Corporations Abandon Pride Toronto: Organizers Blame Trump’s Anti-DEI Stance

In a stark turn of events, Pride Toronto has lost two more significant corporate sponsors, Google and Home Depot, with organizers squarely blaming Donald Trump’s “DEI war” for the sudden withdrawal of support. This comes on the heels of earlier departures by Nissan, Adidas, and Clorox, leaving the festival’s financial stability in jeopardy just weeks before its annual celebration.
Kojo Modeste, the executive director of Pride Toronto, expressed frustration over the companies’ terse email notifications and their perceived abandonment of the LGBTQ+ community. He emphasized that the loss of these sponsorships is not merely a financial inconvenience but a direct threat to the festival’s ability to operate, pay its dedicated staff, and continue to provide a vital platform for hundreds of local artists.
The implications for the festival’s future are grave. Modeste voiced deep concern about the possibility of having to make “drastic cuts” to the 2026 event, which would diminish the experience for its three million annual attendees and potentially jeopardize its free access. This would be a significant step backward for a celebration that has become a beacon of inclusivity.
Professor Sui Sui, an expert on DEI initiatives, underscores the wider context of these corporate decisions. She argues that the White House’s sustained attack on diversity efforts is creating a hostile environment for companies that previously aligned with such causes. This trend, she notes, is also impacting Pride events in major US cities, highlighting a widespread corporate recalibration of their public stances.