Canada Day 2025 Review

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Project Update, July 16, 2025: This survey has now concluded. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback on this year's Canada Day celebrations and priorities for future events. Staff are now working to analyze the feedback received, and a What We Heard Report will be shared in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out a quick highlight from the survey below:

The City has a limited budget and available staff time to plan and host events throughout the year. In 2024, the City’s Community Advisory Assembly recommended to Council that a priority for this budget and staff time should be a few large-scale, inclusive events each year that don’t focus on any one specific cultural group or identity. Further community engagement is planned to explore priorities for community events and cultural observances in New West. Taking this context into consideration, do you think the City of New Westminster should continue to host local Canada Day events in the future? Yes, 87.7%; No 4.7%; Unsure 7.7%

Help Shape the Future of Canada Day Celebrations in New Westminster

On July 1, 2025, the City of New Westminster hosted a free Canada Day celebration at Queen’s Park, featuring live entertainment, family-friendly activities, a beer garden, and food trucks. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Here are a few snapshots from the event!

Children participating in an activity on the bandshell stage.

Family posing for a photo.

City volunteers at an information table.

Outdoor spin class in the rose garden.



Now that the 2025 event has wrapped up, we want to hear your thoughts. What worked well? What could be improved? Should the City continue hosting Canada Day at all? Or if you didn't attend the City-hosted celebrations, why not and what could we change to encourage you to come in the future?

Your feedback will help guide Canada Day planning for next year and beyond to ensure that any celebration reflects the needs and values of the entire community.

Why we’re engaging

In December 2024, City Council directed staff to seek public input on the future of Canada Day. Past events received mixed feedback, including concerns about accessibility, programming, and the meaning of Canada Day itself, particularly for Indigenous and racialized communities. At the same time, we’ve also heard a desire for inclusive, large-scale community celebrations that bring people together.

We want to know:

  • Did you attend this year’s New West Canada Day event at Queen's Park? Why or why not?
  • Is Canada Day something you want the City to continue hosting? If so, what should it look and feel like?
  • What programs and values should shape future celebrations?

Take our short survey to let us know your thoughts. Deadline to complete the survey is end-of-day on July 15.

Next Steps

This survey is just one part of a larger conversation about how we mark Canada Day as a city. After this initial engagement on this year’s Canada Day event, staff are planning for a more fulsome community conversation about the future of Canada Day in New Westminster as a whole, incorporating feedback and suggestions from this survey. Please stay tuned for details on that opportunity coming later this year.

Project Update, July 16, 2025: This survey has now concluded. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback on this year's Canada Day celebrations and priorities for future events. Staff are now working to analyze the feedback received, and a What We Heard Report will be shared in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out a quick highlight from the survey below:

The City has a limited budget and available staff time to plan and host events throughout the year. In 2024, the City’s Community Advisory Assembly recommended to Council that a priority for this budget and staff time should be a few large-scale, inclusive events each year that don’t focus on any one specific cultural group or identity. Further community engagement is planned to explore priorities for community events and cultural observances in New West. Taking this context into consideration, do you think the City of New Westminster should continue to host local Canada Day events in the future? Yes, 87.7%; No 4.7%; Unsure 7.7%

Help Shape the Future of Canada Day Celebrations in New Westminster

On July 1, 2025, the City of New Westminster hosted a free Canada Day celebration at Queen’s Park, featuring live entertainment, family-friendly activities, a beer garden, and food trucks. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Here are a few snapshots from the event!

Children participating in an activity on the bandshell stage.

Family posing for a photo.

City volunteers at an information table.

Outdoor spin class in the rose garden.



Now that the 2025 event has wrapped up, we want to hear your thoughts. What worked well? What could be improved? Should the City continue hosting Canada Day at all? Or if you didn't attend the City-hosted celebrations, why not and what could we change to encourage you to come in the future?

Your feedback will help guide Canada Day planning for next year and beyond to ensure that any celebration reflects the needs and values of the entire community.

Why we’re engaging

In December 2024, City Council directed staff to seek public input on the future of Canada Day. Past events received mixed feedback, including concerns about accessibility, programming, and the meaning of Canada Day itself, particularly for Indigenous and racialized communities. At the same time, we’ve also heard a desire for inclusive, large-scale community celebrations that bring people together.

We want to know:

  • Did you attend this year’s New West Canada Day event at Queen's Park? Why or why not?
  • Is Canada Day something you want the City to continue hosting? If so, what should it look and feel like?
  • What programs and values should shape future celebrations?

Take our short survey to let us know your thoughts. Deadline to complete the survey is end-of-day on July 15.

Next Steps

This survey is just one part of a larger conversation about how we mark Canada Day as a city. After this initial engagement on this year’s Canada Day event, staff are planning for a more fulsome community conversation about the future of Canada Day in New Westminster as a whole, incorporating feedback and suggestions from this survey. Please stay tuned for details on that opportunity coming later this year.

Questions and Answers

Have a question about the Canada Day 2025 Review? Please add it here and press submit. We will aim to reply within 5 business days. Sometimes answers require information from multiple sources. If the answer is going to take longer, we will let you know. If we think your question may be of interest to others, we'll post your question and our response here. Thank you for taking the time to write to us!

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  • Share Can we bring back the fireworks for Canada Day? on Facebook Share Can we bring back the fireworks for Canada Day? on Twitter Share Can we bring back the fireworks for Canada Day? on Linkedin Email Can we bring back the fireworks for Canada Day? link

    Can we bring back the fireworks for Canada Day?

    lalilulelo asked 9 months ago

    Hello and thank you for your question. We have heard interest in Canada Day fireworks from several residents.

    Fireworks are offered by the Hyack Festival Association. In years past they took place on Canada Day. However, a few years ago, Hyack Festival Association moved their fireworks to a weekend at the end of summer and branded it as a “Farewell to Summer Festival”. 

    The City has no plans to host their own fireworks display at this time. Fireworks are very costly, and the current Canada Day budget does not allow for a fireworks display. Fireworks also have implications related to sound, light, air quality, and impacts on residents and animals that are important to consider. 

    canada day,fireworks,events
    canada day fireworks events
Page last updated: 16 Jul 2025, 10:03 AM