Ford's callous cuts to Hamilton festivals a step backwards: Horwath

NDP Leader calls on Ford to restore nearly $325,000 in funding cut from Hamilton festivals

QUEEN’S PARK--NDP Official Opposition Leader and Hamilton Centre NDP MPP Andrea Horwath said that Ford’s callous cuts to Hamilton festivals are a step backwards for the growing community. Horwath released the following statement on Monday:

“Hamilton is a thriving and world class city and it needs to be treated as such. Families look forward to events like Supercrawl, Festival of Friends and FrancoFEST Hamilton every summer. These are largely free events that build community and showcase all that Hamilton has to offer.

It’s simply wrong for Doug Ford to yank their funding at the last minute, forcing organizers to cope with deep cuts, reduced staffing and uncertain futures for our most cherished festivals. These events are so much more than annual entertainment —they are key economic drivers for Hamilton’s thriving tourism, arts and culture scene and a critical opportunity for local talent.

Stable funding helps festivals grow with their host city and promotes Hamilton to the rest of Ontario and Canada. Hamilton families should expect so much more from their government and should not have to settle for cancelled funding to local festivals. New Democrats will continue to partner with the community and push back against the cuts to our community festivals.”