MONCTON, NB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that lawyers funded by the Justice Centre have filed a Statement of Claim on behalf of Burn 24/7 Canada Worship Ministries Society (the Society) against the City of Moncton (City), arguing that the City violated the Society’s freedom of expression by cancelling a public Christian worship event just two days before it was scheduled to take place.
The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the City’s actions violated the Society’s freedom of expression protected by section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, along with $50,000 in Charter damages. The Society is also asking the Court to make no order as to costs, regardless of the outcome, because the case raises important public interest issues.
The Society is a Christian non-profit organization that hosts worship and prayer events across Canada. In the spring of 2025, it organized the “Let Us Worship” tour, featuring American musician Sean Feucht. The Moncton event was scheduled for July 24, 2025, at Riverfront Park and was intended to be a free, public gathering focused on worship and the Gospel message.
According to the court filing, the City approved the Society’s application on April 30, 2025. Over the following months, organizers continued working with City staff on logistical arrangements, including site planning, insurance, washroom facilities, water access, and scheduling. The Society says it complied with every request made by the City.
However, on July 22, 2025, the City abruptly cancelled the event, citing its Code of Conduct in City Facilities and concerns about public safety arising from planned protests. The Society alleges that the planned worship service complied with the City’s policies, that it had developed its own security plan, and that the cancellation resulted from anticipated opposition to the event rather than any conduct by the organizers themselves.
The pleading further alleges that, by cancelling the event because of anticipated opposition, the City effectively yielded to a “heckler’s veto” instead of protecting peaceful expression. It also says that the City failed to work with organizers to address any legitimate safety concerns before cancelling the booking.
Following the cancellation, the Society secured an alternative venue at Bar None Camp in Taxis River, New Brunswick, only hours before the event was scheduled to begin. It states that attendance dropped from an expected 1,000 people to approximately 200 because of the remote location, resulting in reduced donations and additional expenses associated with relocating the event at the last minute.
Constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury said, “This case concerns a basic constitutional principle: governments cannot suppress peaceful expression simply because others threaten to protest it.”
He added, “Public officials have a duty to protect freedom of expression, not surrender it to those who oppose a speaker’s message.”
The action was filed in the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick, Trial Division, Judicial District of Moncton.
The Justice Centre is Canada’s leading civil liberties organization defending Charter rights and freedoms in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. Founded in 2010, the Justice Centre funds lawyers across Canada, relies entirely on voluntary donations to carry out its mission, and issues official tax receipts to donors.
