Latest news with #PrideToronto
CBC
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Cities across Canada are celebrating the final weekend of Pride 2025
Cities across the country are getting ready for the final weekend of Pride parades. Pride Toronto said this year's ceremonies are focused on the transgender and nonbinary community. Toronto's Pride celebration is the second largest in the world and attracts millions each year.
CBC
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
A quick guide to navigating Pride weekend in Toronto
Social Sharing Pride month's grand finale — the pride parade — is happening on Sunday. And as the final weekend of the month approaches, Toronto will be filled with events celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As the largest Pride celebration in the country, these events attract millions of visitors to the city every year. Pride Toronto says this year's ceremonies include a focus on the transgender and non-binary community, and that it's important to use Pride as a platform for visibility, education, and advocacy. This year's event also features a 99 per cent Canadian lineup of performers, organizers say. Here are some of the highlights in the city this weekend: Friday, June 27: Opening Night: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. TD Main Stage - Nathan Phillips Square - 100 Queen St. W. The weekend kicks off with opening night, and Pride Toronto says the celebration will include a lineup of some of the best 2SLGBTQI+ dance artists in the world. Sober Pride: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Paul Kane Parkette - 58 Wellesley St. E. This year, the festival says it's proud to host an event that embraces fun and celebration without substances. StreetFair: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. StreetFair is taking over Church Street from Bloor to Dundas and this year, and Pride Toronto says it's bigger than ever with more than 200 stalls. It's expected to include a carefully curated selection of unique shops, food and activities. Trans Rally and March: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Charles Street Riser (March Rally Point) - 620 Church St. Pride Toronto says this event offers a powerful space to honour trans, non-binary and two-spirit identities while raising awareness and advocating for trans human rights. According to the website, the day begins with the Trans Community Fair that showcases trans community groups, and closes off the night with the Trans Afterparty at the Community Stage. New Ho Queen // All In: Asian Pride: 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Mill Street Wellesley Stage - 15 Wellesley St. E. New Ho Queen is returning to Pride Toronto's Wellesley Stage for Asian Pride. Pride Toronto is encouraging people to come dance and celebrate queer Asian artistry, resilience and self-expression with local performers and DJs. WATCH | How this LTC home is celebrating Pride: How one long-term care home is celebrating Pride Month 3 days ago Duration 2:04 Saturday, June 28 Family Pride: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Church Street Public School - 83 Alexander St. Pride Toronto says Family Pride offers a vibrant environment where parents, caregivers and children under 12 can connect, play, and celebrate together. The weekend event is expected to be filled with live music, storytelling, arts and crafts and family-friendly entertainment, all designed to create a welcoming space for 2SLGBTQI+ families. Dyke Rally and March: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Charles Street Riser (March Rally Point) - 620 Church St. Pride Toronto says attendees can start the day with inspiring speeches, performances, and sign-making prior to the march. Starting at 2 p.m., attendees will march through the streets of Toronto. Youth Pride: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Church Street Public School - 83 Alexander St. Pride Toronto and the SOY Youth Advisory Committee are bringing back another year of showcasing youth excellence through singing, dancing and drag performances. Sunday, June 29: Pride Parade: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Rosedale Valley Rd. and Park Rd., west on Church St., south on Yonge St., to Nathan Phillips Square. Toronto's Pride parade kicks off at 2 p.m., with over 25,000 marchers and more than 250 groups expected to participate. Pride Toronto says the event isn't just a parade, but also a vibrant display of strength, pride and solidarity. Two-spirit and Indigenous Pride: 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Rogers Community Stage - 78 Gould St. Pride Toronto encourages attendees to come together with two-spirit community members for a gathering following the Pride Parade at its Community Stage. The event includes a two-spirit artist market and honours Indigenous culture and 2SLGBTQI+ identities through art, connection and celebration, organizers say. Closing night: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. TD Main Stage - Nathan Phillips Square - 100 Queen St. W. Pride Toronto says you can dance the afternoon away to house, disco and Pride bangers for closing night. DJs will be spinning the tunes to keep attendees moving and grooving all afternoon long. The City of Toronto also has its own list of events which can be found here.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
