What to know
- Former Toronto politicians and community leaders are calling on the federal government to help fund Taste of the Danforth.
- The group says Ottawa did not provide financial support despite contributions from the City of Toronto and Ontario.
- Organizers say rising operating costs, reduced sponsorships and increased security expenses created significant financial pressure.
- The festival returns to Greektown this weekend after a two-year hiatus.
Several former Toronto politicians are urging the federal government to help fund Taste of the Danforth, saying Ottawa missed an opportunity to support one of the city’s largest cultural festivals as it prepares to return this weekend after a two-year hiatus.
The call comes in an open letter signed by former politicians Arthur Potts, David Collenette, Michael Tziretas, Mike Layton, Julian Fantino and Dennis Mills, along with local business leaders, educators, community members and festival organizers.
Why the festival went on hiatus
Taste of the Danforth, one of Toronto’s largest annual street festivals, was cancelled for the past two years after organizers cited rising operating costs, declining sponsorship revenue and a significant funding shortfall that made it financially unsustainable.
The festival’s return this weekend was made possible after the City of Toronto and the Ontario government committed a combined $450,000 in funding.
However, organizers and supporters say the event remains under financial pressure and argue federal support is needed to help secure its long-term future.
Former politicians call out Ottawa
In the letter, the group says it is “disappointed” the federal government did not provide financial support for this year’s event, despite significant contributions from the city and province.
While thanking the municipal and provincial governments for their support, the signatories say discussions with the federal government amounted to only a handful of exploratory conversations and did not result in funding.
“It is also our understanding that the federal government did not support Taste of the Danforth in its early years through then-local MP Dennis Mills, which is why organizers reached out to the government earlier this year,” the letter states.
Rising costs and security concerns
According to the letter, federal funding was especially important this year because local corporate sponsorships were significantly affected by FIFA-related events, placing additional financial pressure on the festival.
The group also says heightened security requirements following several high-profile incidents at public events across the Greater Toronto Area have created unexpected operational costs, making additional government support critical to ensuring the safety of festival-goers.
Comparing support to FIFA events
The signatories also point to the level of public investment provided for FIFA-related events in Toronto, noting those initiatives received funding from all three levels of government.
“In contrast, Taste of the Danforth failed to achieve that same cross-government support, securing backing from only our provincial and municipal governments,” the letter reads. “The federal government is painfully absent from this group.”
The group concludes by urging Ottawa to provide funding to help sustain Taste of the Danforth, which has celebrated Greek culture, food and community in Toronto since 1993.
The festival returns to Greektown from Aug. 7 to 9, with three days of food vendors, live entertainment, cultural performances and family-friendly activities expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.
