Midwestern Ont. communities cancel Canada Day plans due to grave site discoveries

Wingham, Ont. -

There will be no fireworks over Sauble Beach this Canada Day.

“It was a difficult decision, but at the same time, it wasn’t a difficult decision,” says South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson.

After initially planning for fireworks next weekend, the discovery of 751 unmarked graves near a residential school in Saskatchewan this week changed Mayor Jackson’s mind.

“We need to show our respect for the First Nations communities, and this was our way of supporting them. It’s 15 minutes of fireworks. Surely we can live without the fear of offending them further, if we don’t show our respect,” says Jackson.

The Municipality of South Huron is cancelling all town-sponsored Canada Day activities due the residential school grave site discoveries.

Other communities like Saugeen Shores and North Huron have cancelled fireworks due to COVID-19 concerns. As of Friday, Owen Sound is still planning on setting off fireworks on Canada Day.

Towns like Atwood are going a totally different route. It's marking Canada Day with a rock-decorating competition, where residents guess the weight of a large rock in the middle of town.

“Day of, Canada Day, we’re going to have a 100-foot crane here. We’re going to hoist her up to see what the rock weighs, and closest to the weight wins a massive prize pack,” says Atwood Lions member Greg Skinner.

People are encouraged to watch the rock weighing livestream from home. There is hope that next Canada Day, Atwood and other communities across the country will return to “normal” July 1 festivities.

“And then we’re hopefully back to normal. We’re able to do our festivities down at the park, like we normally do for Canada Day,” says Atwood Lions member Tim Buchanan.

“These are extraordinary times and heartbreaking times, and we just need to stand with our First Nations. This simply wasn’t the time to celebrate, but there will be a time and we’re planning on possibly hosting fireworks on the Civic Holiday weekend,” says Jackson.