Toronto-Dominion (TD) Bank has quietly ended its longstanding sponsorship of several major Canadian jazz festivals, including the Toronto Jazz Festival and Calgary's JazzYYC Summer Festival, following their 2024 editions. This follows TD's earlier withdrawal from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Jazz Festival in recent years.
While TD did not provide specific reasons for discontinuing its title sponsorships, Natasha Ferrari, the bank's senior manager of corporate and public affairs, stated, "We have made changes to some of our sponsorships over time." She emphasized TD's continued commitment to the arts, adding, "We continue to elevate and celebrate emerging artists and diverse voices through our direct support of 385 arts and culture organizations across Canada in 2024, including sponsorship of more than 55 music and cultural festivals."
The loss of TD’s funding has had a significant impact on affected festivals. In Calgary, JazzYYC’s executive and artistic director, Kodi Hutchinson, revealed that TD’s contribution accounted for about 10 percent of the festival’s budget. As a result, the number of events is expected to drop from 42 in the previous summer to just 19 in 2025, with free events shrinking from 17 to four. Hutchinson expressed concern over the broader implications, stating, "Some festivals will have to reduce greatly, which causes further difficulties in getting a sponsor. It’s circular."
Similarly, the Toronto Jazz Festival has felt the financial strain. Artistic director Josh Grossman noted that TD had informed them before the 2024 festival that it would be its last year as a sponsor. This led organizers to cut the popular Avenue Road stage from the festival’s programming. "The reality of taking a bare patch of grass and creating a concert venue is very expensive," Grossman said.
Despite these cuts, TD remains involved in Canada’s music scene through various initiatives, including arts funding, music awards, and venue sponsorships, such as Le Studio TD in Montreal and TD Music Hall in Toronto.
Over the past decade, corporate sponsors have increasingly shifted their focus from arts festivals to sports and cause-oriented organizations, making it even tougher for arts events to secure funding.
As of February 2025, however, TD Bank remains the title sponsor of the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival. Branded as the "TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival," the event is scheduled to run from June 17 to June 22, 2025, with a lineup featuring artists such as Madeleine Peyroux, Jimmie Herrod, George Colligan, and Richard Bona.
While TD has pulled its support from jazz festivals in Toronto, Calgary, and elsewhere, its ongoing sponsorship of the Winnipeg event signals a continued, albeit more selective, investment in Canada’s music landscape.