On Aug. 1, 1971, the first ever Pride picnic takes place at Hanlan's Point beach on the Toronto Islands. About 300 people attend the gathering organized by the Community Homophile Association of Toronto and Toronto Gay Action. Keep scrolling
Ten years later, following a series of police bathhouse raids targeting Toronto's queer community, the first Pride parade is held with approximately 1,500 people in attendance. By 1986, the number of Pride parade attendees grew to 10,000. Then 25,000 in 1989 … And 150,000 in 1993. Today, Toronto's Pride is among the biggest 2SLGBTQ+ events in the world. Organizers estimate more than a million people attend the weekend-long festival. But with corporations rolling back funding, can it stay that way? The Price of Pride by Ana Pereira and McKenna Hart June 26, 2025 The year is 1981 and the atmosphere at Grange Park in Toronto is joyous. It's a sunny afternoon, and the air is warm with chit-chat and disco hits blasting from speakers. There's food, a few face painters and countless balloons. Michael McGaraughty, then 19 years old, doesn't recall what he was wearing, or that it took place on June 28 — it was, after all, 44 years ago. 'There have been so many Sundays in June since then,' he said. But he does remember feeling like he was part of something much bigger than himself as he left the park with thousands of others and marched toward Yonge St. against police orders. Left: Michael McGaraughty, who participated in the very first Toronto Pride parade in 1981 / Giovanni Capriotti Right: February 1981, the night after Toronto police arrested about 300 people in raids on four bathhouses / Staff photo Toronto Star That Sunday went down in history as Toronto's first Pride parade. It was a political march following a series of police raids of Toronto bathhouses that year — but it was also meant to be a big celebration by and for the queer community. 'It was a really exciting time,' said McGaraughty, who eventually joined The Lesbian and Gay Pride Day Committee, now called Pride Toronto. 'You were on the verge of creating a better world for queer people in Canada.' More than 40 years later, Pride Toronto is in trouble. As anti-diversity sentiment spreads across North America, and with an economic crisis on the horizon, corporations have been reducing diversity commitments while suddenly cutting funding for Pride, which has grown exponentially since its inception with help from corporate sponsors. Total revenue includes cash and the value of in-kind goods and services. Pride Toronto's revenue has more than tripled since 2007 — the earliest year the Star could find audited financial statements for the organization. Last year, 64 per cent of Pride Toronto's revenue came from corporations, compared with just 30 per cent in 2007. At the same time, the share of other sources of revenue has decreased. Just weeks before the 2025 Pride parade, its organizers announced that the festival is facing a funding shortfall of $900,000 after Nissan Canada, Adidas, Google and Home Depot declined to sponsor it this year, while other companies reduced their contributions. Pride Toronto executive director Kojo Modeste maintains that all levels of government should increase support for the organization, since "they make the most gain out of Pride." "If we were to receive five per cent of the taxable revenue that we bring in, we would not need to rely on corporate sponsors, or anything like that, because it will be enough to fund the festival," said Modeste. Without a reliable source for most of the festival's funding, many people in the 2SLGBTQ+ community and allies are worried about its future. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Pride is the antidote to this moment of deep division,' said Tyler Boyce, executive director at the Enchanté Network, a group dedicated to supporting the business needs of 2SLGBTQ+ member organizations across Canada, including Pride Toronto. 'It's not just important to the community, but it's important to all Canadians.' 'Pride has been able to do something really special, and that's to show folks that no matter where you come from — your race, ability, skin colour, accent — you're welcome, and you're loved for exactly who you are.' 50,000 people from the LGBTQ community took part in the Pride parade on July 3, 1994 / Peter Power, Toronto Star Pride gets pricey Today, Pride happens over the entire weekend, and the city closes off several blocks around Yonge and Church Streets for hundreds of floats, street vendors and local artists. Millions of people attend the festival, which contributed more than $400 million to the GTA's economy last year, according to a report by research firms Ipsos and Prism Economic Analysis. At the same time, festival costs have skyrocketed since McGaraughty's time as a parade organizer, especially with more attendees gathering downtown, higher insurance rates and greater safety precautions post 9/11. He estimated the whole event cost less than $100,000 when he was co-chair of The Lesbian and Gay Pride Day Committee in 1997 ($181,000 adjusted for inflation). Pride Toronto's total expenses were nearly $9 million in 2024, compared with $1.5 million in 2007 ($2.1 million adjusted for inflation). Pride Toronto's expenses in 2024 *Occupancy, Insurance, Food and bev., Admin, etc. Source: Pride Toronto 2024 audited financial statement As costs went up, festival organizers grew their partnerships with corporate sponsors, who realized in the mid-2000s there was a business case for aligning with Pride. 