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Toronto World Pride 2014

International News, By Joal, 21st October, 2009

They’ve always been pretty gay, but Canadians well and truly earned their rainbow flag yesterday when Toronto was announced host of World Pride 2014.

“Toronto is not a gay-friendly city. It is a gay city,” said Toronto councillor Kyle Rae in the lead up to the city’s bid for the celebration.

Beating the only other contender, Stockholm, Toronto was chosen by a panel of pride organisations at the InterPride Conference yesterday, winning 77 votes to Stockholm’s 61.

Tracey Sandilands, executive director of Pride Toronto, told The Globe and Mail that her team was ‘thrilled’. “This was not an easy win. We knew that our competition was stiff – and that there was a lot of sympathy for Stockholm because they didn’t get it last year,” says Sandilands.

Planning to hold World Pride celebrations to coincide with Toronto’s 34th annual Pride Week, the city was commended on the cooperation between its committee members for the bid. Toronto’s panel included police representatives, sponsors, Tourism Toronto and Pride Week members.

“We realise we are very lucky to be part of a society that’s so accepting,” Pride Toronto chair Mark Singh told The Star. “Our fellows out in the world don’t have that equality, so that’s a huge focus of our World Pride program.”

Spending $4 million on Pride Week this year, and making a $132-million profit from the investment, Toronto estimates spending for World Pride at $10 million, with hopes local as well as international tourists will swell the event’s numbers.

World Pride was first held in Rome in 2000. 2006 Jerusalem Pride was cancelled due to regional conflict and World Pride 2012 will be held in London to coincide with the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.