Federal budget on culture | A shower of… temporary aid measures

The new federal budget supports several sectors and festivals in the cultural sector, but on a temporary basis, deplore the Union of Artists (UDA), the Regroupement des events Majors Internationales (REMI), Festivals and Major Events Canada (FAME) and the Council Quebec theater (CQT).

Some measures had already been announced a few months ago, such as the 100 million over two years granted to Telefilm Canada starting in 2024-2025. Significant support which should allow the Canadian industry to finance 40 to 60 productions annually.

“It is certain that this aid granted to Telefilm Canada gives oxygen to an industry which is going through a particularly difficult period due to the very strong presence of the streaming giants,” the president of the UDA told us, Tania Kontoyanni. But if it doesn’t happen again, it will be bad news in two years…”

Another measure announced in advance, on the sidelines of the Juno Awards ceremony: the injection of 32 million over two years, starting from 2024-2025, into the Canada Music Fund. A measure that particularly delights the members of the Professional Association of Show Presenters RIDEAU.

The government is also announcing additional aid of 31 million over two years (15.5 million per year) to “nourish the dynamism of festivals and the performing arts”.

This sum is added to the 32.5 million in annual fixed aid shared by more than 600 festivals, but also broadcasters and programmers (for a total of 48 million annually). REMI instead requested an annual sum of 61.5 million.

This is aid granted to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (FCPA), awaited by the festival community. Tohu is notably mentioned for supporting the Festival Montréal Complètement cirque (MCC), the Festival TransAmériques (FTA) of dance and theater and the Vancouver Fringe Festival (VFF).

Two important events receive significant additional aid. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) alone will get $23 million over three years starting in 2024-25, while the Shaw Festival Theater in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, will receive $15 million in 2024- 2025. This funding will notably support his campaign All. Together. Now.

“We will have to fight again”

In a press release published Tuesday evening, REMI and FAME said they were “partially relieved” by this announcement, but deplored the fact that this sum is still not integrated into the FCPA budget base.

“By acting in this way, the federal government condemns the cultural sector to be in perpetual representation to renew sums, year after year,” writes Martin Roy, who heads the two organizations and who expected to receive nearly 14 million dollars. more annually.

“We understand this decision even less to the extent that the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Pascale St-Onge) recognized in a letter that the uncertainty linked to the renewal of temporary funds (…) adds to the enormous financial pressures suffered by the sector in due to rising costs linked to inflation and labor shortages,” adds Martin Roy.

Same story with RIDEAU, which welcomes the new funds allocated to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, but which regrets not seeing this amount integrated into the government’s budgetary basis. “Once again, we only have two years,” says the general director of RIDEAU, Julie-Anne Richard. Afterwards, we will have to fight again…”

Note, two major institutions in the country are receiving a boost from Ottawa: CBC/Radio-Canada will receive a budget of 42 million in 2024-2025 to finance its current affairs and entertainment programs, while the National Arts Center of Ottawa (CNA) will receive $45 million over three years starting in 2025-2026.

But the elephant in the room – and the big one missing from the budget – is funding from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA), which supports almost all artistic disciplines, from performing arts to visual arts to audiovisual projects . The CAC’s budget must decrease by nearly 21 million over the next three years, its general director announced in a letter sent to the artistic community last February.

“We are happy for the FTA and for all the festivals,” says the co-president of the CQT, Michelle Parent, “but with the cuts that had already been announced to the Canada Arts Council, we do not have the impression of having been heard. We are still in a situation where there is a decline with all the Arts Councils, even in Quebec. »

Among other measures found in the budget of the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, note that cable channels such as the Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) , Ici Télévision and TV5 will receive 15 million over two years from 2024-2025. Local journalism receives aid of 58.8 million over three years from 2024-2025. And the Canadian book industry, 10 million over three years.

Last element: the Trudeau government wants to ensure that ticket prices for concerts and sporting events are fair and accessible.

Even if the Ministry of Culture and Communications of Quebec has already mandated MP Kariane Bourassa to find solutions to the resale of tickets at astronomical prices, the federal government announces that it “will collaborate with the provinces so that they adopt requirements Best Practices for Ticket Sales.

The federal government reiterates the importance of the Competition Bureau and its Competition law in order to ensure the transparency of transactions, the protection of consumers against unforeseen or excessive costs, the reimbursement of sums incurred in the event of cancellation or the fines of resellers.