahead,” a statement on the parade’s website dated June 19. “Division has thwarted an event that was meant to promote unity.”
Cowen said he was forced to fill out the same paperwork multiple times and completely rearrange the event to meet officials’ demands in 2023. He also said he was instructed at the last minute to find 148 volunteers to ensure that even one person would stand next to the tires of the parade vehicles.
“Imagine being stuck in traffic and needing four people, one for each tire, to keep you from being thrown under the wheel of a regular car,” he writes.
He also said the federal government “has requested the complete removal of parts of the parade,” including the cake served at the end of the march. “The parade’s budget has also been cut to 2013 levels, dealing another devastating blow to this cherished event,” he wrote.
The Federal Minister for Culture and Heritage’s office said in a statement that organisers were not responsible for the cancellation as they had not applied for funding this year.
“The government will continue to support Canada Day celebrations as they apply for funding through government programs, because we know that communities are enriched when these celebrations foster greater connections,” spokesperson Ariane Joazar Belizard said in an email. “We are in regular contact with the organization to support them.”
Joazar Belizard said the federal government is supporting a number of Canada Day celebrations in Montreal, including the main event in the Old Port, “despite the unfortunate cancellation of the group’s planned parade.”
The City of Montreal did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
The parade has been held since the late 1970s but was canceled from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The news comes as organizers in some cities have reconsidered holding celebrations in recent years due to difficulties securing funding, as well as rising costs for security and insurance.
Cowen told The Canadian Press in 2022 that the event was canceled due to COVID-19, but he also was struggling to cover rising costs as federal funding has not kept up with inflation.
Other Canada Day events will take place in Montreal on July 1, including the traditional celebration in the Old Port with games, face painting, cupcakes and music.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2024.
Morgan Lawrie, The Canadian Press
