Barrhaven Canada Day event facing $15,000 financial shortfall
The future of one of Ottawa's largest volunteer-run Canada Day celebrations hangs in the balance as it grapples with cuts to grants from all three levels of government.
The July 1 event in Barrhaven is not alone. In recent years, many other festivals have faced similar funding setbacks.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
In less than two months, Clarke Fields Park in Barrhaven will be transformed into a red and white carnival for a fun-filled Canada Day with rides, games, food, and live entertainment, all organized by volunteers led by Darrell Bartraw.
"There's not a day that passes that I and my team are not doing something for Canada Day," he said.
Funding slashed
This year, however, the longstanding Canada Day event is faced with a significant financial blow after a federal grant was slashed by 30 per cent and two others — one from the province and one from the City of Ottawa — were nixed. The event finds itself short $15,000 in a time when costs like insurance, security and services have soared.
The Canadian Heritage Grant program, from which the organizers typically receive $14,000, only granted $10,000 this year. Bartraw says hopes for additional support from the City of Ottawa Civic Funding Grant program were dashed when the committee received zero funding despite requesting $3,000.
Compounding their financial woes, changes to the Province of Ontario's Experience Ontario program presented another setback. In 2023, the committee received a substantial $52,500 grant from the program. A recent rule change, however, capped the maximum allowable grant at $20,000, leaving the organizers empty-handed despite their application for the full amount.
"And then we lost a major stage sponsor," said Bartraw. "We're at, like, $160,000 to run an event of this size. We've had some emergency meetings and we had to decide what stays and what doesn't stay. And we've had to cut back in a number of areas."
Cutting back
Bartraw says the event has had to cut back on a few things.
"We've had to cut back on our entertainment this year and we've had to drastically cut back on who we are bringing in to save us a few thousand dollars," says Bartraw. "The event is still going to be for the people coming here an amazing show for all ages."
Area MPP Lisa McLeod calls the Canada Day event a Barrhaven staple and says she has contacted the premier's office to see how the province can help.
In recent years, other festivals like the Canadian Tulip Festival and Jazzfest have seen funding slashed.
"Unfortunately, I think that's the reality for many of the festivals that we have and the activities that are so important to our community," said Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill.
"I'm going to be out there volunteering as well, flipping pancakes and, and helping to make it a good time as best we can."
Bartraw says with the help of the many dedicated community sponsors, a GoFundMe, and an upcoming comedy show at the Waterford Grand Retirement Residence, the Barrhaven festival might be able to recover.
"This will still be a great show and we're very excited to bring back our midway, our main stage, our kids zone, and our seniors breakfast that we do every year, which is free for all the seniors," says Bartraw. "We just hope we can continue to do what we've been doing for 42 years and just have the best Canada Day celebration we can for the people of Barrhaven."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Canadian convicted of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.