Bonnyville cancels Canada Day activities due to pandemic

Canada Day celebrations have now officially been cancelled by the Town of Bonnyville.

Town council met on Tuesday night and moved the recommendation of the Canada Day committee to cancel the parade and related activities because of COVID-19, while taking the $50,000 set aside for this year’s celebration and moving it to future years.

“We tried to put it off as much as we could,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski on The Morning After.

“It’s just the fact that there’s so much uncertainty, and in terms of the regulations, and the social distancing, and it would be almost impossible, parades would be very difficult. So as with a lot of other municipalities, reluctantly, the Town of Bonnyville joined in and basically said, you know what, we won’t be able to do it either.”

Council will explore the possibility of delivering flowers to Bonnylodge residents, a staple of the yearly event, and see what restrictions would be in place.

The Festival of Trees celebration this year will get a budget increase of $10,000, and $20,000 will go to Canada Day activities in Bonnyville in 2021 and 2022.