Pride Month kicks off in just a few weeks, and one of the annual festival's major grants doesn't look like it's in danger after today's Economic Development Committee meeting.
City councillors on the committee voted unanimously in favour of giving Pride Toronto its annual $260,000 grant, reports the Toronto Star.
Mayor John Tory released a statement this morning saying he supports pride and wants to maintain its city funding. He also noted that Pride's Executive Director Olivia Nuamah and Police Chief Mark Saunders are working together and discussing the issue of police inclusion at Pride 2017.
Earlier this year at its annual general meeting, Pride voted to accept all of Black Lives Matter Toronto's demands, including banning police and police floats from the parade.
Since then, a group of city councillors said they'd support a motion pushing to withhold Pride's funding. As well, the Toronto Police Association, the union that represents our local police, called on council to cut Pride's funding since the festival excluded some city employees.
Last night, according to CBC News, Pride Toronto said police could participate in the parade as civilians without uniforms, guns or cruisers.
Regarding Pride Toronto's $260,000 grant, the Economic Development Committee's decision is still subject to approval from city council. The next council meeting is May 24.
by Staff via blogTO
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