(Montreal) “Political differences” convinced the organizer of Montreal’s Canada Day parade to cancel the event, at least for this year.
Nicholas Cowen issued a statement saying he was having a hard time securing permits and funding for the parade. He added that he had seen “increasing difficulty in obtaining blanket approval from the relevant government authorities since last year.”
He said that the previous year he had faced problems, including last-minute rule changes and demands that were almost impossible to meet. He had to hire 148 additional volunteers at the last minute.
The July 1 parade has been held since the late 1970s. It was canceled from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In other cities, organizers are considering how to celebrate Canada’s National Day due to increasing costs related to security and insurance. In addition, they are having more and more difficulty finding financing.
Other events remain on the schedule for July 1 in Montreal, including the traditional festivities at the Old Port.
