Sudbury Pride march returns for first time in two years

Faith Greco · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 11, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 11

Fierté Sudbury Pride is hosting a march this Saturday aft cancelling the lawsuit the past 2 years owed to information concerns and ongoing discussions astir constabulary involvement.

The march, which has not taken spot since 2022, volition statesman astatine 4 p.m. connected July 13. Unlike erstwhile years, erstwhile Sudbury streets were closed, this year's march volition beryllium held connected sidewalks.

"In the state of Ontario, the mode that our roadworthy closure and the mode that marching connected the thoroughfare works it is decided by the constabulary if it's needed, and unfortunately, our section constabulary decided that they were needed and there was nary willingness to research alternatives," said Aspen Groom, seat of Fierté Sudbury Pride. 

"So we opted for a sidewalk march due to the fact that we deliberation that marching is the important part."

Groom told CBC News that galore 2SLGBTQ+ assemblage members wouldn't consciousness harmless if constabulary officers were contiguous astatine the march.

"This doesn't mean that we won't person things look otherwise successful the future, but the existent important happening is that radical spot us," they said. 

"This is conscionable 1 alternate measurement for now. We cognize that translation takes time."

Organizers person trained marshals and volunteers successful spot to assistance show information and cheque successful connected attendees.

"We're truly prioritizing those systems," Groom said. "People person their basal needs met, they're not excessively hot, they person water, they consciousness cared for."

Events this weekend

The Pride march is 1 of respective events scheduled for the play arsenic portion of Sudbury's broader Pride Week celebrations.

The time kicks disconnected with a family-friendly artifact enactment from 1 to 4 p.m. connected Durham Street, successful beforehand of the YMCA. That information of the thoroughfare volition beryllium closed for the event.

Sunday volition wrapper up with a Pride brunch hosted by the Bawating Babes, a two-spirit resistance group.

"We've had truly large turnouts already," Groom said. "The vigor has been truly good. People person been truly supportive and benignant and engaged."

Groom said the instrumentality of the march, alongside a afloat week of programming, sends a wide message.

"It mightiness not beryllium harmless everywhere, particularly close now," they said. "But surely you could amusement that determination are radical who are harmless successful our community, who attraction and that's wherefore it's truthful important for folks to amusement up."