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Santa parade may not roll

Budget pressure may cancel Vancouver's Santa Claus parade this year.

A $150,000 shortfall could halt the annual event, which draws tens of thousands of families unless new sponsors are found.

"It's a tough year for us," parade society president Jessica Walker told CTV. "We have faced some financial challenges that we haven't faced in the past, so we're reaching out to the community, to the corporate community, to help save the parade."

Rogers has pulled out as a sponsor after 12 years, organizers say.

It costs about $400,000 to hold the event, mostly for policing, float construction and city fees, but the society has so far raised only $250,000.

Coast Capital Savings also pulled its sponsorship earlier this year.

"It's not just about the donations we get on parade day, it's about putting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank front of mind during that season," Walker said.

The event has raised $157,000 for the food bank and collected 77,000 pounds of food over the years.

– with files from CTV Vancouver



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