Pride Toronto’s Economic Storm: Sponsors Flee Amidst Anti-Diversity Push

An economic storm is brewing for Pride Toronto as major corporate sponsors, including Google and Home Depot, have pulled their support, with organizers directly linking the decisions to a broader anti-diversity push. This recent blow, following earlier withdrawals from Nissan, Adidas, and Clorox, casts a shadow over the festival’s ability to sustain its operations and remain a free event.
Kojo Modeste, the executive director, expressed his frustration at the terse, one-line emails from Google and Home Depot, which signaled their abrupt departure. The financial implications are severe, as these sponsorships are crucial for paying staff, supporting hundreds of local artists, and ensuring the festival remains accessible to its three million annual attendees without charge.
Modeste is deeply concerned about the long-term viability of the festival. He shared his anxieties about the possibility of having to “drastically cut what the festival looks like for 2026,” a move that would fundamentally alter the experience and potentially limit participation for a significant portion of the community.
Toronto Metropolitan University’s Professor Sui Sui, whose research focuses on DEI, corroborates the organizers’ concerns. Sui suggests that the current political climate, driven by a strong anti-DEI narrative, is prompting companies to re-evaluate their affiliations with LGBTQ+ events. This, she argues, reveals the often-tenuous nature of corporate commitments, which may have been driven more by perceived profitability than genuine support.