OTTAWA — The federal government will hold its G20 summit in the heart of Toronto’s financial district over the last weekend of June, The Canadian Press has learned.

The decision will bring tens of thousands of visitors into the downtown core but it will also sideline baseball fans and the gay community as it kicks off a week of Pride activities.

An official announcement is not expected for a few weeks, but sources tell The Canadian Press the Metro Toronto Convention Centre next to the CN Tower has been selected over locations outside the downtown core.

Ottawa has already hosted a G8 summit and other international meetings in the building. Plus, it gives the federal government a chance to put the spotlight on its stable financial district at a time when G20 leaders are looking for good role models.

“The whole point is to showcase Canada as an attractive place to do business and the way we regulate our banking sector,” said Andrew MacDougall, a spokesman for the prime minister.

“We have a good story and we want it told well,” he said, without confirming the location.

The Gay Pride Parade, which usually draws over a million visitors from around the world, has already been pushed back a week.

Normally, the parade is held on the last weekend in June, after a week of festivities. The parade is meant to commemorate New York City’s Stonewall Riots of June 28, 1969.

Organizers have postponed everything by a week in anticipation of summit activities. Still, Gay Pride activities will start just before the summit, on June 25, and build up to a parade a week after the summit, on July 4.

source: www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j77Ewlxiyt6d0fzYAcDHt7HrF9vA