The City of Toronto has stated it has not held any discussions regarding a financial bailout for Pride Toronto, despite the non-profit organization facing a $700,000 funding shortfall for 2026. City Hall reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pride Toronto but emphasized that no specific talks about closing the gap have taken place.
Pride Toronto's Budget Gap
Pride Toronto, which organizes LGBTQ events and programming in the city, has reported a $700,000 hole in its budget for this year. The organization has scaled back programming from 2025 but still faces significant financial challenges. Kojo Modeste, Pride Toronto's executive director, told CBC that next year's festival will "look very different" given the cash crunch. He also mentioned to CTV that sponsors have fallen off, and Pride Toronto hopes taxpayers will fill the funding gap.
City Hall's Response
City Hall provided a statement to the Toronto Sun indicating that no "specific discussions" have occurred with Pride Toronto related to the reported shortfall. The city already provides the group with hundreds of thousands of dollars annually plus other support. "The city remains committed to supporting Pride Toronto," the statement read. The city also noted that Pride Toronto receives money from a special events stabilization fund for public safety expenses, and first responders are assigned to the group's programming.
Provincial Funding
The Ontario Culture Ministry confirmed to the Sun that Toronto Pride has already "been approved for the maximum eligible funding available through Experience Ontario 2026," the province's fund for festivals. This indicates that additional provincial support may not be forthcoming.
Recurring Financial Issues
The funding trouble is not new for Pride Toronto. Last year, Modeste warned the Sun that its 2026 programming was "definitely up for debate right now" given a then-$900,000 funding shortage. He cited sponsors "pulling out" and climbing security costs as key factors. The city has increased Pride Toronto's payout from the cultural festivals funding program, from $350,000 last year to $385,000 this year, and scheduled to reach $420,000 next year.
Church Street Pedestrianization Deficit
Separately, a pedestrianization project on Church Street near Wellesley Street—the heart of Pride Toronto's programming—reportedly faces its own deficit. Local councillor Chris Moise was quoted as saying the city must pay $300,000 for patrols of the two-block area closed to vehicle traffic. However, Toronto Police told the Sun that figure is "not accurate," estimating the cost of policing closer to $50,000 for paid-duty officers at peak periods, with on-duty officers handling most of the work.
