Edmonton Prolife was excluded from KDays after decades of participation
Edmonton Prolife is a non-profit organization that provides education, support, and resources to people facing unplanned pregnancies and end-of-life situations.
For decades, the organization operated an information booth at KDays, Edmonton’s annual summer exhibition. It had participated at the event since the 1980s.
In January 2022, Edmonton Prolife applied for a booth at KDays. On July 5, 2022, Explore Edmonton Corporation approved the application and offered the organization booth space. Eight days later, however, Explore Edmonton cancelled the booking without explanation.
Edmonton Prolife did not apply for a booth in 2023.
The organization applied again for KDays 2024. On May 14, 2024, Explore Edmonton advised that the application had been rejected, citing either vendor criteria or limited space, but provided no further explanation.
Internal emails suggested opposition to Edmonton Prolife’s message
Following a freedom of information request, Edmonton Prolife obtained internal email exchanges from Explore Edmonton relating to the 2022 decision.
According to those emails, Explore Edmonton personnel discussed ways to exclude Edmonton Prolife from KDays because they disagreed with the organization’s life-affirming message and believed it could make guests feel unsafe, despite identifying no evidence of any actual security concerns.
The emails also referred to developments in American abortion law as a factor in the decision to exclude Edmonton Prolife.
A similar situation had arisen in 2017 when Edmonton Northlands, then the organizer of KDays, attempted to prevent Edmonton Prolife from operating its booth. After lawyers funded by the Justice Centre intervened, Northlands reversed its decision and allowed the organization to participate.
Lawsuit alleged viewpoint discrimination
Lawyers funded by the Justice Centre initially challenged Explore Edmonton’s decision by judicial review before converting the proceeding into a civil action, allowing the parties to obtain additional internal records through documentary discovery.
The lawsuit alleges that Explore Edmonton violated Edmonton Prolife’s section 2(b) Charter right to freedom of expression by denying the organization access to an important public forum because of its viewpoint.
Constitutional lawyer Darren Leung stated, “Public spaces are important forums for people to express a wide range of ideas. Governments are custodians of public spaces and must comply with the Charter when managing these public spaces. Government bodies like the Explore Edmonton Corporation are legally required to be neutral and have no right to censor content that they dislike or disagree with.”
Discovery is underway
Explore Edmonton has filed a Statement of Defence denying that Edmonton Prolife’s Charter rights were violated and maintaining that it had discretion to refuse vendor applications.
During the week of July 20, 2026, the parties began exchanging documents through the discovery process.
Constitutional lawyer Darren Leung stated, “The proceeding had earlier been converted from an application to an action after freedom of information requests did not provide a complete picture of the decision-making process surrounding Edmonton Prolife’s exclusion from KDays.”
The matter remains before the Court of King’s Bench.
