Toronto has confirmed that all major events summer events for the city are cancelled. That means no Canadian National Exhibition and no Caribbean Carnival.They were cancelled last summer because of COVID-19 and will be again this summer because of the pandemic.
Toronto already canceled all events in permits through the end of June. Now the cancelations are being extended through to and including the Labor Day weekend.
In a statement, the city said it understands the importance of these events to Toronto’s vitality, liveability and prosperity and is committed to working closely with organizers to help them manage through this year so they can come back stronger in 2022.
Mayor John Tory also said he is working with the CNE to help the fair get through what he calls a difficult year.
“This is one of the saddest things I have to be part of, is to announce the cancelation of these events that I love and people across the city love,” Tory said.
The CNE, along with the Caribbean Carnival and the Beaches Jazz Festival, attract millions of tourists each year, many of them from New York and other northern states. Pride Toronto said its annual festivities, which run through all of June, will be virtual.
Tory said he could no longer put off decisions about the summer because of permits and contracts that would have to be issued.
