Transition material 2021 — Minister of Sport

Table of Contents

A – Overview of the Department of Canadian Heritage

1. Overview of the Department of Canadian Heritage
2. Infographic
3. Legislative responsibilities under the Department of Canadian Heritage Act
4. Senior Management Biographies

B – Strategic Advice (Key Policy & Program Files)

Strategic Context

1. Canadian Heritage Strategic Overview
2. Liberal Party of Canada’s Electoral Platform Summary – PCH-Sport Perspective

Recovery and Rebuilding

3. COVID-19 Support Measures for the Arts, Cultural, Heritage and Sport Sectors
4. Leveraging the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors to Promote and Advance Environmental Sustainability

Sport

5. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) – 2026 Preparation
6. 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games
7. Modernization of the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework

Liberal Party of Canada’s Electoral Platform Summary – Canadian Heritage Perspective –Sport

Sport and Recreation

• Set a target for gender equality in sport at every level by 2035.

COVID-19 Support Measures for the Arts, Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Sectors

A. Issue

• In early 2020, the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors were among the first to suffer from the economic shutdowns and, with some variation among subsectors, will be among the last to recover. Many organizations and business models in these sectors continue to struggle for viability because of unique underlying economic pressures and a typically precarious workforce.
• Since the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government has made substantial commitments in terms of emergency support and reinvestment in the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors. Key relief packages administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, such as the Emergency Support Fund, Recovery Fund, and Reopening Fund, have been some of the main support mechanisms for organizations in these sectors during the pandemic.

B. Background and Current Status

• The arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors play a critical economic and social role in Canada. They contribute to nation building and fostering Canadian identity, both on a national and regional level, and are defining elements of Canada’s trading relationships, tourism industry, and cultural diplomacy.
• In 2019, the cultural sector contributed $57.1 billion toward the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or 2.7% of the national GDP, and provided approximately 672,929 jobs in Canada, accounting for 3.5% of all jobs in the economy. The sport sector in Canada contributed $6.1 billion toward the national GDP and accounted for about 99,240 jobs in 2019.
• The creative sectors already faced unique challenges and were susceptible to broader economic shocks well before the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the sport sector’s reliance on revenue from major spectator events, coupled with structural barriers to increased participation, makes it vulnerable to broader economic shocks.
• The pandemic has created a difficult environment for businesses in the arts, cultural, entertainment, and recreation sectors, but at the same time has accelerated digital trends and transitions. Nevertheless, the financial and workforce impacts have been significant.
• Now, 18 months into the pandemic, recovery within these sectors remains uneven, with the longer-term economic impacts potentially affecting the capacity and willingness of consumers to pay for certain cultural and sporting activities, leading to uncertainties for sectors that rely on audience engagement, large gatherings, exhibition visitors and tourism.
• In addition, while public health requirements are likely to remain well into the near future, in some cases they are shifting from restrictive (e.g., restrictions on large gatherings) to enabling (e.g., vaccine passports). Significant variations in public health requirements across jurisdictions mean that similar types of organizations will face different challenges and operating environments across the country. Notably, some venues are responding to public opinion and implementing their own rules, leading to inconsistency between jurisdictions.
• Government support for individuals (e.g., the Canada Recovery Benefit) and support for businesses (e.g., the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, or the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program) have all helped to keep many businesses afloat. Due to the unique business models and the typically precarious nature of the workforce in the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors – characterized by both not-for-profit organizations and for-profit cultural enterprises, self-employed individuals, and seasonal workers – these measures were not sufficient to stave off the collapse of many organizations without additional support. Specific measures were introduced to help ensure the survival and viability of the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors through the pandemic.

Emergency Support Fund

• On May 8, 2020, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced the details of a $500 million Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Organizations (ESF) to help alleviate the immediate financial pressures of organizations affected in the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This targeted funding focused on immediate and short-term emergency assistance and helped organizations maintain continuity of operations and employment while continuing to support artists, heritage workers, and athletes. To accelerate the distribution of funds, a two-phased approach was followed:
  • Phase I provided an urgent formula-based top-up to eligible current funding recipients via Canadian Heritage and its delivery partners, Telefilm Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts.
  • In Phase II, outreach efforts were undertaken to encourage eligible organizations that were not current funding recipients to apply from across Canada.

