Pride festivals are seeking millions in new taxpayer funding, but the request is already facing backlash from Canadians online. Executives from Pride Toronto, Fierté Montréal, and Vancouver Pride asked the federal government on 24 March for C$3 million ($2.2 million/£1.6 million) a year in new public funding, citing corporate sponsorship losses tied to a backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes, CBC News reported.
The total request, C$9 million ($6.5 million/£4.9 million) over three years, would support roughly 200 festivals dealing with rising artist fees, and logistics costs driven up by inflation and US tariffs. It is separate from the C$1.5 million ($1.1 million/£810,000) Ottawa already allocates annually for Pride security.
