Sponsorship Structure

Partner With the Parades in 2026

This package consolidates the sponsorship opportunities for Help Santa Toy Parade and Santa’s Parade of Lights into one professional program. The focus is simple: meaningful community visibility, direct recognition, and memorable sponsor experiences.

What sponsorship can include

Recognition on parade websites, event materials and social media.
Public acknowledgement as a significant community supporter.
Sponsor recognition connected to Santa’s ladder truck and parade activities, where applicablel.
A thank-you photo opportunity with Ottawa Fire Department members.
Higher-level opportunities including parade float entry, a private Ottawa Fire Department tour, and a framed Ottawa Fire sweater.

2026 Sponsorship Structure

The former entry-level donor tiers have been removed. For 2026, the sponsorship program begins at $1,500 and builds through five clear partnership levels.

Flame Sponsor $1,500	Recognition on the applicable parade website and official event materials. Recognition through parade social media channels. Personalized thank-you acknowledgement from the Ottawa Professional Firefighters Association.
Inferno Sponsor $2,500	All Flame Sponsor benefits. Enhanced public recognition as a significant supporter. Photo opportunity at your business with Ottawa Fire Department members. Printed and framed sponsor thank-you photo delivered after the event.

Premier Sponsorship Opportunities

Phoenix Sponsor $5,000	All Inferno Sponsor benefits. Complimentary parade float entry (previously valued at $750). Expanded sponsor visibility across event recognition opportunities.
Hero Sponsor $10,000	All Phoenix Sponsor benefits. Private Ottawa Fire Department tour with an opportunity to meet firefighters and see behind-the-scenes operations. Custom framed Ottawa Fire sweater as a special sponsor recognition gift.
Presenting Sponsor $20,000	Top-level 2026 sponsorship recognition. All Hero Sponsor benefits. Premier positioning within applicable event recognition, social media and sponsor materials. Custom recognition planning with parade organizers to appropriately highlight the partnership.

Note: Specific placements, scheduling and recognition opportunities are subject to parade logistics and organizer approval. Benefits can be coordinated for the applicable parade(s).

Premier Sponsorship Opportunities

Your sponsorship helps strengthen the community support behind Ottawa’s holiday parade traditions. Whether your organization i looking for community visibility, employee engagement, or a meaningful local partnership, the 2026 program offers a clear path to participate.

Help Santa Toy Parade – toyparade.ca

Santa’s Parade of Lights – paradeoflights.org

Philosophy: The Ottawa Professional Firefighters Association is committed to producing and hosting the annual SANTA’S PARADE OF LIGHTS to the best of our Members’ ability. To this end, we constantly strive to produce the best possible Parade for the public and recipients of our donations by encouraging both Business groups and Community groups to lend helping hands wherever they can to assist us in our efforts to bring joy to those less fortunate children in our City.

For the record I would like to inform all interested parties that our Association absorbs all costs involved with the parade with the exception of the support provided by sponsors. By doing so, we ensure that all collections from the Parade (100%) are returned to the children of the City in the form of toys which we acquire at manufacturer discounted prices.

Sponsorship Categories:
(Recognition program described at bottom)

Presenting Sponsor	– This category allows for one Title Sponsor – Sponsorship in this category begins with a financial commitment starting at $5000 and includes other services-in-kind.
Government and Media	– This category is reserved for Government and Media agencies that primarily offer services-in-kind in assisting our efforts. – Sponsorship in this category begins with services offered at a value in excess of $2000.
Santa’s Elite Club	– This category is the highest category that any Business or Community Group can enter at this time. To become a sponsor in this category requires a commitment of financial assistance or services-in-kind with a dollar value in excess of $2000.
Mrs. Claus’ Handy Helpers	– This category is for sponsors who wish to make a contribution, either financially or by services-in-kind with a dollar value in excess of $1000.
Rudolf’s Work Crew	– This category is reserved for those sponsors who make a financial or services-in-kind contribution, with a dollar value up to $1000.

Recognition provided for Sponsors

All Sponsors of the Parade receive full recognition for their support, unless we are specifically asked not to. We firmly believe that it takes many helping hands to ensure that a top quality event gets produced properly, and recognizing these helping hands is part of our duty to all. As Sponsors to this Parade, all categories will be represented in our Parade awareness campaign, which includes the following:

Name and/or Logo will appear in:

Posters, (colour, bilingual, appropriate size for storefront and bulletin boards). Posters are displayed across the City at various City offices, libraries, businesses and community centers.
Banners flown on Fire Vehicles in the Parade, visible to both sides of the Parade route. (A point to note, our Parade Route is 3.5 km long and is viewed by crowds in excess of 100,000 people on Parade Day)
Mention on Parade Day at the Judging and Reviewing site, as well as various events leading up to Parade Day.

On our Web site, www.paradeoflights.org

Recognition of sponsors (with the exception of the Presenting Sponsor) will be afforded in three separate size categories according to the dollar value that is contributed. The larger the contribution category equals the larger the logo visibility.

We welcome all questions and/or comments relating to Parade Sponsorship and will gladly work with Business and or Community groups who wish to participate and may need help in finding their appropriate category.

Wishing everyone the Best of the Season (a little early),

Cameron Taylor,
Chair, Parade Committee
ctaylor@ottawafirefighters.org