Council postpones vote on funding for The Tragically Hip final concert anniversary celebrations

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

At their last meeting council voted to defer a decision on allocating up to $350,000 for events marking the 10th anniversary of The Tragically Hip’s final concert.

The original motion would have approved funding from the City’s Working Fund Reserve to support programming, events, and activations tied to the anniversary. However, Council and residents alike have expressed concerns about the size and scope of the proposed funding.

Councillor Wendy Stephen brought forward a deferral which would delay the decision until March of 2026, directing staff to return with more detailed information about the planned events and how the funds would be used.

In the end, Council voted to defer the motion, with all councillors in favour except Councillor Jeff McLaren, who argued the funding should be voted down outright.

Listen to the full story here.