The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is recommending students not participate in this year’s Capital Pride parade, saying it cannot guarantee their safety following disruptions at recent events.In a statement provided to CTV News Ottawa, board spokesperson Diane Pernari said staff will continue to participate in the Aug. 30 parade, but students have been advised not to attend under the board’s banner.“In recent years, repeated disruptions, unexpected changes to the event, communication breakdowns, and the cancellation of the parade while students and staff were participating have made it increasingly difficult to ensure students can participate safely,” Pernari said in the statement.“Based on those concerns, senior board staff, including the Superintendent [of] the Equity and Diversity portfolio, recommended that students not take part in the parade because the board cannot guarantee student safety. Board staff will continue to attend the event to represent the Board.”The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has participated in Ottawa’s Capital Pride parade since 2011.The decision follows last year’s parade, which was cancelled shortly after it began when the activist group Queers for Palestine Ottawa blocked the procession on Wellington Street and presented organizers with a list of demands..In 2024, the OCDSB was also among several organizations that withdrew from the parade after Capital Pride organizers issued a statement expressing solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war.The board’s latest decision drew criticism from suspended trustee Donna Blackburn.“This is outrageous,” Blackburn wrote, encouraging residents to contact the school board to protest the recommendation.The 2026 Capital Pride parade is scheduled for Aug. 30 under the theme, “Together, We Shine.”The Ottawa Catholic School Board said it does not participate in parades as an organization but continues to support 2SLGBTQ+ students throughout the school year.“We demonstrate our commitment to supporting 2SLGBTQ+ students and staff throughout the school year in our schools and communities,” the board said in a statement.The decision also follows another recent Pride-related controversy in Ottawa. In June, Mutchmor Public Elementary School cancelled a planned drag queen storytime event during Pride Month, citing questions about curricular alignment.CTV News Ottawa first reported the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s statement explaining the recommendation. The Western Standard has contacted the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board for additional comment but had not received a response by publication time.
