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Key Messages and Facts – 2020-21 Main Estimates

Highlights:

The Department of Canadian Heritage is estimating budgetary expenditures of $1,535.1 million in 2020-21. Of this amount, $1,508.0 million requires Parliament’s approval. The remaining $27.1 million represents statutory forecasts that do not require additional approval and that are provided for information purposes.

Total authorities for 2020-21 have a net increase of $36.3 million when compared with the 2019-20 Main Estimates. The overall increase is explained by a net increase of $4.7 million in Vote 1 (Operating expenditures), $31.9 million in Vote 5 (Grants and Contributions) and offset by a decrease of $0.3 million in statutory and other forecasts.

Major increases for 2020-21 include funding measures that were mostly announced in Budget 2018 and 2019:

The above increases in funding are partially offset by the following decreases:

Canada Periodical Fund
The Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) provides financial assistance to Canadian print magazines, non-daily newspapers and digital periodicals to enable them to overcome market disadvantages and continue to provide Canadian readers with the content they choose to read. In the context of the Main Estimates, the Government of Canada will invest $72,775,054 in grants and $2,499,544 in contributions for the Canada Periodical Fund.
Canada Book Fund
The Department of Canadian Heritage, through the Canada Book Fund, provides $36.7 million directly to some 300 Canadian book publishers and industry organizations each year. The CBF provides this funding through two streams: Support for Publishers (SFP) and Support for Organizations (SFO).
Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is the largest fund for television and digital content production in Canada. In 2018-19, it provided approximately $343 million in support of 493 television programs and 116 experimental projects. The Government of Canada allocates $134.1 million annually to the CMF on an ongoing basis.
Canada Music Fund
The CMF provides support to Canadian music artists and entrepreneurs for the production and marketing of Canadian sound recordings, domestic and international touring and showcasing, digital market development, professional conferences, and awards shows and events that enhance the visibility of Canadian artists. The 2020-2021 resources dedicated to the Canada Music Fund amount to $36,649,231.
Canada Arts Presentation Fund
The program offers financial support to professional arts festivals and performing arts series, and to their support organizations. The Main Estimates 2020-2021 provide $27,055,000 in grants and $13,227,742 in contributions to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. These resources include the $8 million time limited, two year (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) supplement announced in Budget.
Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program
A total of $24.7 million in funding is allocated to the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program. This funding will allow the Program to continue to provide support to local festivals, community anniversaries and legacy capital projects throughout the country, helping to engage Canadians in their communities through performing and visual arts, and local heritage.
Canada Cultural Investment Fund
The objective of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund is to encourage private sector investment, partnership and sound business practices to help arts and heritage organizations to become better rooted and recognized in their communities. The program, which has a grants and contributions budget of $22 million, has three components that work together in achieving this objective, namely Endowment Incentives, Strategic Initiatives, and Limited Support for Endangered Arts Organizations.
Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the construction, renovation of facilities, the acquisition of specialized equipment and the development of feasibility studies for arts and heritage organizations, including creative hubs. The Main Estimates 2020-2021 provide $7 million in grants and $47,168,717 in contributions to the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.
Canada Arts Training Fund
The Canada Arts Training Fund provides financial support for the ongoing operations of Canadian not-for-profit arts training institutions that specialize in training artists for professional national or international artistic careers at the highest levels. The program’s annual contributions budget has been $22,779,440 since 2008-2009.
Creative Export Fund
The Creative Export Canada program was launched in 2018 as part of the Creative Export Strategy with an investment of $35 million over five years. The program provides $7 million per year to support projects that help creative industries maximize their export potential and stand out in the global market.
Local Journalism Initiative
The Government has recognized newspapers’ essential role in maintaining a healthy democracy. To increase the journalistic coverage in underserved communities, the Government launched the Local Journalism Initiative in May 2019, with an annual budget of $10 million.
Harboufront Centre
The Harbourfront Centre creates cultural and artistic events and activities to enliven, educate and entertain the public on Toronto's waterfront. An estimated 17 million people visit the Harbourfront Centre site annually. The current level of funding for 2019-2021 is $5 million per year.
Digital Citizen Contribution Program
The Digital Citizen Initiative focuses on strengthening citizens’ critical thinking about online disinformation, their ability to be more resilient against online harms, as well as their ability to get involved in democratic processes. The investment of $2,082,263 to establish the Digital Citizen Contribution Program will support research and evaluation efforts to build evidence that will inform future policy and program development.
Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program
