Skyrocketing security costs threatening Ontario festivals, says Liberal critic for tourism
Expenses stem from hostile vehicle mitigation, police patrols
With Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest wrapping up this weekend, festival organizers are sounding the alarm about the rising cost of security.
Executive director Tracy Van Kalsbeek says in the last five years the cost for security measures has “skyrocketed” by 50 per cent.
“It’s probably more than that,” Can Kalsbeek told CBC News. “Things have really skyrocketed and it makes it really hard for festivals like ours.”
The increase comes as festivals face growing concerns about public safety following violent incidents at public gatherings, including a shooting at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival this year and the 2025 vehicle-ramming attack at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver.
Van Kalsbeek says Oktoberfest has increased spending mostly on protecting crowds from hostile vehicles. This includes using Mifram modular vehicle barriers, which can cost around $1,500 each.
“We want to have the best in technology and the best to keep our people safe, but it’s not at no cost,” she said.
The festival also uses paid-duty police, which cost $120 an hour for a constable, according to the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
This year, K-W Oktoberfest applied for grants to help cover the cost of hostile vehicle mitigation, but the applications were unsuccessful, Van Kalsbeek said.
“We need more funding from partners, sponsorship and the government,” she said. “If the costs continue to rise, then we’re not going to be able to continue to host these free events and festivals.”
That’s a concern Liberal MPP Rob Cerjanec says he’s hearing from festival organizers across the province. He says the cost of hostile vehicle mitigation, baggage checking, paid-duty officers and trained security personnel is becoming too much for many festivals to bear.
“It’s starting to become unsustainable,” Cerjanec said.
Cerjanec, who represents Ajax and is his party’s critic for tourism, sport and culture, has written to Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Zee Hamid asking the province to provide more support for festivals facing rising security expenses.
In the letter, Cerjanec says some festivals are spending an increasing amount of their budgets on security and safety costs, as much as 30 per cent in some cases.
“This means that event programming and engagement aspects are frequently being reduced to absorb other pressures,” the letter read.
His letter outlines three proposals: a one-time funding program to help festivals buy physical security infrastructure, dedicated operational funding for security expenses, and a regional strategy allowing festivals, municipalities and community organizations to share equipment.
In an email to CBC News, the province said it “continues to work with our police services and municipalities to ensure they have the tools they need to keep families safe.”
The government pointed to a $91.2-million investment through the Community Safety and Policing Grant for police operations, as well as over $27 million through Experience Ontario this year to support operations and security costs for more than 400 festivals and community events.
Cerjanec says more support is urgently needed. He pointed to the cancellation of the Kitchener Caribana Ignite Festival earlier this year as a sign of the impact increased costs are having on events in the province. He worries that many festivals will be forced to scale back their events or start charging for entry.
“We talk about social isolation of seniors or just folks that, you know, it’s harder to go out and have a night out with the family. These things provide that kind of joy and entertainment. They need to continue,” he said.
He added that festivals play an important role in generating economic activity and tax revenue for the province.
“That’s why I’m saying let’s step up, let’s help our festivals and events because it is such an important part of our culture all across the province,” he said.
By Diego Pizarro · CBC News
