Several Pride organizations are asking the federal government to set up a fund they say will help the festivals continue to pay performing artists without letting their budgets get into the red.
Pride Toronto, Fierté Montréal and Vancouver Pride were in Ottawa to make the call, outlining an ask for $9 million spread out over three years, with $3 million provided annually.
“Government support for Pride strengthens Canadian image as an inclusive and welcoming country, positioning Canada as the leading destination for 2SLGBTQ+ tourism,” said Kojo Modeste, executive director of Pride Toronto.
The festivals’ representatives told reporters they currently receive about $1.5 million from the federal government for security funding. But this money is divided across festivals across the country and is focused on duty officers, private security and other tools to ensure safety.
The funding being asked for on Tuesday is separate, focused on rising infrastructure costs, bringing in talent and the pullback of corporate sponsors. The funding would be divided among approximately 200 Pride festivals from coast to coast.
“We are seeing our budgets are not stable, our funding are not stable,” said Callie Metler, executive director of Fierte Capital Pride in Ottawa. “So this is really just allowing us to focus on making sure we can continue to welcome a growing audience while not sacrificing things like paying artists and continuing to make sure those budget lines continue to stay where they’re at.”
Several Pride festivals have seen budget shortfalls in recent years, some coming close to $1 million due to sponsors pulling out of the festivals. Prior to its 2025 parade, Pride Toronto sounded the alarm over a $900,000 shortfall after sponsors like Google, Nissan and Clorox pulled their support.
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In Vancouver, the festival lost nearly half its sponsors in addition to some provincial and federal funding.
It was a similar case in Halifax last year. Halifax Pride said in a statement online that some longtime sponsors and past parade participants were no longer involved by the festival’s own choice and others stepped back for “reasons we weren’t told.”
Hoang told reporters on Tuesday that rising costs for operating the festivals and the funding needed for security, infrastructure and accessibility are causing a strain on organizers.
“Without the capacity or stable funding to absorb these costs, organizations are approaching a breaking point, forcing some significantly to rethink what Pride can look like moving forward,” Hoang said.
Modeste said investments in Pride festivals can also help local businesses, stressing that in the case of Pride Toronto, he’s heard from businesses in the area of Church and Wellesley streets receiving more than 50 per cent of their annual income during the festival. The majority of the festival events take place along these streets in Toronto.
It’s not just large-scale Pride festivals that would benefit from the funding, with Fierté Timmins noting they don’t get corporate sponsorships.
Julie Nobert-Demarchi said funding would help the festival, which also provides social supports to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, continue to help those who need it.
“Small Prides are made up of groups of volunteers that are putting their time and effort to creating a space of belonging for individuals,” she said. “We often see that that space is the first space that somebody ever feels safe in.”
Global News has reached out to the federal government for a response to the festivals’ request.
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