QUEEN CITY PRIDE & COVID-19

COVID-19 is impacting Pride celebrations and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities around the world, including ours here at home. Queen City Pride continues to monitor the ongoing developments around the pandemic and receives information from national and international partners, as well as from government and health authority sources.

Regina Pride Inc, the organization in charge of hosting the annual Queen City Pride Festival, has made the decision to postpone this year’s festival to September 2020. With public safety as our #1 concern and knowing that many of our sponsors, community partners, and the community, in general, are focused on working through the pandemic, it would be unlikely for us to pull off a successful event with our original dates of June 5 to 14, 2020.

Physical distancing and the social isolation folks are experiencing can cause anxiety and worry and we want to let you know, you’re not alone. Now, more than ever, it’s time for all of us to be loud and proud while supporting each other. We’ve compiled a list of resources for our communities, partners, organizations, and sponsors to let you know how Queen City Pride is responding to COVID-19 and who you can turn to for help.

Resources For Community

Community members needing support during the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to reach out to various community organizations that are offering services and resources. We’ve collected a few local programs and services and will continue to update this section as we learn more.

 

UR Pride Centre – COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund

The UR Pride Centre has created a COVID19 Emergency Response Fund for 2SLGBTQ+ People to support 2SLGBTQ+ people during the COVID19 pandemic and crisis.

This fund is specifically meant to prioritize 2SLGBTQ+ people who have few or no access to other funds, including Employment Insurance (EI) or the newly introduced Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

Learn More about the UR Pride COVID-19 Fund.

 

UR Pride Centre – Social Programming

The UR Pride Centre operates a number of programs and services for the community to gather. Many of these programs have been adapted to allow access online. Social support groups, mentorship programs, and Monarch Mental Health may still be reached virtually. Please visit UR Pride’s COVID-19 Response page for more information.

 

Moose Jaw Pride – Tax Clinic

Need assistance with filing your annual taxes, applying for EI, or accessing the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)? Moose Jaw Pride is offering Saskatchewan residents with FREE support to access these services. Please contact Moose Jaw Pride by email to arrange an appointment: taxclinic@moosejawpride.ca

Information For Community Event Hosts
  • Queen City Pride is postponing the 2020 Festival to September 2020.
  • Our 2020 dates are to be determined.
  • Community Event Registration will open in middle to late April.
  • The Event Hosting Bursary fund will also be available with an expected increase in available funds.
  • The deadline for registering your event for inclusion in the Pride Guide will be in July. Events registered after the deadline may still be promoted online through our website and Facebook.
  • Event Hosts (organizations, groups, individuals) will be required to take in Positive Space Training to ensure all Queen City Pride events meet a standard for creating welcoming and safer spaces. This training will be offered by our partner and details will become available soon.
  • All events hosted for Pride 2020 will be expected to have a pandemic action plan:
    • This plan should outline what your event will do if restrictions on physical gatherings are still in place this fall.
    • This may include a deadline to cancel your event or plans to take your event online and offer it virtually.
  • The health and safety of the community and the public is our top priority. In the event that the pandemic may affect our ability to host a safe and enjoyable festival, we will update you with our contingency plan.
Information For Partners and Sponsors
  • Queen City Pride is postponing the 2020 Festival to September 2020.
  • Our 2020 dates are to be determined.
  • We understand that considerations for partnerships might not be your top priority at the moment and respect that you may need time to consider your 2020 contributions and commitments.
  • All deadlines and schedules for the 2020 Festival will be adjusted for our fall dates.
    • Sponsorships intended for the ArtsVest “Match-Funding” program must be received and paid by July 25.
    • The deadline for advertising and logo inclusion in the printed Pride Guide must be received by the end of July.
  • For more details about becoming a Sponsor for Pride 2020, please visit this page.
  • The health and safety of the community and the public is our top priority. In the event that the pandemic may affect our ability to host a safe and enjoyable festival, we will update you with our contingency plan.
Information For Vendors, Advertisers, Artists, and Performers
  • Queen City Pride is postponing the 2020 Festival to September 2020.
  • Our 2020 dates are to be determined.
  • All deadlines and schedules for the 2020 Festival will be adjusted for our fall dates.
    • Artist and Performer applications are open continuously. You can apply online on this page.
    • Pride Parade, Community Fair, and Vendor Market applications will open in mid-to-late April.
      • These applications will close in August.
  • The health and safety of the community and the public is our top priority. In the event that the pandemic may affect our ability to host a safe and enjoyable festival, we will update you with our contingency plan.
Information For Volunteers
  • Queen City Pride is postponing the 2020 Festival to September 2020.
  • Our 2020 dates are to be determined.
  • We’re still eagerly looking for volunteers to help us out during the 2020 Festival and throughout the year.
  • If you’ve already registered as a volunteer for the 2020 or 2019 year, our Volunteer Coordinator will be reaching out to you to confirm your availability for this fall.
  • If you’d like to register as a volunteer, please visit our Volunteers Page.
  • If you’d like to get involved in a committee or would consider joining our working board, please reach out to us by email.
  • Your health and safety is our top priority. In the event that the pandemic may affect our ability to host a safe and enjoyable festival, we will update you with our contingency plan.

Government, Health, and Other COVID-19 Resources

City of Regina / COVID-19

Access information about COVID-19 that is relevant to the City of Regina including public health orders and local restrictions.

Government of Saskatchewan / COVID-19

Access information about COVID-19 that is relevant to Saskatchewan and access the Self-Assessment Tool to determine if you should seek testing for COVID-19.

Fierté Canada Pride’s COVID-19 Response

Primarily a resource for Pride organizers, these resources may help other 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations with their own response and action plans.

Global Pride 2020

International, national, and regional Pride networks are working to produce a virtual Pride celebration to take place on Saturday, June 27, 2020. Global Pride will be a 24-hour digital event involving Prides from around the world. 

Changes to Prides Worldwide (EPOA)

The European Pride Organisers Association is working with Prides around the world to track the impact of COVID-19 on Prides, including cancellations and postponements.