Waiving Part I and II License Fees

• In 2020 and 2021, the Government waived the requirement of all licensed broadcasters to pay Part I fees and waived the requirement of licensed radio stations, conventional television stations, and discretionary television services to pay Part II fees, as a temporary relief to allow them to weather the unprecedented impacts on their advertising revenues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. By not collecting these fees, the Government has forgone revenues of up to $70 million for the fiscal year 2020-2021.

Short-Term Compensation Fund

• In September 2020, the Government introduced a temporary support measure to allow the film and television industry to get back on its feet. Administered by Telefilm Canada, along with the Canada Media Fund, the Short-Term Compensation Fund (STCF) initially made as much as $50 million available for the industry to compensate independent production companies for the interruption or shutdown of an eligible audiovisual production due to confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• In early 2021, the Government announced an extension and expansion of the STCF to continue to assist producers in the sector and compensate for the lack of insurance coverage for COVID-19-related disruptions. The STCF is planned to sunset on March 31, 2022.

Support for Workers in the Live Arts and Music Sector Fund

• An additional $181.5 million in new funding for the live arts and music sectors was announced in the November 2020 Fall Economic Statement. This funding, administered by Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts, supports the planning and presentation of COVID-safe events in the arts and music sectors—including both live and digital—so as to provide work opportunities in these sectors, such as short-term contracting of technical workers.

Budget 2021— Recovery and Reopening Funds

• In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada announced $1.93 billion in new spending through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Heritage Portfolio, including an investment of $200 million to support local festivals, community cultural events, outdoor theatre performances, heritage celebrations, local museums, amateur sport events, and more, and $300 million to establish a Recovery Fund for Arts, Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Sectors, details of which were announced in June 2021.
• The Recovery Fund for Arts, Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Sectors will provide $300 million over two years to support organizations that are still struggling with operational viability due to the pandemic. It will also support recovery for these sectors by providing organizations and individuals with the financial means to pursue objectives related to building organizational resilience, as well as to pursue business innovation and transformation, including through advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) objectives, as well as greening initiatives.
• The Reopening Fund will invest $200 million over two years to help Canada’s local festivals, community cultural events, outdoor theatre performances, heritage celebrations, and local museums. It will support organizations and projects that deliver in-person experiences and events that draw visitors to our communities.
• The Recovery and Reopening Funds will be administered through 16 existing programs at Canadian Heritage, as well as at the Canada Council for the Arts and at Telefilm Canada. Funding will be delivered through a mixture of top-ups to existing recipients and application-based programming. The rollout of funding will be gradual and will ramp up over the course of the 2021–2022 fiscal year. This is largely due to the need to calibrate new supports with existing programming and application cycles, as well as to provide time for new program elements to be onboarded to the Department’s online application portal.
• Canadian Heritage has engaged the Regional Development Agencies and Innovation as well as Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to ensure alignment between the funds and other major and tourism-related investments in Budget 2021, and to identify potential gaps (e.g., zoos, aquariums, rodeos, fairs and exhibitions with annual revenues below $10 million, and botanical gardens without heritage collections). Although the department can provide support to non-traditional recipient organizations in instances where they align with the objectives and eligibility criteria of existing programs, the potential for gaps remains. To address them would require important changes (e.g., new policy authorities, new funding program).
• In addition to these two funds, a number of Treasury Board submissions related to other Budget 2021 announcements have been approved and are in implementation stages, while other submissions still require approval. Further details on the status of these initiatives will be provided in future briefings.

Liberal Party of Canada Platform Commitments

• The platform has made nine commitments to directly aid in the recovery of the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors. These include, among others, new wage and rent subsidies for the tourism and live events sectors; the launch of a new Arts and Cultural Recovery Program to match ticket sales for performing arts, live theatres, and other cultural events to make up for reduced capacity; a new transitional employment support program for cultural workers, and a commitment to hold a summit within the first 100 days on plans to restart the industry.
• See Annex A for a full list of platform commitments.

C. Proposed Action and Rationale

• There are distinct ongoing needs in the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors, which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some sectors that deliver national programming and managed to continue operations during the initial COVID-19 outbreak are experiencing a slower than anticipated recovery. Increased costs and reduced revenue due to COVID-19 restrictions are having significant impacts on these sectors.
• Since the start of the pandemic, the Department has regularly interacted with the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors, and has collected key data on the economic state of these sectors. Stakeholders have voiced expectations and evident needs have been demonstrated at the local level, but those needs and approaches vary considerably across the country.
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Recovery and Reopening Funds

• The department will continue with the accelerated implementation of the Recovery and Reopening Funds as announced in Budget 2021 and as originally designed.
• Reallocation of funds between the various program components of the Recovery and Reopening Funds could be possible as needs of the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors become clearer, or change over time.
• The funds will continue to complement the emergency supports of the past 18 months, along with other initiatives proposed in the election platform.

