The streets of Toronto were filled with music, colour and rainbows as thousands of people took part in the annual Pride parade on Sunday.
The parade kicked off at 2 p.m., with more than 25,000 marchers making their way from the Rosedale neighbourhood through the downtown core to Nathan Phillips Square.
Toronto’s event is Canada’s largest Pride celebration in the country, attracting millions of visitors every year.
Andrew Welch said he’s been going to Pride Toronto for more than 25 years.
“We’ve been going to Pride for many years now, and the sense of community and the celebration are still here, even with the things happening around the world, so I’m really happy to see things haven’t changed,” he told CBC News on Sunday.
Pride Toronto says this year’s ceremonies feature a 99 per cent Canadian lineup of performers and include a focus on the transgender and non-binary community.
Anishnawbe Health Toronto led Sunday’s parade with a colourful hand-painted float and group of dancers, drummers and DJs.
Participant Cheryl Trudeau said the group was there “to show that we are open and accepting, that all of our members are part of our community.”
“And we want to represent the ‘2S’ in the LGBTQ2S+,” added Enya Pinesse, also walking with the group, referring to the Indigenous two-spirit identity.
Toronto’s yearly Pride parade kicked off this weekend. 2SLGBTQ+ attendees say it’s nice to see people from across Canada come to Toronto to ‘celebrate our lives and who we love.’
Ismael Mendoza wore a Mexican-inspired costume to represent his Mexican roots at Sunday’s parade.
“As a Latino person, we come to live in this country because we feel safe, so showing what we are and what we do means a lot,” he told CBC News.
This year’s Pride Toronto theme, “All In,” is meant to celebrate the city and reflect the core values of Canadians, organizers say. Its executive director said the event sends an important message.
“What it does is bring together the community and our allies to celebrate, but at the same time, to send a message that there are still many 2SLGBTQ+ members across the globe who are still fighting for their rights,” Kojo Modeste said in an interview.
Cities across the country are getting ready for the final weekend of Pride parades. Pride Toronto said this year’s ceremonies are focused on the transgender and nonbinary community. Toronto’s Pride celebration is the second largest in the world and attracts millions each year.
According to data from Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes targeting sexual orientation, sex and gender increased each year from 2019 to 2023.
Toronto police said on Thursday that the city has increased the police presence during Pride events, especially in the Church-Wellesley village area.
Pro-Palestinian protesters showed up at Sunday’s parade for the second year in a row. The group called for the boycott of “corporate Pride,” which they claim are companies that benefit from the Israel-Hamas war.
Pride Toronto faced funding shortfall earlier this year
Earlier this year, Modeste revealed that Pride organizers were facing a $900,000 funding gap leading up to June’s celebrations.
The loss of cash was blamed on rising costs and the departure of some corporate sponsors, including Google, Nissan, Home Depot, and Clorox.
Pride Toronto says it’s facing an almost $1 million shortfall, with just two weeks to go until the annual festival. This comes after a wave of sponsors withdrew their funding this year. CBC’s Michelle Song has the reaction from organizers and community members.
Modeste attributed the pullback to backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that materialized in the U.S. and beyond under President Donald Trump.
Modeste told CBC News that the organization has not been able to make up the full amount that was lost from the sponsorships.
However, Modeste assured event-goers they will not be able to see a difference in the quality of Sunday’s parade.
“They will not see the difference in the quality of the program, in the quality of the parade. We have done everything within our power to make sure the parade, the significance, the size, everything remains the same. The cuts that we had to make will not be shown today,” Modeste told CBC News ahead of the event.
Road closures
There are still a number of road closures taking place across the city on Sunday.
Parts of Church Street, Bloor Street West, Yonge Street, and Dundas Street West will be closed from the morning until 8 p.m. for the Pride parade.
Other street closures will vary based on the day and time. For more information on those, visit the Toronto police website.
