Moncton — A Christian ministry that planned a free public worship event in Moncton says the city abruptly cancelled the booking two days before the gathering, prompting the group to challenge the decision in court.
Background and cancellation
Burn 24/7 Canada Worship Ministries Society — a Christian non-profit that organises worship and prayer events across Canada — says it booked Riverfront Park for a “Let Us Worship” tour event featuring American musician Sean Feucht on July 24, 2025. The City of Moncton approved the application on April 30, 2025, and organisers say they worked with city staff for months on logistics including site planning, insurance, washroom facilities, water access and scheduling.
According to the Society, despite complying with all city requests, Moncton cancelled the booking on July 22, two days before the event. The municipality told organisers the cancellation was due to the city’s Code of Conduct in City Facilities and concerns about public safety arising from planned protests.
Organisers say they were left scrambling
The Society says it had prepared its own security plan and believed the planned event met city policies. With only days to go, organisers scrambled to find an alternative site and secured a remote venue at Bar None Camp in Taxis River, New Brunswick, hours before the event was due to begin.
Those last-minute arrangements, the Society says, produced a sharp decline in attendance — from an expected 1,000 people to about 200 — and led to reduced donations and additional unplanned expenses. The Society argues the city effectively yielded to opposition rather than protecting peaceful expression and working with organisers to address safety concerns.
Legal claim and the issue of a "heckler's veto"
In public statements provided with the court filing, the Society contends the cancellation amounted to a form of the so-called "heckler's veto", where authorities remove or restrict an event because of anticipated opposition. The organisation says the city did not adequately negotiate measures to manage protests or mitigate risks and instead cancelled the booking outright.
The Society’s account says the abrupt cancellation deprived the event of its planned urban setting and accessibility, forcing it to relocate to a remote site with little notice and substantially reducing its reach.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 30, 2025 | City of Moncton approves booking for Riverfront Park |
| July 22, 2025 | City cancels booking, citing Code of Conduct and safety concerns |
| July 24, 2025 | Event held at Bar None Camp in Taxis River after last-minute relocation |
Local consequences and questions for city leadership
The dispute raises immediate questions about how Moncton balances public-safety considerations with charter-protected expression on municipal property. For residents and event organisers, the case may clarify what steps the city will take when opposition or protest is anticipated, and whether it will seek to accommodate events with tailored safety measures rather than cancelling them.
The Society says the move had direct financial and attendance consequences for its Moncton event. It also frames the matter as a broader public-interest issue about the city’s role in protecting peaceful public expression.
What to expect next
The Society has filed a legal challenge against the City of Moncton. As the matter proceeds through the courts, the municipality and the organisation may be called to demonstrate what alternatives were considered, what safety assessments were made, and whether municipal policy was applied consistently.
- Organisers: Burn 24/7 Canada Worship Ministries Society
- Original venue: Riverfront Park, Moncton (booking approved April 30, 2025)
- Cancellation: July 22, 2025; city cited Code of Conduct and public safety
- Alternate venue: Bar None Camp, Taxis River; attendance fell to ~200
The legal challenge will be watched by community groups, faith organisations and civil liberties advocates in Moncton and beyond as it tests how municipal authorities manage contested events and the boundaries between public safety and free expression.