D. Strategic Considerations

Stakeholder Perspectives

• Through recipient surveys following the rollout of the $500 million Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations (ESF), as well as a broad engagement with over 4,000 stakeholders in the arts, heritage, cultural, and sport sectors via six public town halls and 15 invitation-only roundtables in September and October 2020, stakeholders have indicated that the Government’s emergency measures have been critical lifelines enabling these sectors to mostly survive the pandemic so far—although for some they were more a “drop in the bucket” and continued support will be required to maintain operations if the pandemic continues beyond 2021.
• The short-term outlook for these sectors remains bleak for the fiscal year 2021–2022 and possibly beyond. The need for renewed business and financial models has also been made evident, as some sectors are in survival mode from the loss of normal revenue streams.
• A related need to support the digital transition of some sectors was expressed, as the pandemic has accelerated the shift to a digital marketplace (e.g., skills development and access to the Internet, especially in rural/remote areas).
• Stakeholders in the Canadian sport system have made it clear, through roundtable discussions and direct communication, that the system (particularly at the community level) requires strong support to weather the COVID-19 pandemic and to continue to provide opportunities for Canadians to be active.
• Large stakeholders such as Festivals and Major Events Canada have raised relevant considerations and concerns throughout the design process of the Recovery and Reopening Funds, including the need to ensure that the criteria, eligibility, timelines, and other requirements surrounding the funds are designed to produce the best possible outcomes for recipients. As well, they have stressed the importance of carefully thinking through potential funding gaps or unnecessary overlaps between different initiatives.

FPT Considerations

• There is asymmetry in the funding models and funding amounts for arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sector organizations across different provincial-territorial (PT) jurisdictions. PT governments have voiced near unanimous interest in having a larger role in the development and implementation of federal emergency supports, particularly in the cultural and heritage sectors.
• Canadian Heritage has five federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) tables through which the Government of Canada has been able to remain in close contact with PT counterparts throughout the pandemic. Through most of these tables, the Department has been able to involve the PTs in the development of emergency measures, particularly in the identification of greatest needs and gaps in support. Canadian Heritage has also played a leading role in ensuring all jurisdictions are aware of the emergency supports being developed across the country, helping to identify best practices.
• In the sport sector, bilateral agreements have been an efficient mechanism to advance a number of pandemic priorities across jurisdictions. Such relationships have enabled strong collaboration with a variety of partners such as Indigenous organizations.
• Some PTs have suggested that similar agreements be developed for the arts, cultural, and heritage sectors. However, Canadian Heritage has noted that the scale of sport supports is comparatively small and administratively less complicated. Bilateral agreements for the delivery of arts, cultural, and heritage funding are not an approach being called for by stakeholders in these sectors, who typically benefit from access to support from multiple orders of government in this area of shared jurisdiction.
• A number of PTs have also released their budgets for 2021–2022 over the past few months, and some new funding has been earmarked for the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors:
  • Quebec announced additional funding for its cultural recovery fund and other investments to support the sectors’ economic recovery and make culture more accessible to all.
  • Provinces such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia have proposed increases to their cultural, sport, and/or tourism budgets.
  • Other provinces such as Manitoba have announced slight decreases to their cultural and sport budgets.

Indigenous Peoples Considerations

• The ESF recipient survey results highlighted some of the challenges faced by Indigenous organizations during the pandemic. For instance:
  • Indigenous organizations (65%) were less likely than other organizations (84%) to indicate that they were operating or plan to continue operations. They were also less likely to indicate that the ESF helped their organization remain in operation;
  • Indigenous organizations were less likely to indicate that their organization received other funding from federal government sources, and more likely to have received other funding from provincial and municipal governments.
• Indigenous organizations were overall very satisfied with the ESF process across the board, including the application and attestation process, the timeliness and amount received, and the information received along the way.
• Under the Reopening Fund, additional support of $47.8 million is identified for post-COVID celebration and commemoration initiatives; of this amount, $2.1 million in 2022–2023 is earmarked to support commemoration of treaty anniversaries. Indigenous stakeholders have high expectations regarding the need for recognition and commemoration of treaty anniversaries.

