Holiday Season Comes Early for the Canada Council for the Arts
Bulletin 47/05
Ottawa, November 23, 2005 – Today in Montréal, the Minister of Canadian Heritage the Hon. Liza Frulla,
presented a big gift-wrapped package by announcing that the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts will be
significantly increased over the next three fiscal years.
The Minister has succeeded in convincing her Cabinet colleagues to approve a stepped increase to the budget of
the Canada Council, $ 56.5 million in 2006-07, $ 100 million in 2007-08, and $ 150 million in 2008-09, for a total of
$306.5 in new funding over the next three fiscal years. This package would effectively double the current budget
of the Council by the end of the third year of the funding increase.
“This is indeed a great day for the arts in Canada,” says Alain Pineau, CCA National Director, “and the CCA
congratulates its partners in the Canadian Arts Coalition, as well as the Minister, her Department officials, and
the government for a job well done.“
Additional funding increases were also announced today for Foreign Affairs’ International Touring Program, the
National Arts Centre, National Arts Training Contribution Program, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts
(see DCH backgrounder below).
The new funding will have to pass through the various Parliamentary hoops and will be reflected in the 2006-07
federal budget’s Main Estimates, which also have to be approved by the Standing Committee on Canadian
Heritage and the House of Commons. The CCA hopes that all political parties will endorse the need for, and
value of, this increased investment in the arts whenever the measure comes before Parliament.
“Brilliant visual artists, inspired writers and gifted performers capture the stories of our country in works of art,
literary works and song. The artistic excellence of which Canadians are so richly capable must be saluted and
celebrated,” said Minister Frulla, in the Department of Canadian Heritage’s news release. “Today I am proud to
demonstrate to Canadians the Government of Canada’s commitment to artists and the arts.“
The DCH news release indicates that portions of the increase in funding was to be directed at “major centres of
excellence in the arts”, such as the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, the National Ballet of Canada, les Grands Ballets
Canadiens, and the Canadian Opera Company.
Today’s good news comes at a time where there is a litany of other cultural policy developments that the Minister
has on her “to do list”. Another key priority is her public commitment to a new museums policy, and speculation
in Ottawa is than an announcement is imminent. At the press conference in Montreal, the Minister added that
there were other major cultural issues to deal with in the near future, including reviewing the CBC mandate,
pulling together a Canadian cultural policy, and working on the status of the artist in Canada.
It is the collective hope of the CCA and its members that whatever the timing and the outcome of the next federal
election, the new government will honour this commitment, which is so vital to the health and sustainability of
the arts in Canada.
Excerpt from the Department of Canadian Heritage Backgrounder, “Details of New Investment in the
Arts”, November 23 2005, which is available at:
www.pch.gc.ca/newsroom/news_e.cfm?Action=Display&code=5N0325E
This investment in the arts will double the Canada Council for the Arts’ funding by 2008 and will provide the
arts sector with much improved financial stability.
These new resources will enable the Council to significantly increase its support for artistic creation, national
and international touring, and the Public Lending Right Program, which compensates authors for access to
their works provided by public libraries. This investment will also:
” enable Foreign Affairs Canada to increase the presence of Canadian artists abroad
” enable the National Arts Centre to enhance its Regional Scenes series, as well as its touring and
educational activities
” enable the Department of Canadian Heritage to better support high-calibre arts training institutions,
and further the national mandate of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.
Funding will be allocated as follows:
2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2009 Total 2006–2011
Canada Council for the Arts $56.5 M $100 M $150 M $306.5 M
Foreign Affairs Canada — International Touring $2 M $4 M $5 M $11 M
National Arts Centre $1.5 M $2 M $3 M $6.5 M
National Arts Training Contribution Program $2 M $4 M $6 M $12 M
Confederation Centre of the Arts $1 M $2 M $2.8 M $5.8 M
TOTAL $63 M $112 M $166.8 M $341.8 M
Backgrounder
Canada Council for the Arts
2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2009
Existing resources $151 M $151 M $151 M
New resources $56.5 M $100 M $150 M
TOTAL $207.5 M $251 M $301 M
With these new resources, the Canada Council for the Arts will be able to:
” better support our most creative arts organizations of all sizes in all regions
” greatly increase resources for domestic and international touring
” expand support for the work of individual artists in more communities across the country
” increase the resources of the Public Lending Right Program, which compensates authors for access
to their works provided by public libraries
” better honour the highest achievements of Canadian artists
Canada’s arts sector enriches our communities and projects an image of a creative and innovative country to
audiences around the world. This investment will play a key role in building and stabilizing Canada’s arts
sector, enabling it to invest in the creative activity essential for artistic excellence.
The role of the Canada Council for the Arts, which was created in 1957, is to foster and promote the study
and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. The Canada Council is the principal means
through which the federal government provides support for professional artists and non-profit arts
organizations through a broad range of grants and services in music, theatre, writing and publishing, visual
arts, dance, media arts, and interdisciplinary and performance art.
The Canada Council for the Arts is overseen by an eleven-member Board appointed by the Government of
Canada. The Council relies heavily on the advice of artists and arts professionals from all parts of Canada. It
reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.