Following the cancellation of the Carfiesta this year for lack of municipal funding, the City of Montreal intends to meet with the organizing committee, but does not promise a return for this year.
The Plante administration will sit down with the organizing committee of the Montreal Caribbean Community Parade this week, said Ericka Alneus, head of culture and heritage on the city’s executive committee.
“I understand people who are disappointed,” she said Wednesday morning. “In the future, we want to see a Caribbean community sharing its culture in the streets of Montreal.”
Asked about the duration of this “future”, Ms. Alneus however refused to commit to a specific date.
The Carifiesta had not received any money this year due to an overhaul of the festival funding program by the City of Montreal.
“The decision that was made was difficult,” admitted Ms. Alneus. “It is important to say that there is a program that was put in place where there were criteria to be met and that was done by an evaluation organized by the committee.”
The 47th edition of the parade was to be held on July 8. The procession brings together more than 100,000 spectators each year in downtown Montreal, according to the Tourisme Montreal website.