Toronto cancels annual St. Patrick’s Day parade

The annual Toronto St. Patrick’s Parade will not take place in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following consultation with the St. Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto, health officials determined they should cancel the outdoor event “to make sure the public is protected from the virus.”

“While it is disappointing that there will be no St Patrick’s Parade in March 2021, the City of Toronto has made the correct decision by continuing to support social distancing measures,” Shaun Ruddy, Chair of the St. Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto, said in a release.

Thanks to everyone in our community for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you all on the parade route in March 2022. pic.twitter.com/y7J8YtvOGp

— St Patricks Toronto (@StPatricksTo) January 5, 2021

“The organizers of Toronto’s St Patrick’s Parade fully support the decision made by the city. Protecting the public’s health must remain the priority, and the St. Patrick’s Parade Society offers its full support to city officials in helping keep the people of Toronto safe,” added Ruddy.

According to St. Patrick’s Toronto, other major outdoor events have been cancelled through March 31.

The City has yet to confirm this.

Toronto’s annual parade was one of the first events in the city to fall victim to restrictions in 2020 when physical distancing measures were introduced in March of that year.

Ruddy says the parade is one of the largest events in Toronto which typically attracts over 100,000 people.

“The parade has been an annual event in Toronto for more than 30 years, and we eagerly look forward to bringing Irish culture back to the streets of Toronto once it is safe to do so,” said Ruddy.