Tragedy in Nova Scotia prompts new safety measures in P.E.I. Christmas parades

Organizers of the Charlottetown and Summerside Christmas parades say they're bringing in new safety measures this year, to try to ensure last year's tragedy in Nova Scotia is never repeated.

Four-year-old MaCali Cormier was killed last November, after falling beneath a float during Yarmouth's Christmas parade.

"It's the first thing we discussed — how can we avoid what happened in Nova Scotia? How can we mitigate the dangers?" said Wally MacAusland, a safety officer with Summerside's Station 1 fire department, which is organizing the city's parade this year.

"It was a horrible, horrible tragegy," said Laurel Lea, Charlottetown's tourism officer. "What it has allowed us … to do is kind of take pause and reflect on what we can do to increase the safety efforts we are making."

More security and fencing

Lea said parade goers and participants in Charlottetown will notice several new measures at this year's event, aimed at keeping people and vehicles off roads along the parade route.

More traffic barricades will be in place, and more police and private security officers will be supervising parking lots "that could see vehicles enter the route unexpectedly."

At the intersection of Great George and Grafton streets — the one major turn along the route and a popular viewing spot — Lea said fencing four feet tall will be installed.

"It shouldn't impact viewing in any way," said Lea. "But it's just an extra safety precaution to ensure those excited spectators aren't creeping onto the road at that corner, and that those that are driving the actual floats have enough room to safely navigate that corner."

More safety messaging

Before the parade gets underway, she said volunteers will be walking the route, reminding people to stay at a safe distance from the road.

That same message will also be blared from "sound cars" during the parade.

"It's just friendly reminders throughout the parade, to just kind of watch where you are, to make sure you're safely back from the route itself," she said.

'More safe to hand it off by hand'

In Summerside, MacAusland said his planning committee has decided to ban candy throwing during this year's parade.

While Charlottetown hasn't allowed it for years, the city of Summerside said it's never had an official rule against it, until now.

"If there's candy on the streets, and kids darting out, getting candy and they're distracted and not seeing floats.… We thought it would be more safe to hand it off by hand," said MacAusland.

He said on top of that, more fire department members and cadets with the police academy in the city will also be stationed at traffic barricades, ensuring vehicles aren't entering the parade route.

"We've heard before that manning barricades was overlooked in years past. So I think the more eyes the better," he said.

Both cities sticking with night parades

In what's proven to be a controversial move, Cape Breton regional council has put a ban on nighttime parades after last year's tragedy.

Both Summerside and Charlottetown parade organizers said they don't see a need to take it that far.

"We do feel that through our discussions with Charlottetown Police Services … we are able to safely execute a nighttime parade, both for participants and spectators," said Lea. "The nighttime parade itself offers just a magical sparkle with lights, and it's a different ambiance than a daytime parade during the holiday season."

Summerside's Christmas parade takes place Friday, Nov. 22. Charlottetown's is the following Saturday, Nov. 30.

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