'There was lots of research that started to come out — particularly in the 2000s and up to present day — which showed that brands that supported diversity and inclusion initiatives, including LGBTQ rights, were seen more favorably by consumers,' explained Scott Knox, founder of Toronto-based organization Pride in Advertising & Marketing. 'Therefore, it was a lucrative move by brands to step in with their marketing dollars to support the initiatives of the LGBTQ movement.' According to Pride Toronto's financial statements, support from corporations took off around the same time that Barack Obama was elected U.S. president, in spite of the economic challenges during the 2008 global financial crisis. Pride revenue sources over time Source: Pride Toronto audited financial statements (2008-2010) Many American firms changed their stance on diversity after the U.S. Supreme Court stopped colleges and universities from considering the race of students in admissions in 2023, according to Eddy Ng, professor of Equity and Inclusion in Business at Queen's University. Companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta started scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs — a move that became evident after U.S. President Donald Trump took office last year, solidifying fears of backlash. In recent months, Pride organizations in North America, including San Francisco, New York City, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C., have also been reporting corporate funding challenges. This trend then spilled into corporate Canada, said Ng. 'A lot of American firms that are operating here are trying to be consistent with their operations throughout.' But even Canadian companies might be discouraged from investing in diversity initiatives as a result, he added. 'It's a competitive move, right?' said Ng. Corporate leaders might think, ''If you're not spending it, why should I be spending it?' And hence you see more of this domino effect happening. And that, to me, is concerning.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The importance of Pride Pride Toronto's current funding struggles resurfaced a conversation among those in the 2SLGBTQ+ community on whether Pride should return to being primarily a political march without the involvement of corporations. To Monica Forrester, executive director of Trans Pride Toronto, growing corporate participation in Pride 'has taken away the fundamental reason why Pride exists.' 'Pride started as a form of resistance to the hate, violence and discrimination many community members faced in their lives and continue to face,' Forrester wrote in an email to the Star. 'We believe we need to go back to our roots and make it community-driven and protest for our basic human rights.' Two signs from Toronto Pride 2024 / Nick Lachance and Steve Russell, Toronto Star Others, including Boyce, the head of the Enchanté Network, believe Pride organizers should continue pairing with businesses while working toward diversifying funding sources — though he admits forging new partnerships won't happen overnight. 'I think we need to come back to the table and deepen our relationships with those who never left the table,' said Boyce. 'There's opportunity for funding to come from individual giving, philanthropic foundations, federal government, provincial government, municipal government, as well as corporations,' he added. 'Everybody should be playing a role and making sure that this festival happens.' Aside from adding hundreds of millions to Ontario's gross domestic product in 2024, Pride Toronto generated $194.3 million in tax revenue and directly supported the creation of more than 4,000 jobs, according to the report by Ipsos and Prism Economic Analysis. Economic impact of Pride Toronto vs other festivals in 2024 (Ontario GDP) Source: self-reported figures. Direct economic impact measures spending, including on goods and services, within a region as a result of the festival. Since the news of the sponsorship withdrawals earlier this year, the City of Toronto announced more than $2.5 million in grants for 64 Toronto festivals, including Pride, saying it wants to improve access to cultural experiences for residents and increase funding levels for cultural organizations. Local businesses have also stepped up as new sponsors, including The Ballroom Bowl, a chain of bowling alleys in downtown Toronto, and SEIU Healthcare, an Ontario union representing frontline healthcare workers. At the same time, Pride Toronto says it collected more than $14,000 from individual donors. Meanwhile, Toronto Centre MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam has introduced a private members' motion at Queen's Park calling for 'stable, predictable funding' for Pride and other festivals in a bid to draw attention from the provincial government to the issue. A spokesperson for Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, said in a statement that the provincial government has provided Pride Toronto with over $1.9 million since 2018, including $450,000 this year in direct grant funding, advertising space and sponsorships. But Pride isn't just a big party with large economic benefits. As the DEI backlash intensifies in the U.S., community events like Pride are perhaps more important than ever, said Boyce. "The country needs this moment as well," he said. "To have the largest Pride festival in Canada be strong and present and really send the message that, despite maybe a different conversation happening in the United States, those anti-2SLGBTQ+ sentiments are not welcome in Canada."