The COVID–19 pandemic has left Canada Day celebrations up in the air in many parts of the province. For Optimist Park, all events were canceled this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Rob Belyk, Chair Saskatoon of Optimist Canada Day says by May they needed to make a decision due to the financial commitments needed and the uncertainty of the pandemic. Belyk adds while they had to make the decision to cancel by May, the group talked to Mayor Charlie Clark about coming back as big as ever in 2022. Beylk says people need that, as it’s been a long depressing period were people need to get together to celebrate. Especially, he says, to recognize the great country of Canada.

Belyk says they are in the business of organizing physical events  and the costs of a virtual event just weren’t worth it this year.

Standing in solidarity with First Nations people is also a reason for some communities cancelling Canada Day celebrations in the province. This past weekend the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations showed support for First Nations communities canceling Canada Day celebrations in the wake of recent findings of unmarked graves at former Residential School sites in the prairies. Chief Bobby Cameron says celebrating Canada day is being seen as inconsiderate to all the children’s lives that were lost and he encourages everyone to consider the price these children had to pay at the hands of the Canadian Government and Church.