Latest news with #festivalsecurity
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
London festival organizers seek city support for rising security costs
Social Sharing London festival organizers say they're looking to increase security measures in response to public safety concerns and would like to see more financial support from the city. Annual festivals like London's Sunfest have emergency procedures and security in place, but a recent attack in Vancouver spurred organizers to ensure "all their ducks are in a row," said Mercedes Caxaj, Sunfest's co-artistic director. "We have to be prepared for any kind of situation, especially at public-facing events." On April 26, a man drove a car into a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, killing 11 people and injuring more than two dozen others. The tragedy has since sparked conversations around minimizing safety risks at public events, with the B.C. government reviewing festival safety measures and Toronto recently announcing $2.1 million in funding for increased festival security. Caxaj said she would like to see London follow Toronto's lead. Caxaj said festival security costs have increases year over year for Sunfest, and that funding from the city would be an investment in the city's culture. "To have that kind of support from the city would mean that they're also investing in the events, the event organizers, and in the social fabric and cultural vibrancy of the city," she said. "It means that we're working collectively." London's Victoria Park is also set to host a new festival celebrating Filipino culture and heritage in August, and the tragedy in Vancouver was discussed during security planning. Organizer Faith Trigo-Sawyer said they are taking it very seriously and have plans to set up barricades and even speed bumps to protect against vehicles. Trigo-Sawyer said they will also be meeting with London police and city officials to discuss support and was pleased to see Toronto step up with added security funding. "They should do it in all the cities that are having festivals," she said. New city policy aims for collaboration London currently gives financial support to city-run and non-profit events and festivals on a case-by-case basis, keeping in mind the cost to taxpayers and the level of community support, according to Paul Ladouceur, the city's director of emergency management and security services. "We want to make sure the public can enjoy these events without concern for safety," he said. When asked whether or not the city will consider allocating funds for festival security, Ladouceur said discussions about event safety are still ongoing, and he does not know where they will land. Ladouceur said a new special events policy aimed at increasing safety could be coming, but the policy would not include funding to support for-profit festival organizers, but rather a requirement that they work with the city to develop a comprehensive emergency response plan. Organizers are asked to outline typical safety features like medical support, inclement weather protocol and road closures, but also procedures for more severe emergencies. Organizers are taking precautions but are not worried Caxaj and Trigo-Sawyer made it clear they do not believe festivals in London are less safe than before. Unexpected situations can happen anywhere, and there are some events that can't be accounted for," Caxaj said. "I think we just hear about it a lot more," she said. "But because we're hearing about it, we have to be responsible to make sure that everybody's safety is the number-one priority." Trigo-Sawyer said she isn't concerned about any danger at Fiesta Extravaganza, but as an organizer, she wants to show people that they're taking appropriate precautions. "That way, it will give them security that something like the Vancouver attack will not happen."
CBC
27-05-2025
- CBC
Toronto to put $2.1M toward festival safety this year, city says
Toronto will provide $2.1 million to increase security at festivals this year following a deadly vehicle attack at a community event in Vancouver a month ago, the city says. Speaking to reporters after a summit hosted by the city on festival and event safety, Mayor Olivia Chow said the Vancouver incident made Toronto officials pause. "It was heartbreaking," Chow told reporters. "But collectively, we said, we will never let fear dominate and dictate. Our spirit is stronger, the spirit that comes from working together, the spirit that comes from all the thousands of organizers that organized the most successful festivals, from all over the world." On April 26, a man drove a car into the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party, a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, killing 11 people and injuring more than two dozen others, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, a Vancouver man, has been charged in the attack. The money, which the city will pull together by reallocating resources, will be distributed through its Special Events Stabilization Initiative, a program launched last year to provide financial help to festival organizers hard hit by rising costs, including public safety expenses. In 2024, the city offered up to $2 million through the initiative to help cover health, safety and security costs at struggling festivals. Eligible costs include private security expenses, fire and paramedic services as well as "hostile vehicle mitigation" or physical barriers to protect against vehicle attacks. 