Capital Pride gets federal money for security
Capital Pride will be receiving money from the federal government to cover costs of added security measures at this year's Pride parade and other events.
The federal government will be providing up to $1.5 million to Pride organizations across the country for increased security measures this year.
As first reported by CTV News, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien confirmed the funding plan during an event across the street from Parliament Hill on Monday.
The money is being provided to Fierté Canada Pride to distribute to local event organizers who apply for assistance.
Capital Pride organizers say up to $50,000 of that money will go towards pride events in Ottawa.
"We are taking steps now to make sure that our event can go off safely and that folks are able to come celebrate proudly in the environment where they're safe and welcome," says Capital Pride Executive Director Toby Whitfield.
The recent backlash involving LGBTQ2S+ rights is of concern to Pride parade organizers everywhere.
"Unfortunately, we've seen a real rise in anti-2SLGBQT hate, here in Ottawa and all across the country," Whitfield says. "Recently, at our Winter Pride programming, we saw some of our family pride programming targeted with protesters trying to interrupt events and interfere with or programming."
Whitfield says preparations for this year's festival are already underway.
"A big part of work will be training volunteers," he says. "Of course, we'll also be investing in some physical infrastructure – barricades and that sort of thing, and then also safety personnel – so security, emergency services."
The annual Capital Pride Parade is held in August.
In mid-May, the national association of Canadian Pride organizations sent the federal government an "emergency funding proposal" asking for $1.5 million to help cover increased safety and security costs, stemming from concerns over a rise in anti-LGBTQ2S+ hate, violence, and threats.
"Our government will not stand by while hate and violence seek to reverse decades of progress," Ien said, joined by Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault as well as Pride organizers and community advocates.
In a press release, Capital Pride say they welcome the funding from the federal government,
"Capital Pride welcomes today's announcement that the federal government will provide support to Fierté Canada Pride to establish an emergency safety fund for pride festivals across the country," the statement says.
"Today's announcement supports an immediate response to rising hate but we also know that this work will continue beyond this year's festival. Capital Pride will continue to work with partners across the country but we also look to all levels of government to play a role in combatting rising hate because no one should face hate for who they are, for their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."
--With files from CTVnews.ca's Rachel Aiello
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III will return to public duties on Tuesday when he visits a cancer treatment charity, beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch’s own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.
A group of Toronto tenants have been on a rent strike for a year and say there's no resolution in sight
Dozens of tenants in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park area have now been withholding their rent for one year, and it’s unclear when the dispute will end.
U.K. police arrest man wielding a sword in east London, 5 people are taken to the hospital
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers on Tuesday in the east London community of Hainault before being arrested, police said.
Archeologists search for remnants of Halifax's 250-year-old wall that surrounded the city
Archeologist Jonathan Fowler is using ground-penetrating radar to search for historic evidence of the massive wall that surrounded Halifax more than 250 years ago.