Surrey set to hold first pride parade on Sunday

Surrey will celebrate their LGBTQ community with the city's first-ever pride parade on Sunday.

Surrey Pride Society President Shawn Ewing says the Surrey event won't be on the same scale as Vancouver's massive parade, but having it is part of Surrey "growing up."

"We're hoping to turn it into more of a reflection of the Surrey community," she told The Early Edition guest host Stephen Quinn. "It was intended to be more of a small, grassroots parade, get the footprint down."

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Ewing says some people in Surrey in the LGBTQ community might not feel comfortable being fully out in Surrey, but says there's a lot of progress in the city.

For instance, she said it was "amazing" that the Lower Mainland's first LGBTQ prom was held in the city.

"We're moving forward. That's the important part," she said.

Ewing went on to say the number of street youth who don't identify as straight is concerning.

"Not only are they youth at risk because they're street youth but they're also additionally at risk because they're embracing an alternate lifestyle," she said.

Surrey's first pride parade begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday at City Hall Plaza and will go down University Boulevard to the Surrey Pride Festival at Holland Park.

With files from CBC Radio One's The Early Edition

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