'We can't let that happen here': councillor Chow said the money is designed to ensure that festivals in Toronto "remain joyous, celebratory and really celebrate the essence of Toronto." The mayor said the city will also provide a $100,000-seed grant in 2025 to allow festival organizers to create a non-profit association to promote their interests. Chow said Monday's safety summit allowed the approximately 150 participating festival organizers to exchange information about safety measures. "We learned a lot about best practices of how we could collectively buy insurance together, what are some of the mitigation effects, how we could work with the emergency services and what kind of things we must do to make sure it's safe," she said. Coun. Mike Colle, who represents Eglinton-Lawrence, said councillors knew the city had to take preventative measures to ensure what happened in Vancouver does not happen in Toronto. "We were all kicked in the stomach when we heard what happened in Vancouver," Colle said. "We can't let that happen here." Colle said whether it's Toronto Waterfront Festival, Pride, the Caribbean Festival or TIFF, special events build community, generate revenue for businesses and bring thousands of people to the city and it's important that they are safe. Pat Tobin, the city's general manager of economic, development and culture, said the funds in the initiative are available on an application and assessment basis. The city will start accepting applications June 16. To apply, Tobin said an organization must be an incorporated not-for-profit group with a track record of running an event in Toronto, and eligible expenses must relate to core security costs. WATCH | City to provide $2.65M to 64 festivals this year: What you need to know about Toronto's summer festivals 1 month ago Duration 2:23 Danilo Baluyot, executive director of Taste of Manila, which runs Aug. 16 to 17, said that festival is already over budget for security enhancements. Security, excluding barriers, costs more than 10 per cent of the total festival budget, he said. Baluyot said the festival organizers are "very thankful" that the city will provide funds for public safety. "A top priority is the security and safety of all attendees at the festival," Baluyot said. "We are going to do our best to keep this festival a safe one for everyone." Funds welcome with budgets limited: organizer Kristyn Gelfand, managing director of Uma Nota Culture, a third-party contractor for Do West Fest, one of the largest street festivals in Toronto, said "hostile vehicle mitigation" is particularly costly. If it were to implement the security measure, Do West Fest, which runs June 6 to 8, would need mitigation at five intersections Gelfand said. "Of course, we want our events to be as safe as possible, but we're working within limited budgets that have already been set for this calendar year," Gelfand said. "That additional support from the city has me feeling very optimistic." In April, the city announced it would provide $2.65 million to 64 festivals that were struggling financially. That funding was provided through the Cultural Festivals Funding Program.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
In wake of Vancouver tragedy, Toronto renews funding to enhance safety at festivals
Paraders march down Lakeshore Boulevard at the Caribbean Carnival in Toronto on Saturday, August 3, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle Siu TORONTO — The City of Toronto will allocate $2.1 million this year to help festivals stay secure, after 11 people were killed in a vehicle ramming at Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival last month. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced the renewal of a special events funding program at an event on Monday that gathered about 150 festival organizers and security experts to discuss safety. Chow said what happened in Vancouver at the festival organized by Filipino BC was heartbreaking. "We mourned," she said. "Our spirit is strong, the spirit that comes from working together, the spirit that comes from all the thousands of organizers that organized the most successful festivals, from all over the world." She said people in Toronto must not let fear dictate their lives, and the city will work with festivals to ensure they are successful, safe and "remain joyous." Chow said the city will also provide a $100,000 seed grant and technical assistance for festival organizers to create a nonprofit association that can promote their interests. The City of Toronto said it will also share new resources to support event planning and delivery. The deadly attack on a Vancouver street festival prompted event organizers across Canada to comb over their security practices in a bid to protect attendees and assure them festivals are safe. Some planners had already begun that process when British Columbia Premier David Eby announced last month he would call an independent commission to investigate how other regions handle festival security, to ensure residents of his province feel confident going to community events this summer. But some say a spate of international attacks in recent years and increased demands from insurance companies meant they were already attuned to the issue — particularly given the rising cost associated with security. Eleven people were killed and dozens more were injured when a man drove an SUV into the crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 25. Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said a risk assessment was conducted before the event and police had decided no heavy-vehicle barricades were necessary. He said he was confident in the assessment process, but police would review the decision. The festival summit in Toronto on Monday was a success and allowed participants to share knowledge, Chow said. "We learned a lot about best practices of how we could collectively buy insurance together, what are some of the mitigation effects, how we could work with the emergency services and what kind of things we must do to make sure it's safe," she said. The money Chow announced Monday will go towards Toronto's Special Events Stabilization Initiative. The city introduced the program last year, offering $2 million to help cover festival expenses in 2024 related to health, safety and security. That included funding for fire and paramedic services and "hostile vehicle mitigation," which is meant to lower the threat of a criminal or terrorist attack. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press
