‘Every dollar counts’: Pride Toronto seeks help to close $700K shortfall

Participants carry a pride flag as they walk in the Toronto Pride Parade, on Sunday June 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Just one year after warning it faced a $900,000 funding shortfall, Pride Toronto says it is still staring down a roughly $700,000 deficit despite cutting programming, reducing staff and securing new sponsors.

The organization, which runs North America’s largest Pride festival, confirmed the news to CTV News Toronto on Wednesday, adding that “every dollar counts” and they are hoping members of the public, the government and corporate sponsors can help ease their financial pressures.

“We have made some strategic decisions (for next year), we cut off a stage, we have reduced programming, we’ve made quite a few changes, and but we’re still finding ourselves in a very similar position where we are in about $700,000 deficit,” executive director Kojo Modeste told CTV News.

The funding challenge comes as Pride Toronto prepares for its main festival this weekend, running from June 25 to June 28 and closing with the annual Pride Parade on Sunday.

Cuts helped, but not enough

Modeste said organizers had also shortened the Church Street festival footprint by cutting part-time staffing and administrative expenses.

The organization also continues to face significant operating costs, including more than $425,000 that they pay annually for security.

While Pride Toronto added sponsors this year, Modeste said the gains were offset by companies that either left entirely or reduced their financial commitments.

“With the sponsors that we’re losing and the sponsors that have reduced the amount that they gave to us last year, the loss was the greater part of this,” he said. “When someone looks at our sponsor deck, they will see more sponsors added, but that did not add to more money.”

Modeste confirmed none of the major sponsors that withdrew last year returned in 2026, and additional sponsors either left or reduced support. Some of those sponsors listed last year included Google, Home Depot, Nissan, and Clorox.

Corporate pullback, political pressures

Modeste also linked the sponsorship challenges to a combination of economic pressures and shifting attitudes toward diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

“I strongly believe that political pressure has a major role to play,” he said.

He added that some companies have pointed to tariff-related economic uncertainty and tighter budgets as reasons for scaling back support.

At the same time, government funding has remained relatively stable. Modeste said support from the City of Toronto has increased while provincial and federal funding has largely held steady over recent years.

Looking ahead to 2027

Despite the challenges, organizers say they are determined to maintain Pride Toronto’s size and broad range of programming, which includes youth, family, newcomer and sober-focused events.

“There is no question that if we do not have that gap filled in some capacity, we will be seeing a reduction in the program,” Modeste said.

He said Pride Toronto’s long-term sustainability depends on a combination of stronger individual donations, renewed corporate commitments and increased government investment.

The timing of this year’s festival alongside FIFA World Cup events may bring some added costs, Modeste said, but it also offers a chance to showcase Pride Toronto to visitors from around the world.

Still he notes an added level of support is crucial.

“I strongly believe that in order to ensure that Pride is sustainable, in order to ensure that the work that we do here at Pride Toronto continues to happen, we need all three areas: individual cooperation corporate sponsorship and government support,” he said.