By way of its Listen, Hear our Voice program, Library and Archives Canada will fund projects to digitize existing Indigenous culture and language recordings and build the skills, knowledge and resources needed to digitize and preserve Indigenous culture. Canadian Heritage is transferring $1,200,000 to Library and Archives Canada in support of the preservation of Indigenous languages and cultures.
Athlete Assistance Program
The Athlete Assistance Program provides direct financial support to over 1800 Canadian high performance (carded) athletes, across more than 94 sport disciplines. A fund of $5 million on-going has been established to support the Next Generation of Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Sport Support Program
Each year, the government allocates up to $179 million to eligible organizations. Funded initiatives contribute to excellence; enhanced education and skill development; improved health and wellness; increased civic pride, engagement and cohesion; and increased economic development and prosperity.
Hosting Program
The objectives of the Government of Canada Hosting Program are to strengthen sport excellence and sport development, to increase access and equity for designated underrepresented groups, and to strengthen economic, social, cultural and community benefits. In 2020–21, the Hosting Program will allocate $24 million to support games such as the North American Indigenous Game, and for the preparation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup in 2026.
Celebration and Commemoration Program
The Celebration and Commemoration Program supports opportunities for Canadians to share, express and appreciate their Canadian identity. It provides grants and contributions through two components: Celebrate Canada and Commemorate Canada. The Government of Canada is providing $20.13 million to support celebrations and commemoration initiatives across Canada in 2020-21.
Museums Assistance Program
The Museums Assistance Transfer Payment Program is a key source of federal support to non-profit museums and heritage organizations across the country, through three streams: Young Canada Works (YCW) - Heritage; Museums Assistance Program (MAP); and Movable Cultural Property Grants. In 2020-2021, the total investment for the Museums Assistance Transfer Payment Program is $15.8 million.
Canada History Fund
PCH provides $3.9 million in grant and contribution funding for the Canada History Fund. This funding will ensure the program continues to encourage Canadians to improve their knowledge about Canada's history, civics and public policy through the development of learning materials and activities, and the maintenance of networks.
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
Membership in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance provides Canada with the opportunity to work internationally with government officials and experts to combat racism and anti-Semitism. The mechanism to pay Canada’s annual membership contribution ($44,450) to IHRA is through the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives (CSMARI) grants and contributions program.
Lieutenant-Governors of each province - costs incurred in the exercise of their duties
Canadian Heritage is responsible for federal support to Lieutenant Governors through the Lieutenant Governors’ Program, for the exercise of their official duties. As established by the Treasury Board in 2004, the total amount of the annual federal grant paid to all Lieutenant Governors is $836,080. The distribution of funds is based on provincial population, size, and historical data.
TV5 and TV5 Monde
Our Government supports the creation of a francophone digital platform that brings together public broadcasters of TV5MONDE in order to protect and promote the French language internationally, and ensure the presence of strong francophone voices in the digital space. The Government of Canada’s commitments to the TV5 partnership and the Francophone digital platform are close to 13 million dollars for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Court Challenges Program
The total funding of the Courts Challenges Program is $5 million per year, of which a minimum of $1.5 million is allocated to the clarification of language rights. It is up to the Expert Panels to agree how to allocate the remainder of the amount to either human rights or official language rights.
Development of Official-Language Communities Program
Through the Development of Official Languages Communities program, we promote the development and vitality of official language minority communities. The government plans to devote nearly $300 million in grants and contributions to this program in 2020-2021.
Enhancement of Official Languages Program
Through the Enhancement of Official Languages program, we promote the full recognition and use of English and French in Canadian society. The government plans to spend more than $130 million in grants and contributions on this program in 2020-2021. The Government of Canada works in partnership with all provincial and territorial governments, as well as more than 350 community organizations, to meet the needs of our communities.
Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and the Anti-Racism Action Program
Canada’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, while tackling racism and discrimination, is unwavering. The $7.2 million in funding is delivered through the Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program, which has funded more than 220 community-based projects to date.
Youth Take Charge Program
The Youth Take Charge Program was created in 2010 with the objective of strengthening youth attachment to Canada through engagement in one of four thematic areas: history and heritage; civic engagement; arts and culture; and economic activities. An amount of $4 million in funding will help the Program increase its reach to a greater number of diverse youth, including those from underserved communities.
Innovative Youth Exchange Projects
The Program was created in 2000, and supports projects that provide youth with opportunities to learn more about Canada, connect with one another, and better appreciate the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience. With its current funding level of $18.2 million, the Program reaches approximately 13,000 youth annually from throughout Canada.

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