GBA+ Considerations

• The pandemic has had disproportionately acute impacts on marginalized communities in Canada—primarily low-wage workers, young people, racialized workers, and women.
• The demographic makeup of the arts, cultural, heritage, and sport sectors is disproportionately composed of workers from these groups relative to other economic sectors. When combined with the precariousness and low-wage situations prevalent in these sectors, the already significant negative impact on these communities caused by the pandemic has been worsened.
• Departmental funding implicitly favours well-established organizations who have experience in navigating funding processes and the resources to write strong funding applications. This means many organizations led by or serving equity-deserving individuals or communities do not receive funding or are chronically underfunded. Emergency funding programs have not necessarily extended support to some of these communities, such as the 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, who are in turn less able to deliver support to clients because of the constraints caused by the pandemic. Through the ESF survey, a higher percentage of organizations that advocate for the needs of equity-deserving populations reported being affected to a large extent by the COVID-19 crisis.
• At present, there is a concerted effort to advance objectives related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across all of the Department’s programs. Canadian Heritage supports many organizations that serve equity-deserving communities through current funding, as well as other entities that advance EDI as one of many priorities in their work. Some of these organizations will receive new funding through the Recovery and Reopening Funds, as will new recipients where applications are invited for new initiatives.
• Following the successful ESF recipient survey, which collected data across 16 diverse communities, the Department has developed a similar approach to collect qualitative data to measure performance and assess the impacts of the Recovery and Reopening Funds across diverse populations. The Department could also integrate this type of data collection into regular program cycles.

International Considerations

• In 2018, imports of cultural products totalled $2.2 billion while exports of Canadian cultural products totalled $16.9 billion.
  • The Crafts, Books and Performing Arts subdomains contributed the most to cultural imports.
  • Film and Video, Crafts and Performing Arts contributed the most to cultural exports.
• In 2016, tourism spending by international visitors to Canada totalled $328.9 million. Organized sport generated the most spending among international visitors that year, totalling $171 million.
• Cultural exports represent some 30% of cultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and should be considered as part of the solution to sector recovery and growth post-pandemic.
• Canada is recognized globally for its high-quality creative content and industries, which are an engine of economic growth and a competitive advantage. Canada’s exports of cultural goods and services accounted for approximately one third of Canada’s culture GDP in 2018, at $16.9 billion. Exports of Canadian cultural products experienced a 50% growth overall between 2010 and 2018. The value of cultural exports represented the equivalent of 196,500 cultural jobs in Canada in 2018, or 30% of all cultural jobs in Canada.
• Exporting firms tend to be more successful than non-exporting ones. For example, although only 7% of creative firms export, they generate nearly 30% of Canada’s cultural GDP. In general, they are more productive and have higher revenues. Exporting firms also tend to employ a higher number of workers, have a more diverse workforce, and pay higher wages.
• Exports will be a key element in helping creative industries recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Urban/Rural and Regional Considerations

• Many rural and Indigenous communities rely on tourism as a source of employment and income and are dependent on out-of-province and international visitors. With many travel and public health restrictions in place, job and income losses have hit the tourism sector in rural areas particularly hard.
• Due to poor quality Internet, many rural communities have been limited in their ability to respond effectively to the economic, educational, health, and commercial crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Improved access to digital arts, cultural, and heritage content has extended the reach of many organizations’ activities during the pandemic, increasing engagement among Canadians living in rural and remote areas who previously had to travel to urban areas in order to access such content.

Annex A: Relevant Platform Commitments

The following language is taken directly from Liberal Party of Canada’s platform commitments which are available online at the following link: https://liberal.ca/our-plan/

