Toronto’s Caribbean festival (aka: Caribana)
The 2011 version of Toronto’s Caribbean festival (aka: Caribana) will now be officially called Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto. The new name was announced May 25th and Mike Colle, MPP for Eglinton-Lawrence also announced a $400,000. Provincial “investment” in the carnival and Councilor Joe Mihevc said the city is committed to “just under $500,000 in cash as well as $100,000 of relief of permits fees.
The name change, ordered by the Ontario Superior Court does not sit well with CAG (Caribana Arts Group) the successors of the CCC (Caribbean Culture Committee) the organization that founded and ran Caribana from 1967 to 2006. They lost control when they failed to produce adequate financial records. Henry Gomez, current chair of CAG said they are prepared to go to court again unless FMC (Festival Management Committee) who controlled the event last year acknowledges CAG’s ownership.
FMC’s CEO Denise Herrera-Jackson said the committee wants to run the festival like other successful organizations whose funding is split between sponsors, grants and event generated profits. Last year’s budget of $2.6 million was reduced to $1.8 million when $600,000 in federal and provincial grants did not materialize.
Other corporate partners including Grace Kennedy Inc., Greater Toronto Airport Authority, the Royal Ontario Museum and media sponsors CTV and the Toronto Star newspaper have joined Scotiabank.
