The federal government will be providing $1.5 million to Pride organizations across the country for increased security measures at parades and other events this year, CTV News has learned.
The funding, to be announced by Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien later today, is being provided to
Fierté Canada Pride to distribute to local event organizers who apply for assistance.
The federal government will be providing up to $1.5 million to Pride organizations across the country for increased security measures at parades and other events this year, as advocates call for all political parties to take part.
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Among the measures the organization said are costing more for the 2023 Pride season: security and police services, volunteer training, insurance premiums, and emergency planning materials.
This funding will go towards expenses related to:
Vehicle and crowd control;
Barricades and fencing;
Municipal emergency service costs;
Paid-duty police or private security;
Training for staff and volunteers; and
Safety gear such as high-visibility vests and radios.
This one-time emergency funding allocation will be coming from
an equality-focused program within Ien's department, and fits into the federal government's LGBTQ2S+ "Action Plan"
unveiled last August.
In just the last few months, protests at drag brunches and drag story-time events across Canada have resulted in
clashes between participants and protesters, some requiring police intervention, while other events have had to be
cancelled or postponed due to security concerns sparked by violent threats.