‘They give us a huge bill': Vancouver Pride says city fees too onerous
The Vancouver Pride Society says the City of Vancouver requires it to cover tens of thousands of dollars in cleaning and policing costs.
It contrasted that with the Celebration of Light fireworks display, which saw the city take care of those costs.
'The city, it does give us a grant, but it's like a discount basically. They give us a huge bill and say we're going to take a little bit off,' Pride Society secretary Morgane Oger told Global News.
'Last year the final bill from the city was a hundred and something thousand, this year it's looking like we're going to be paying $130,000 all said and done.'
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According to the city, the Celebration of Light has a 'legacy' agreement that was passed by council in 2001, which sees the city cover the entirety of associated costs.
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The city said Pride is eligible for up to $75,000 through its city's FestShare program. With the exception of the fireworks, that FestShare funding is the same for all other events in the city, it said.
The Pride Parade is returning for 2025 with a shorter route than in previous years as it grapples with financial pressures, including the growing cost of public safety.
The Aug. 3 procession will head from east to west this year, a reversal from previous events, starting at Pacific Boulevard near Griffiths Way.
The parade will end at the intersection of Burrard and Pacific streets, a few blocks from the Davie Village Pride Festival, which will take over Davie Street between Burrard and Jervis streets.
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The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors One of the most-anticipated happenings on the calendar is the return of the Davie Village Pride Festival. The grand finale of the Vancouver Pride weekend returns after a six-year hiatus, turning Davie Street from Burrard to Jervis streets into a celebration with live music, DJs, roaming performers, community vendors, interactive experiences and a star-studded cabaret revue. 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She says that being involved with Canada's Drag Race has been a career highlight. 'Look, it's a lot of work, but it's also incredibly fun compared to almost all other sets,' she said. 'You might think a bunch of drag queens would be impossibly dramatic, but it's really a bunch of Queer people coming together to do something that they all love doing and is really important to them. That makes it such a great gig and I love doing it.' Given the antagonistic political climate around LGBTQ2S+ rights south of the border and in other nations, Hytes sees programs like Drag Race and companies like Les Ballets Trokadero de Monte Carlo as vehicles of change for the better. Such programs and performing groups establish a sense of community identity that can cross borders. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I was raised very Christian in a very conservative background, and I've had a lot of family members come to see Ballet Trokadero. 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The new season of Canada's Drag Race airs in November. For a full list of 2024 Vancouver Pride events, visit Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks Crime Local News