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
WARMINGTON: Only in Canada would government alter its national flag to promote wokeness
Somebody should tell the government of Canada there is only one Canadian flag. Perhaps Premier Doug Ford can make the call. He and his Ontario government got it right with their massive, traditional Canadian flag attached with help of cranes to Queen's Park this week. That's how you do that. Maybe some inside the federal government need a lesson on what is a legal Canadian flag and what isn't. Regulations say it should be red on each end, white in the middle with a red maple leaf. Yet, for some reason on the @Canada X account with 1.1 million followers, a flag was posted with the red ends in rainbow colours which are synonymous with the Pride month of June. But this doesn't mention Pride. And Pride Toronto doesn't seem to know anything about it. This was not them. It appears it was somebody within Global Affairs Canada. 'In Canada we know that diversity is our strength and we love to celebrate it!' it says. 'This #BeingYouDay, let it be a reminder to be authentically yourself and celebrate all the things that make you, YOU!' Being You Day? What in the world is that? Well, click on the hashtag and it will take you to a site which explains 'International Being You Day, on June 22, invites you to celebrate being … you. It's time to ditch the self-judgment and have gratitude for yourself. Today we invite you to explore what it means to truly be YOU beyond the projections of society and the need for perfection. It's your day to discover and acknowledge the beauty of you and your unique capabilities. It's also an invitation to celebrate everyone's differences.' In this case it seems to celebrate desecrating Canada's flag. When I was in Afghanistan, I certainly didn't see the brave troops having alternative flags. They were proud of the one they were serving under. Needless to say, many Canadians didn't like this new version. 'I'm pretty sure the Canadian flag already represents this. They didn't have to desecrate our flag,' said Ryan Gerritsen William Vaughan Bedell wrote, 'Hey @Canada it is really inappropriate to deface the #MapleLeaf. It is incredible sad that the Gov't of Canada has such a lack of respect for our national flag.' So what does the @Canada account run by the federal government have to say about it? They haven't responded to requests for comment. 'Side note, they turned off their comments,' added Gerritsen. Prime Minister Mark Carney — who has certainly shown his love for Canada's traditions which included inviting the King for the throne speech and introducing the Canada Strong pass for the summer, plus by committing to rebuild Canada's proud military — may have to call his bureaucrats since he has been trying to bring Canada back in vogue himself from the leftover Trudeau staffers who seemed to hate the country. They didn't appear to get the memo. Canada is back and Canada does not have varying versions of its flag. Ford, meanwhile, has also been trying to signal this new time of patriotism – first by taking the wood covering away from Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and with this cool, new flag. 'With Canada Day just around the corner, we've unveiled a giant Canadian flag to mark the occasion on the front of Queen's Park,' Ford posted to X. 'Let's all come together to celebrate our incredible country: The true north, strong and free!' Sure there's big problems ahead and there should be debate on who's responsible and how to fix it. But there is no question there's still lots to celebrate. The Score gets it. They pointed out on X how the last three major sports championships had a Canadian being named the most outstanding player. 'OH CANADA! For the first time in history, the reigning MLB, NBA and NHL MVPs in the Finals and Playoffs are all Canadian! Willie Mays World Series MVP: Freddie Freeman Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NHL Conn Smythe Trophy: Sam Bennett.' In the case of Hamilton's Gilgeous-Alexander, he wrapped himself in the proper Canadian flag when he celebrated with Oklahoma City Thunder fans at their parade. It's nice to see because at many of the demonstrations in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, we often see flags from everywhere but Canada. Proud Canadian superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed it's not hard to display Canadian patriotism. The Canadian flag is the Canadian flag. It's iconic. Don't change it. Don't defile it. Celebrate it, as it is. jwarmington@ WARMINGTON: Saying he's 100% Canadian, The Great One leaves politics to politicians WARMINGTON: Sir John A. Macdonald will soon be freed from his wooden encasement
