Peterborough’s Canada Day celebrations could look a little different this year. A report presented to the Council by the Commissioner of Community Services has revealed that the Canada Day Parade, once a cornerstone of the festivities, has become financially unsustainable.
Officials say that over the past five years, the parade has seen a steady decline in float entries, attributed to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, worsening climate conditions, dwindling community interest, and rising costs associated with parade logistics and individual float insurance premiums.
The report indicates that in 2019, the parade boasted 56 floats, whereas last year’s parade had only 25 floats and lasted just 25 minutes. The cancellation of the parade in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic only worsened the situation.
Mindful of the escalating costs and diminishing returns, City officials made the difficult decision to recommend forgoing the parade. With a budgeted cost of $20,000 for the parade in 2024, and minimal cost recovery of approximately $1,000 per year, the financial implications were too significant to ignore. By reallocating these funds to other Canada Day events, the city is aiming to maximize its resources and provide a more diverse array of activities for residents to enjoy.
In place of the parade, residents can look forward to a mid-morning family-friendly gathering at Millennium Park, an afternoon music show and entertainment at Del Crary Park, and an evening fireworks display following the scheduled Musicfest concert.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
