Nathan Phillips Square (NPS) is a vibrant, active space in the heart of the city. Every year, over 1.8 million visitors attend a variety of community and special events hosted at the Square, and we appreciate your organization’s potential contributions to this ever-growing lineup of exciting activities.
Permit applications for NPS are only open in October for the following year, and event facilitation requires a minimum of eight to 12 weeks.
Permits are required to host an event at NPS. Please note that submission of an application does not guarantee the use of NPS as it is frequently over-subscribed and staff cannot accommodate all requests. It does not operate on a first come first serve or grandfathered basis.
Please be as detailed as possible in your application submission and clearly outline the proposed use along with the elements/programming you wish to present so that staff can properly evaluate.
Event organizations must provide three potential date options along with a detailed site map showing the proposed use of the space for review and consideration.
Permit applications are now closed for 2025 events.
Once staff have reviewed all applications and date requests, we will contact you and advise on the status of your application by mid-December. Once you are notified and confirm, the requested date is held and staff will work with you to ensure all required information is provided during the permitting process.
Please note that submission of an application does not guarantee the use of Nathan Phillips Square as we are frequently over-subscribed and cannot accommodate all requests. Should all requested date options be unavailable we will contact you and discuss possible alternative dates or locations elsewhere in the city you may wish to consider.
Provided a date option is identified, an Event Support Supervisor will send you a “Letter of Condition” along with a “Checklist” which will begin the permitting process for your event in 2025. Staff will then work with you to ensure compliance with space regulations based on your event design. Once all details are confirmed a permit agreement will be signed by both parties.
NPS is an event space and event permits are issued for cultural events only.
Permits are not issued for:
Applicants requesting permission to use NPS to hold an event are required to meet all of the following criteria to have their application considered:
Date requests are subject to review and space availability given the number of requests we receive annually. We cannot guarantee dates for every request.
There are no application, permit or rental fees for use of NPS however, staff recovery costs, based on the needs of your event design, will apply and standard rates for services.
Commercial photography and film shoots require a film permit through the City of Toronto Film Office.
Please note that news outlets, weather reporting and all other forms of ENG (Electronic News Gathering) do not require a permit to film daily news stories. No media vehicles are permitted on the Square. However, there is a designated media lot on the northwest side of the Square. The entrance to the media lot is from Chestnut Street and Armory Street.
Under City policies governing the use of NPS, permits for demonstrations/rallies/protests/marches/vigils are not issued, nor are commercial events, sampling or marketing activations allowed.
Due to the public nature of the Square, rallies, demonstrations and/or protests are happenings that do not require a City permit. Under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the right of public assembly is allowed and as Nathan Phillips Square is a public space, it is frequently used for these purposes.
For additional questions, email BookingNPS@toronto.ca.