The federal government will be providing $1.5 million to Pride organizations to help offset additional security costs, with the news coming less than two weeks after Toronto Pride said that it was considering cutting some of its programming amid a cash crunch.
CTV News has learned that Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien will be announcing the new pool of money at an event in Ottawa later today.
The one-time funding will be provided to Fierté Canada Pride, which will in turn distribute it to local organizers who apply for assistance.
Sources tell CTV News that large Pride events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver will have access to about half of the funding - $750,000 – while the rest will be divvied up to smaller and medium-sized events.
The potential money will likely come as a relief to Pride Toronto organizers.
The festival’s executive director Sherwin Modeste told CP24 last month that Pride Toronto’s security costs had jumped from $62,000 to $185,000, in part due to some additional programming at Nathan Phillips Square. He also said that the insurance costs to put on the event had risen from $67,000 to approximately $270,000, something he described as a “shock.”
“This is a festival that relies 95 per cent on sponsorship,” he said at the time. “We strongly believe it is the responsibility of all three levels of government to come together and support, and provide safety and security for all of its citizens.”
Fierté Canada Pride to, which represents Canadian Pride organizations, had previously asked the federal government for the $1.5 million in “emergency” funding to help cover increased security costs related to a a rise in anti-LGBTQ2S+ hate, violence, and threats on May 15.
The funding is coming from an an equality-focused program within Ien's department.
With files from CTV News's Rachel Aiello
