Peter Jeffery has been organizing his local Canada Day parade in East Hants, NS, for 25 years, but says rising costs and declining community support have slowed the event this year.
The parade usually goes from Elmsdale to Enfield, NS, where the festivities continue at the Lions Club, said Jeffery, the district chapter president.
“The parade itself requires a lot of planning and it costs quite a bit,” Jeffery said. “It has evolved over the years to what we had until just before COVID.”
Jeffery said financial aid has been declining for years and fewer volunteers have increased to help organize and conduct the event.
Jeffery said fireworks are the Lions Club of Canada’s largest spending day, at around $ 4,000. (Enfield, Elmsdale and Lions District Club / Facebook)
“He ended up with us trying to put things together,” he said, adding that federal government funding has not increased because the costs of celebrations, from fireworks to insurance, have risen dramatically.
A new federal funding requirement that guarantees the event will take place prompted Jeffery to disconnect the event last fall, he said.
Other cities, towns in the same place
Jeffery is not alone. Several cities and towns say rising costs and funding problems are making them rethink their parades.
In Montreal, there will be no Canada Day parade for the third year in a row. Canada Day celebrations will take place in the Old Port.
In Strathcona County, Alta., The Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce announced in May that the Canada Day parade would not take place as a result of rising costs for physical infrastructure, insurance and security obligations. .
Vancouver Port Authority Fraser will not have a parade or fireworks, citing “rising costs to safety and security, and to the entire event industry,” adding that it would focus on other events.
Banff, Alta., Made the decision to replace his parade with a day of activities and performances.
Some take a new approach
Last year, many cities opted to cancel Canada Day events following the discovery of unmarked graves on sites of former residential schools. While most events will resume this year, some cities, such as Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, Ontario, have opted to celebrate Canada Day with cultural programming instead of celebratory events such as parades and fireworks.
Halifax has partnered with the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Center and local artists to host the “Kana’ta-HFX Canada Day 2022,” which the city says will honor the indigenous community. The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo will host its Canada Day parade.
Jeffery said he hopes the Elmsdale-Enfield parade will kick off again next year.
“We don’t want to see this event die,” he said.
He said planning for next year’s event should begin in August to secure federal government funding.