Latest news with #Runnals
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Celebration of Light fireworks show
People watch Team Nova Scotia during the Celebration of Light on July 26. (Courtesy: @celeboflight/Instagram) Judges have declared Team Nova Scotia the winner of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition, The Maritime province, represented by Fireworks FX, also took the People's Choice Award in this year's event, which was the first all-Canadian showcase in its 35-year history. In a news release, organizers said Team Nova Scotia's 'stunning, tightly choreographed performance' earned a score of 633 points, topping Team Yukon's 598 points and Team Quebec's 592 points. 'We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Fireworks FX team and Nova Scotia for their remarkable win,' said Paul Runnals, Celebration of Light executive producer, in a statement. Meanwhile, the long-running competition – which has suffered from unpredictable funding over the years – is once again facing an uncertain future. According to organizers, costs have increased more than 30 per cent since the COVID-19 pandemic, while government support has been shrinking. Organizers said the B.C. government is expected to slash funding from $250,000 this year to $100,000 next year, and the federal government, which provided $250,000 last year through its PacifiCan economic development agency, has not made any further commitments so far. 'Given these challenges, we can't confirm whether the event will return in 2026,' said Runnals, who is calling for a 'sustainable and predictable funding model.' 'We're hopeful we can sit down with private and government partners soon to discuss what that support could look like.' CTV News has reached out to B.C.'s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport for comment on the event's funding trouble. Police said there were no major safety incidents during this year's Celebration of Light, which was subject to heightened security following April's deadly Lapu-Lapu Day attack. A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in downtown Vancouver on the night of the first fireworks show, though authorities have not made any connection between his killing and the event.
Global News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Celebration of Light's funding woes a sign of trouble for arts and culture sector
The organizers of Vancouver's marquee summer fireworks display say funding challenges could see the event fizzle in years to come. The Honda Celebration of Light is set to put on its final display of the summer on Saturday, but executive producer Paul Runnals said it's not clear if organizers will be able to bring the event back. 'We have had a reduction of government funding at both levels, both provincially and federally. We lost federal funding altogether this year, and our provincial funding has been cut by 65 per cent going into next year, so combined, those two equal a $650,000 swing in government support for the event,' Paul Runnals said. At the same time, Runnals argues the event draws hundreds of thousands of people to the region, contributing $4 million to economic activity every year. The Celebration of Light is not alone. Other major public events in B.C. are reporting similar conditions. Story continues below advertisement The Vancouver Pride Parade this year was forced to shorten its route as it grapples with funding challenges. 1:50 Preparing for the Celebration of Light fireworks show Organizers of the Mission Folk Festival say there is growing demand every year for a shrinking pool of grant and sponsorship dollars. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'For the first time this year, we were informed by a grantor that our application was excellent, that we absolutely met the criteria of the grant, but there simply was not enough funding to fund all of the eligible applications,' artistic director Michelle Demers Shaevitz told Global News. 'We are seeing across the country funding cuts, grant changes, orgs that have traditionally funded the kind of programming we do are either changing their focus or their funders are changing their focus, and it all trickles down.' Making matters worse, the arts and culture sector is dealing with surging costs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Story continues below advertisement Along with the inflationary pressures being felt by all businesses, they're also on the hook for growing security costs, particularly in the wake of the Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day festival attack. 'We've seen cost escalations of 20 to 30 per cent coming out of COVID,' Runnals said. 'The reality is none of us have been able to make up that shortfall and these increased costs. We're not alone… I have talked to a number of other major events that are in the same boat as us, there is a real risk we are going to see multiple major events dropping off the calendar.' The federal government provides more than $300 million per year in arts and culture funding. Earlier this week, Ottawa announced $1.8 million in support for Montreal's Just for Laughs. The comedy festival went bankrupt last year, and has been mired in controversy over sexual assault allegations against its original founder. Some in B.C.'s festival world feel like the money isn't being doled out equally. 'The west does not get the same level of attention, in particular British Columbia,' Runnals said. 0:56 Crowds entertained by Snowbirds at Saturday's Celebration of Lights '(The Calgary) Stampede has definitely received quite a bit of money over the years, and obviously, back east there is quite a bit going around, but we seem to really struggle out here.' Story continues below advertisement Ottawa did provide $250,000 to the Festival of Lights for its 2024 season, and Runnals is hopeful the event will land back on Ottawa's radar. In the meantime, he said the hunt for sponsors and grant money comes at the cost of time that could be spent improving the event itself. In the meantime, he has a message for those holding the purse strings. 'I feel very strongly about the value these events, not just ours, any of these major events bring in terms of community and giving people things to look forward to … 98 per cent of the people who attend that event attend it for free,' Runnals said. 'We're not out there making millions of dollars, we are out there delivering an incredible experience to millions of people and generating a ton of jobs, a ton of economic impact and providing that sense of community … it boggles my mind some days we have to fight so hard to get the attention and support that we need.'