• Recognizing the enduring impact of COVID-19 on these sectors, a re-elected Liberal government would introduce a temporary wage subsidy and rent subsidy stream for sectors like hotels, tour operators, convention centers and festivals experiencing a minimum of 40% revenue loss. Qualifying businesses in these sectors would be able to access a maximum subsidy rate of up to 75%, commensurate to their revenue loss, in order to help cover fixed costs like wages and rent between September 2021 until May 31, 2022.
• Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to March 31, 2022.
• Provide Canada’s hard-hit tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75% of their expenses to help them get through the winter.
• A re-elected Liberal government will provide $50 million to the Canada Council of the Arts in order to implement a transitional support program to help bridge workers from the creative industry who continue to be impacted by the pandemic.
• Launch the Arts and Culture Recovery Program to match ticket sales for performing arts, live theatres, and other cultural events to make up for reduced capacity.
  • Introducing a matching program to address revenue loss for cultural venues. The program will match revenue coming from the sale of tickets for venues that are subject to reduction in audience or attendance capacity due to measures imposed by local health authorities until May 2022. Admissible venues will include performing arts and culture venues, live theatres, and museums. The Government will ensure that funds provided by this program will be used to support workers in the industry.
• Protect our vibrant film and television production sector with COVID-related insurance coverage, supporting 150,000 Canadian jobs. The Compensation Fund for Canadian audiovisual productions is a temporary measure administered by Telefilm Canada, which fills the void left by the lack of insurance coverage for filming interruptions and production shutdowns due to COVID-19.
• Implement a COVID-19 transitional support program to provide emergency relief to out-of-work artists, craftsmen, creators, and authors who are primarily self-employed or independent contractors. Ensure the realities of artists and cultural workers are considered in upcoming reforms to the Employment Insurance (EI) system.
• Hold a summit, within the first 100 days, on plans to restart the industry.
• Extend COVID-related insurance coverage for media production stoppages to support 150,000 Canadian jobs.

Leveraging the Arts, Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Sectors to Promote and Advance Environmental Sustainability

A. Issue

• Environment/climate change is the top electoral issue of greatest concern to Canadians as shown by a recent Angus Reid Institute survey (August 2021).
• In the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors, the need for greening is well recognized and organizations are developing/seeking to develop new models that augment their capacity to address environmental issues.
• The Department of Canadian Heritage has levers, through its funding programs, to influence the green and innovative recovery of a wide variety of organizations in the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors.

B. Background and Current Status

Greening Goals in Canada

• The Government of Canada has committed to reducing total emissions to 40-45% below 2005 levels by year 2030 under the Paris 2030 Agreement and is aiming for net zero emissions as soon as possible and no later than 2050.
• Budget 2021 allocated an unprecedented amount to Canadian Heritage and its Portfolio organizations for a variety of programs, including a $300 million Recovery Fund. As pertains to greening, some Recovery Fund initiatives will support business transformation initiatives that promote organizational resilience and sustainability by increasing the capacity of arts, culture, heritage, and sport organizations to advance greening outcomes.
• The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) sets out the Government of Canada’s environmental sustainability priorities, establishes goals and targets, and identifies actions to achieve them. The 2019–2022 FSDS includes 13 goals which also support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The Government has promised to finalize Canada’s first-ever National Adaptation Strategy by the end of 2022. A National Adaptation Strategy will help Canada respond to the shared reality of climate change impacts by uniting all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples, private companies, academia, civil society, youth, and all Canadians in a whole-of-society approach to climate change adaptation.

Greening at Canadian Heritage

• Through its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS), Canadian Heritage incorporates greening initiatives by supporting the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) goal of the Government of Canada “lead[ing] by example by making its operations low-carbon.”
• As per the actions that support the UN’s 2030 agenda sustainable development goals (SDG), the Department directly supports Goal 12, responsible consumption and production, which has a target designed to “promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities” and Goal 13, climate action, which has a target designed to “integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning”. Through its action in the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors, Canadian Heritage also indirectly supports Goal 11, sustainable cities and communities, which has as a target to “protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage.”

Greening in the Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Sport Sectors

