No. Canada Day in Wilmot, a not-for-profit event, is organized and run by a volunteer association of local community members. The association’s number of volunteer organizers expands and decreases depending volunteer availability and on the skills needed for each year’s planned activities and objectives.

The Corporation of the Township of Wilmot sponsors snacks (Cakes or Cookies) for attendees and provides in-kind facility usage as per the Wilmot Arts & Culture Master Plan and Parks, Facilities, and Recreation Services Master Plan. ‘Continue on-going support of arts, culture and heritage organizations (through funding, in-kind support, facilities support, etc.)’

The Volunteer Organizers are committed to bringing the community together, specifically families and children to celebrate the diverse community of Wilmot, this great land, and Canada through fun, entertaining and educational activities, and performances. The event is also designed to help bolster local tourism while partnering with and highlighting local businesses when possible.

Although local Canada Day celebrations began locally in 1982 in Punkeydoodles Corner various settlements and neighborhoods have held their own celebrations over the years and to this day. Canada Day in Wilmot founded in 2017 as a separate entity from previous town-specific event, to be more welcoming and inclusive to all people from the numerous towns, hamlets and communities within Wilmot.

Canada Day funds are raised through sponsorships, private donors, vendor fees and onsite gate fees ($5) and personal donations from community members in attendance. Funds generated from sponsorship, private donors and vendor fees go towards the entertainment, activities, signage, advertising, and supplies for that specific year’s event. Gate fees and personal donations help cover any shortfall in sponsorship funding. Gate fees and personal donations above total expenses for that year’s specific event are used for down payments for the following years planned entertainment. New or past sponsors or vendors must supply completed accurate event, municipal and regional public health applications within the allotted time to process and comply with each level of government's requirements. Sponsorships and vendor applications cannot be processed through a third-party representative without written consent from each organization being claimed to be represented. Sponsorships range from overall event sponsors (name or logo on banners and website, recognition on social media and verbal mentions during the event ) to Naming Rights to specific activities and performance that include large logo placement on banners, website, posters, frequent social media posts and frequent verbal mentions during the day at the event. The following image is a breakdown of the overall income and expenses for the last in-person Canada Day event held in 2019

DEFINITIONS: Sponsorship - Event Sponsorship is a way of advertising a brand by “sponsoring” or supporting an event financially in exchange for brand exposure leading up to and on the day of the event. Dollar amounts are specific to the needs of the individual corporate sponsor’s budget and desired level of brand awareness. Vendor – A vendor is an individual, company who sell food, products or services. Charitable organizations who seeking public awareness of their programs are also considered vendors. Private donors - Private donors are individuals who wish to support the event but do not seek public name recognition Gate fees - Gate fees of $ 5 (ages 14 and up) have been implemented since 2018 to offset shortfalls in sponsorship funds and vendor fees. Personal donations – Personal donations are made in any dollar amount that fits a person's individual budget

Yes. Upon sponsors communicating their desired level of financial participation and benefits they are issued an invoice and a receipt upon payment that outlines specific details to the agreed upon benefits. Vendors are invoiced and receive a receipt for that year’s vendors fee. Canada Day in Wilmot provides various degrees of brand recognition and benefits for sponsors, partners and vendors leading up to and on the day of the event. Agreed upon benefits are specific to the event and exclusive to the year indicated on their invoice(s) and receipt(s).

Yes, Canada Day In Wilmot adheres to the requirements stipulated in the Corporation of the Township of Wilmot’s SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES Canada Day In Wilmot is licensed for live and prerecorded music through Entandem (SOCAN - RESOUND)

Due to COVID-19 protocols that were in place leading up to Canada Day indoor activities were prohibited, and no more than 10 people were allowed to gather outdoors, which ruled out the traditional morning breakfast, vendor market, bouncy castles, live entertainment and the fireworks finale in the evening. The event moved online as a live steamed event held on the Canada Day in Wilmot Facebook Page. This live stream was graciously supported by three local businesses and one local service club.

Due to COVID-19 protocols that were in place leading up to Canada Day indoor activities were prohibited, and no more than 10 people were allowed to gather outdoors, which ruled out the traditional morning breakfast, vendor market, bouncy castles, live entertainment and the fireworks finale in the evening. In May 2021, shortly after the remains of 215 Indigenous children were found at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. the volunteer organizers paused any further discussions about another online video live stream. The handful of volunteers who produced the previous year’s (2020) live steam, were already experiencing zoom fatigue and were now in mourning with much of the country and the Indigenous community. After consulting with local Indigenous elders about what was appropriate, respectful, and needed the volunteer organizers announced a temporary hiatus for the event to ‘pause and reflect’. Instead a public art project took shape where children personalized 200 wooden leaves with art and messages were hung on a fence near the Hartman Bridge in New Hamburg. No 2021 Canada Day online event sponsorships were sought nor were any funds received. In-light of the tragic news from Kamloops, B.C., and to support the local Indigenous community a few loyal local business sponsors offered to donate to Crow Shield Lodge - a land-based healing and educational space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people seeking unity, equality, and understanding.

Yes, please review the Canada Day in Wilmot Code of Conduct & Anti-Harassment Policy and the Township of Wilmot Respectful Behaviour Procedures and Guidelines