CTV News
18-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Pride Toronto's $900K shortfall sparks NDP call for ‘stable' and ‘predictable' funding
With Pride Toronto facing a $900,000 deficit and warning next year's event could look drastically different, Ontario's New Democrats are urging the province to step up their financial commitment. 'The provincial government has largely left arts and culture funding the same since 2009,' Toronto Centre MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam, told CTV News Toronto. 'It hasn't kept up with the rate of inflation and any funding that the government says that they have infused is largely related to COVID activity, which was one-time funding.' The Ontario NDP says it has introduced a motion in legislature that calls for 'stable' and 'predictable' funding for major cultural events such as Pride Toronto, which they say generates enormous economic returns. While Pride Toronto has dominated headlines in recent weeks, Wong-Tam says it's part of a wider crisis stemming from over a decade of flat funding for Ontario's $26-billion arts and culture sector, which employs 270,000 people. 'Organizations like Pride Toronto, plus all the other major festivals in Ontario, have been struggling to gain access to provincial funding,' they said. 'What that means is that they are so much more reliant on corporate partnerships and what we've seen is that corporate partnerships can be fickle.' 'Not asking for a handout' In a press conference held last week, Pride Toronto Executive Director Kojo Modeste confirmed losses from organizations such as Google, Home Depot, Nissan and Clorox — some of whom, he says, already committed to participate in this year's events. He says the loss, combined with soaring costs and security expenses, pushed the festival's projected shortfall to nearly $1 million, straining their $5-million budget. 'We are not asking for a handout; we are asking for our fair share of the pie,' Modeste said, noting that Pride generates $200 million in taxable revenue. 'As we face our current challenge, we're not asking for much, we're asking for less than one per cent of the taxable revenue we bring in annually.' Some governments have already answered the call. The City of Toronto increased its annual funding by 35 per cent to $350,000 this year. However, Modeste said there's been little movement from Queen's Park or Ottawa. Insurance costs alone have jumped nearly 200 per cent since 2022, and Modeste told CTV that they now spend over $425,000 on security annually. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming wrote to CTV News Toronto suggesting that they have already provided funding to Pride Toronto this year. 'This year our government is providing Pride Toronto with over $450,000 including advertising space and sponsorships, which includes $335,000 in direct grant funding from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming – part of the over $1.9 million we have provided directly to the organization since 2018," they wrote in an email. 'In addition to funding for Pride Toronto, our government provides support to eight other 2SLGBTQIA+ events across the province.' More than just emergency relief The motion introduced by the NDP is about more than just emergency relief, Wong-Tam explains — it's about rethinking how Ontario supports a major employer and economic driver. 'Whether it's through the collection of tax revenues or the employment of people, arts and culture does a lot to hit above its weight, to foster tourism and to promote social cohesion and the economy.' Wong-Tam added that festivals like Pride not only activate public space but also contribute to Ontario's brand as a vibrant, inclusive destination — something that both the Conservative and previous Liberal governments haven't made a priority. 'I would say that the Government of Ontario has very little relationship with a juggernaut like Pride Toronto,' they said. According to Ontario Art Council, their share of government's budget stands at just $60 million, adding that 'OAC's base budget has been mostly at this level since 2009.' 'Perfect time for Canadian corporations' Without stable government backing, Wong-Tam warns Ontario risks undermining years of both cultural and economic progress. 'Would you rather reduce the GDP by $26 billion annually? Would you rather see the unemployment lines go up?' they said. 'If their answer is yes, then they're not civic-minded people.' Wong-Tam points to Quebec as a model, where provincial funding is more robust and integrated into long-term cultural planning. 'Can you imagine what we would have in Toronto and Ontario if governments stepped up with a strategic plan to infuse money into these festivals that hire hundreds of thousands of people in Ontario?' For now, the motion has not been scheduled for debate. But Wong-Tam said the urgency is growing. 'This is the perfect time for Canadian corporations to step up if they can,' they said.