• The arts, culture and heritage sectors in Canada are incrementally expanding their capacities to address environmental issues. For instance, there are a growing number of projects and organizations specialized in arts and sustainability activities who are providing leadership on sustainability, green operational practices, and reducing the environmental impact of cultural productions.
• Greening the arts, culture and heritage sector tends to focus on the following areas:
  • supporting adequate planning to allow for the proper identification of material, equipment, or products that may reduce the environmental impact;
  • reducing the use of fossil energy sources during all stages of production;
  • promoting an environmentally conscious management of transportation during production and touring (as applicable);
  • promoting the re-use and recycling of used material;
  • integrating environmental considerations in all aspects of infrastructure construction and management; and
  • exploring ways the sectors can leverage their impact and cultural capital to increase environmental awareness.
• In the sport sector, the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Declaration has been endorsed by the International Olympic Committee and by 256 major sport organizations (both competitive and professional). Other relevant international policies are the European Green Deal (used for the Euros 2021) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (particularly Goal 13, climate action, that featured predominantly in the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games).
• The sport sector uses various means to measure its environmental impact, such as:
  • greenhouse gas emission or carbon footprint;
  • waste volume;
  • level of impact on biodiversity;
  • LEED certification (for infrastructure); and
  • ISO 2021 (for management sustainability).
• While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to reductions in emissions and energy usage across these sectors, it has also left them more vulnerable in terms of implementing more permanent greening measures due to financial pressures and cessation of live events, among others.
• During the Department’s Fall 2020 ministerial roundtable series with stakeholders, organizations signalled varying degrees of readiness to address sustainability, and called for leadership and investment from Canadian Heritage and all levels of government.
• While some organizations within these sectors are operating as sustainability leaders, the majority are not leveraging their potential to generate a meaningful environmental impact. As organizations seek to recover and transform their operations in the wake of COVID-19, many see an opportunity to advance sustainability by embedding new green approaches but lack the knowledge or resources to do so.
• Canadian Heritage portfolio organizations are at varying levels of implementation but are taking an active leadership role towards climate change. Some are already implementing their greening plans and initiatives. [REDACTED]
• On June 9, 2021, the Minister of Canadian Heritage approved the establishment of two Ministerial Consultative Committees on greening the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors. The Minister had an opportunity to share his vision and meet the members at two distinct first meetings (one for art, culture and heritage and one for sport) held virtually on August 11, 2021.
• Environmental scans and literature reviews are being undertaken to deepen our understanding of the landscape of current and future challenges faced by our concerned sectors and to assist the Department in defining its role and areas of intervention. Currently, ongoing environmental activities in the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors fall into two broad categories: implementation (emissions reduction, energy efficiency, travel and waste management) and public engagement (popularizing environmental issues and awareness).

C. Proposed Action and Rationale

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D. Strategic Considerations

• While the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors present important and highly visible opportunities to advance environmental sustainability across Canada, and while the Government has made clear its expectations that the Department delivers on these, the Department has had to reallocate existing resources to undertake the work required.

GBA+ Considerations

• Climate change disproportionately affects certain communities and demographic groups compared to society in general, as evidenced, for instance, by the unequal impacts on women as compared to men. Studies suggest that “Climate change has led to the declining availability of traditional country food for Inuit communities, exacerbating already high rates of food insecurity in the North. Inuit women experience significantly greater food insecurity relative to men.”
• Moreover, climate change may further exacerbate pre-existing inequalities. Culture can help mitigate these inequalities, by contributing in numerous ways to all the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby contributing to environmental sustainability.

FPT Considerations

• Provinces and territories are key players in moving forward on greening the arts, cultural, heritage and sport sectors and in some instances, they are further ahead than the federal government (e.g., in Quebec and B.C.). For example, with support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Quebec Drama Federation is leading a project to adapt the UK’s “Creative Green Tools” (an innovative partnership between sector leader Julie’s Bicycle and Arts Council England) for a Canadian context, built on a shared vision of the transformative role of culture in tackling the climate crisis.
• Government approaches to greening industries are not symmetrical across jurisdictions. While industry specific norms and tools sometimes exist, as well as provincial levers, the situation is far from being uniform across sectors. [REDACTED]

International Considerations

• Greening policy for sport is first developed internationally then nationally; most policy exists internationally and is taken up by national governments. Government action is primarily influenced by sports’ mega-events or consists of international agreements. Little environmental policy targets sport explicitly at a national level. Instead, sport organizations are signatories to agreements mandating environmental action. Environmental actions taken by national governments happen through general environmental law.
• On the arts, culture and heritage side, the literature review shows that other countries rarely impose specific guidelines on organizations in the arts, cultural and heritage sectors. Their involvement in organizations’ greening efforts is achieved mainly by factoring environmental considerations into policy development and funding programs criteria, and into their own operational practices in order to lead by example.
• Multilateral dialogue on how art, culture, and heritage sectors can address climate change is infusing the work of organizations beyond the United Nations. There is growing attention on the need to factor in culture and heritage to support a sustainable post-pandemic recovery, as demonstrated in the July 30, 2021, G20 Culture Ministerial Declaration that advocates for concerted global action on climate change through culture and heritage.