Vancouver Sun
19-07-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Fixes needed or this could be Vancouver's last Celebration of Light, producer warns
As producer Paul Runnals busily prepares for the weeklong Honda Celebration of Light fireworks festival, the largest public event in British Columbia, he faces a difficult reality: this could be the final year of the show. 'If we don't fix this, we won't have fireworks next year,' Runnals told Postmedia News. Soaring costs and the loss of public and private funding have pushed Vancouver's beloved summer tradition — and other major city events — to the brink. Public funding has taken a major hit in the past year, said Runnals. Provincial support for the fireworks festival is set to drop from $250,000 to $100,000 next year, while federal funding fell from $450,000 in 2023 to $250,000 last year and has been cut entirely for 2026. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The feds basically said, 'We're not going to give you any more, so don't bother asking,'' said Runnals. The annual Celebration of Light draws more than 1.5 million visitors and generates $40 million in economic activity for B.C., primarily through tourism and hospitality spending. Organizers warn that without new support, the festival may not return next year. The City of Vancouver covers police overtime, traffic control, and sanitation, an in-kind contribution valued at nearly $1 million a year. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim called the situation unacceptable. 'Senior levels of government withdrawing financial support to place additional burden on both the city and the event organizers is unacceptable,' Sim said. 'Losing the Celebration of Light is not an option.' Although the non-profit Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society oversees the $3 million event, it is produced by for-profit BrandLive. That structure disqualifies the festival from several federal arts and culture funding streams, including Canadian Heritage grants. To help close the gap, the society introduced ticketed, catered viewing areas in 2010. These generate roughly $1 million in gross revenue annually, but fall short of covering rising production costs. In a statement to Postmedia, B.C.'s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport said: 'Government is proud to support this event, and the funding provided reflects the growing demands on the ministry. 'We know this is a challenging time for many industries and our focus remains on making the best use of available resources to support economic growth while protecting core services people count on.' Postmedia reached out to the federal government, but did not receive a response by deadline. Other major Vancouver events, including the International Jazz Festival and Pride Parade, are also warning of cutbacks or cancellations amid inflation, sponsorship losses and uncertain public support. Organizers say that without renewed government and private-sector backing, these flagship public gatherings, which draw hundreds of thousands of residents and millions in tourism dollars to the city each year, are on shaky ground. 'Because the corporate world is nervous and holding onto their dollars or being very selective with them, I fear we're going to see a number of major events disappear in the city,' predicts Runnals. Organizers also worry that the arrival of FIFA 2026 could draw money and attention away from local events already struggling to survive. Yuri Fulmer, co-chair of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, said while local festivals grapple with reduced government funding, hundreds of millions are being spent by all three levels of government for the World Cup soccer event. The most recent budget estimate released for FIFA in Vancouver includes a combined $740 millions from municipal, provincial, and federal taxpayers. Organizers worry this major investment could divert public funds and corporate sponsorship away from Vancouver's established cultural events, putting their future at risk. 'The money to fund FIFA just doesn't come out of nowhere, it comes from slashing some things, definitely including arts and culture funding,' Fulmer said. Additionally, hosting the internationally renowned soccer competition at B.C. Place Stadium enforces a strict buffer zone. Known as a commercial exclusion zone, the restriction bars conflicting sponsor promotions within a set radius of FIFA venues. Nina Horvath, executive director of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, fears these restrictions could reduce sponsorship opportunities for next year's festival, which takes place during the same time. 'There are still a lot of unknowns about what accommodations we'll need to make for our event,' she said. Since 2022, Horvath said the festival has seen corporate sponsorship decline by 50 per cent, including the loss of its title sponsor. Support recovered modestly by 10 per cent this year, thanks to focused outreach efforts, while government funding has remained relatively stable. 'We've made some very tough choices along the way to ensure that we can be sustainable,' Horvath added, noting the festival has since adapted by reducing programming, which means fewer opportunities for artists and cultural workers. She's calling for incentives, like expanding community amenity agreements, the city fees paid by developers, to help attract more corporate sponsorship. Morgane Oger, secretary of the Vancouver Pride Society, told Postmedia last week that this year's parade is barely going ahead. Vancouver's Pride Parade, which draws hundreds of thousands downtown each summer, is also in jeopardy. Corporate sponsorship has dropped from $900,000 to $500,000, and provincial funding has fallen from $115,000 to just $45,000, Oger said. 'We're entering a period of debt tightening for governments and corporations,' she added. 'Festivals across the board are feeling the financial squeeze.' These steep losses threaten the parade's future, with organizers warning they may have to cancel next year's event without renewed support. sgrochowski@
