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 general approval from the relevant government authorities since last year.”
“An event meant to inspire unity was thwarted because of division,” Mr Cowen said.
He said the previous year he had faced problems, including last-minute rule changes and demands that were nearly impossible to meet. He had to hire 148 additional volunteers at the last minute, in particular to ensure the presence of four people near each vehicle in the parade.
“Imagine you are in traffic and you need four people, one at each tire, to make sure no one goes under the wheel of a normal car. We normally have about 80 cars in the parade.”
He also mentioned that the federal government had asked him “that certain parts of the parade be removed entirely,” including the distribution of pieces of cake at the end of the parade. “The parade budget was also reduced [à la hauteur de celui] of 2013, which dealt another devastating blow to this beloved event,” lamented Mr. Cowen.
Neither the City of Montreal nor the federal Department of Heritage responded to requests for comment from the Canadian Press.
The July 1 parade has existed 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 have more difficulty finding financing.
Other events remain on the schedule for July 1 in Montreal, including the traditional festivities at the Old Port.
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