Bomb threat led to police presence at Edmonton Pride parade, organizers say
Posted August 26, 2026 9:49 am.
Last Updated August 26, 2026 9:48 am.
A bomb threat contributed to the decision to have Edmonton police at the Pride parade last weekend, organizers are now saying.
Festival director Trevor Watson says organizers were close to cancelling the parade altogether.
“Because public safety is our number one priority,” Watson told reporters Tuesday. “After we spoke with a number of different groups, other pride festivals, we realized that we cannot allow fear to remove pride from our streets.
“And so that’s why we worked very closely with our partners at EPS to ensure we create a safe parade route.”
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) confirmed it received a threat a week before the event but described it as not credible following an investigation.
“However, that does not minimize the impact or fear and concern it causes,” said Deputy EPS Chief Nicole Chapdelaine. “But when police receive threats, we must take them seriously.”
After Edmonton Pride organizers announced police would be involved, several 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in the city shared their concerns, with some threatening to pull out of the festivities altogether.
Watson apologized to those who felt unwelcome due to the police presence, but says it was necessary.
“The very people we were trying to protect should never have been left wondering whether we were protecting them,” he said. “If our communication failed you, we are sorry.
“If our words caused you pain, we ask for your forgiveness, and we will learn from it.”
Edmonton police’s hate crimes unit investigated the situation and no charges have been laid.
