Canadian Tulip Festival exec concerned over budding Ottawa Tourism proposal

Each May, more than one million tulips blanket the Ottawa region with hundreds of thousands of people taking in the Canadian Tulip Festival.

"What the poppy is to World War One, the tulip is to World War Two," said Canadian Tulip Festival executive director Jo Riding.

But the festival's future is now in question as Ottawa Tourism plans for what it’s calling 'Ottawa May in Bloom Festivities.'

"We are worried such significant amount of funds are going to a new start-up event as opposed to support for existing legacy," said Riding.

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The Canadian Tulip Festival is more than 70 years old.

Last year's event drew half a million people. Seeing the tulips in person is free, but to run an 11-day event typically costs $700,000. That money comes from all three levels of government. Riding says that money has been cut and the city is changing funding too.

"Our federal funding from Canadian Heritage was down 56 per cent," said Riding. "Our provincial funding down by over half."

The deadline for applications is Sept. 11. Ottawa Tourism plans to spend $600,000 over three years on a new flower festival. The intention is to offer additional reasons for people to travel to Ottawa at a time of year.

Riding is hoping to work with the winning bidder and she wants to stay true to the tulip festival's original mission.

"There's no gating here at Commissioners Park and there never will be, but we need is the funds to continue holding our free festival here," she said.