Montreal Canada Day parade cancelled for third year in a row, despite no restrictions
Event cites lack of sponsors, pandemic concerns as reason for cancellation
The organizers of Montreal's annual Canada Day parade have cancelled this year's edition, citing ongoing uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic and a lack of funding.
In a statement released Friday morning, the organizers said they were concerned about whether the parade could be conducted safely with "insufficient data" on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, despite having no restrictions.
"I do not plan to change [the parade] from the current form. I do not believe that one should be restricted or left out ... therefore, due to safety reasons, the Montreal Canada Day Parade will not be on the streets of Montreal on July 1st," wrote Nicholas Cowen, one of the main organizers of the event.
The release also pointed to a "lack of adequate sponsorship" for the parade, which, combined with rising costs, made it financially difficult to hold the parade this year.
"Consequently, [the organizers] have announced the cancellation of this year's event while putting necessary plans in place to make the 2023 edition super exciting for all," the release read.
The parade was last held in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.