Society at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2026

By: Leon Simeon, P.Eng. - Society UD - OPG Local

On Saturday, August 1 over 50 Society Members participated and volunteered in the 59th annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival (TCC). This event is the largest of its kind in North America and attracts over 1 million visitors from around the world to the city of Toronto each year during the August Civic long weekend. It is estimated that the event contributes over $100 million annually to the local economy through flights, hotel bookings, car rentals and restaurants and other tourist events.

August 1 is also a special day, as it represented Emancipation Day across the British Empire including Canada. On August 1, 1834 all enslaved people were freed. It was the beginning of workers coming together and the early stages of labour movements.

Thanks to the following elected representatives and Society Board members who took time out of their long weekend to volunteer, participate and support the Society during this event:

  • Ralph Chatoor (EVP), Leon Simeon (UD - OPG), Alika Hendricks (UD – LAO);

  • Johanne Konan (UD – OEB) and Daniel Lam (UD – Hydro One)

    • Participants included society members from the following Locals: OPG, Hydro One, OEB, LAO, ALS, Bruce, BWXT. One member drove down from the Bruce and another came from Peterborough to participate in this day.

    • A special thanks to delegate Vaughan James and his wife Lucy along with UD Alika Hendricks who took on the role of Marshalls for our group.

    • They ensured that water and snacks were distributed along the parade route and held signs along the route for members to follow.

This year, the Society was part of the Epic Mas Band which included other Unionized workers from CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees), ONA (Ontario Nurses Association), IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) and Unifor. Each

Band that participates in TCC follows a theme and costumes are designed around this theme. The Epic Mas Band’s theme was “Rising Empire: From Ashes to Throne.” The "Rising Empire: From Ashes to Throne" theme symbolizes resilience, transformation through adversity, and the reclaiming of personal and collective power. [1, 2]

Central to the theme is the imagery of the Phoenix, representing a journey from destruction to sovereignty—building something greater out of life's challenges. [1]

Key Symbolic Elements

  • Power and Passion: Celebrating a community that refuses to dim its light or succumb to hardships. [1]

  • Creation and Agency: Emphasizing that an empire isn't handed down; it is actively forged through energy, cultural pride, and imagination. [1]

  • The Next Generation: Representing young royalty stepping onto the road to claim their future, carry on cultural traditions, and rule the road. [1, 2]

  • Liberation: Mirroring the foundational spirit of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, which roots its street parades in emancipation, freedom from oppression, and the reclamation of joy. [1]

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Canada, EnergyCandace RhettSUP, Toronto Caribbean Carnival