Live Blog: Canada Day celebrations and protests across the country – National

Communities across the country are gearing up for the biggest Canada Day celebrations since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Public events marking the holiday have been suspended due to the pandemic, but the easing of health restrictions has once again made large gatherings and celebrations possible.

However, not all cities will return to hosting major events. Montreal, Vancouver and other jurisdictions have chosen not to hold parades, for example, citing financial issues related to the pandemic as well as security concerns.

Smaller street festivals and events focusing on Indigenous reconciliation are planned instead.

Cities are also bracing for protests – particularly in Ottawa, where residents continue to battle what police acknowledged as “enduring trauma” from the convoy blockade earlier this year.

Organizers moved the festivities from the familiar backdrop of Parliament Hill to nearby LeBreton Flats, while police blocked off the Parliamentary Precinct to prevent another blockade.

Some of the organizers of the « Freedom Convoy » blockade and subsequent « Rolling Thunder » protests this spring have vowed to return to the capital on Friday, with police and the public bracing for the possibility of those protesters staying all weekend.

Global News follows events across the country and will bring you the latest news here.