Concerns arise as to why the Toronto Caribbean Festival is not being properly funded

BY PAUL JUNOR

The Festival Management Committee (FMC), which runs the Toronto Caribbean Festival has been facing significant financial hurdles in the operation of the month-long event. This has become increasingly more acute since it resumes after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FMC is concerned that even though the Toronto Caribbean Carnival contributes more than $183 million in tax revenues and less than $500 million in economic impact, it receives less than one million from all three levels of government. This necessitates calling on the Ontario government to invest in our festival and programming to continue providing valuable support for our community and delivering the beloved tradition of our festival.

In notes that are described in the “Toronto Caribbean Carnival Briefing Document” data are provided about the impact of the festival on Ontario. They are in three specific areas:

Economic Impact

• Contributes over $ 480 million to Ontario’s Gross Development Product
• $ 31.2 million to hotels and lodging in Ontario’s tourism and hospitality sector
• $ 81.1 million to bars, restaurants, and concessions
• $79 million in shopping
• $ 236 million in direct GDP impact to the Greater Toronto Area

Employment

• Supports the creation of approximately 4,000 direct jobs annually

Tax Revenues:

• Generates more than $183 million in combined: federal, provincial and municipal tax revenues

There are several areas of financial pressures that the FMC are presently facing that impedes its ability to operate a financially efficient and economically viable festival. There are four areas of inflationary pressures that it identifies that contribute to increased costs. They are:

• Security – 300 % increase
• Labour – 45 % increase
• Production Costs – 35% increase
• Venues – 220 % increase

These increased costs have contributed significantly to the financial stress on the FMC as it attempts to grapple with limited economic wherewithal and financial resources.

There are two possible things that the FMC is doing and is expecting in the future, which are:

• The FMC is calling on the Ontario government to invest in the festival, as well as the programming, to ensure they can continue to provide mutually beneficial supports for their community, while continuing to deliver the beloved tradition of our festival, within the province
• MPP’s can support the FMC in these endeavours by encouraging their fellow caucus members to support their cause, while continuing to learn about the unique needs and challenges that they encounter as they deliver the festival each year.

The FMC has taken several steps to ensure that it develops a greater governance structure and more efficient fiscal constraints to ensure that the festival runs smoothly. Amidst all the criticisms that it has faced over the years, it has continued to produce a world class and professionally polished festival.

There is hope that the many: municipal, provincial and federal representatives that attended the official launch on Saturday, June 15^th at the Scarborough Town Centre will be able to put pressure on the powers that be to fund the festival equitably. Although there are more corporate sponsors on board, their financial contributions to help defray the costs of the festival is not adequate and sufficient.

The lack of equitable funding years after years seems to be an ongoing issue that continues to plague the FMC. Clearly, the FMC has to engage in creative envisioning and more sophisticated long-term strategic planning as it looks ahead particularly as it plans for the 70^th anniversary in 2027. It is important that there be greater and meaningful conversations between the: community stakeholders, partners and sponsors in conjunction with the wider community to address imbalance and inequities in the current funding model.