Indigenous Peoples Considerations

• The Ministerial Committees have noted that the environment has links to equity and Indigenous conceptions of culture and that opportunities should be seized to address emerging issues of environmental racism.
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Cost Implications

• To date, Canadian Heritage has reallocated existing resources to support the establishment and work of the two ministerial consultative committees as well as the production of literature reviews and the undertaking of portfolio organizations consultations. Further resources may be required.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) – 2026 Preparation

A. Issue

• In early 2022, FIFA will make the decision about which North American cities will host matches in the context of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The Government of Canada will need to confirm federal funding for this event as soon as possible to allow Canadian candidate cities to finalize their plans prior to the decision by FIFA. Toronto and Edmonton are the only candidate cities in Canada.

B. Background and Current Status

• Hosting a major international sport event in Canada often requires a substantial federal commitment. Federal support tends to include direct funding to the host organization for operations and capital; support for sport, social, cultural, economic and community impacts and legacies; and for essential federal services such as emergency preparedness, security, border security, accreditation support, weather forecasting, and environmental assessments.
• In 2018, the Government of Canada provided support-in-principle to the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) to co-host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup with the United States and Mexico.
• Support-in-principle included letters from the Prime Minister and several ministers providing assurances of government support in areas such as border services, duties, taxes, and brand protection.
• The Government of Canada provided a financial contribution of up to $4.33 million to the CSA, to support the development of a 2026 FIFA National Hosting Concept (Concept).
• The CSA provided a first draft of a Concept to the federal, provincial, and municipal governments in July 2021. The Concept includes information on the event operations, venues, legacies, and need for government services, as well as an overall budget estimate for the event. This Concept also includes detailed Business Plans prepared by each of the Canadian candidate cities, which had conducted their own planning and costing exercises.
• Sport Canada, provinces, and municipalities will share feedback with the CSA for incorporation in a new version of the Concept that will then be used by the governments to make decisions on specific support for the event.
• These decisions will be required at the end of 2021/early 2022 to address requests from the cities and the CSA, so that all parties can confirm the required support for the event in Canada, in advance of FIFA’s selection of host cities.
• FIFA is expected to select 16 of the current 22 North American candidate cities to host matches in early 2022. Toronto and Edmonton are currently the only confirmed Canadian candidate cities.
• In July 2021, the Premier of British Columbia indicated that he was prepared to entertain the possibility of Vancouver hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. Vancouver, however, is not currently confirmed as a candidate city and it is unclear if they will pursue the opportunity to host matches.

C. Proposed Action and Rationale

• At the end of 2021/early 2022, it is proposed that the Minister seek confirmation of federal funding for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, to ensure that plans and agreements of the cities, CSA, and implicated provinces can be finalized prior to FIFA selection of host cities.

D. Strategic Considerations

GBA+ Considerations

• Human rights, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racism is a legacy theme of great importance for this event agreed upon by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, as well as by the CSA.

FPT Considerations

• This project will require significant collaboration with implicated provinces to coordinate planning and services.
• The host provincial and municipal governments will provide funding at least equal to that of the federal government for this event, based on the funding parameters of the Federal Policy for Hosting International Sport Events.

International Considerations

• Cohosting with the United States and Mexico, along with the worldwide popularity of soccer, provides Canada with a stage for international relationship building, celebration, and advancing key priorities, such as diversity and inclusion, as well as tourism and the economic recovery.
• This event, which will take place across three countries, will require unprecedented coordination and security components, both provincially and nationally, given the impressive number of fans, teams, and organizers travelling back and forth across borders.
• It will be important to consider sanitary measures should the COVID-19 pandemic persist during the event.

Indigenous Peoples Considerations

• Consistent with Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #91, Canadian Heritage will continue to work to ensure that Indigenous Peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and that Indigenous communities participate in planning and in delivering the event.

Stakeholder Perspectives

• Soccer has the highest level of participation of any sport in Canada. For this reason, the CSA considers this event as a unique and important opportunity to invigorate and continue to build soccer in Canada, as it was found following the success of previous FIFA events organized in Canada, such as the World Cup for Women in 2015.

Urban/Rural and Regional Considerations

• The current proposal for the event provides opportunities for communities outside of the host cities to host event-related activities including celebrations.

Timing

• A decision on federal funding is required at the end of 2021/early 2022, to answer the requests of the cities and the CSA.

Cost Implications

• The extent of financial contributions to hosting has not yet been confirmed. At minimum, the Government of Canada has committed to funding all services required within federal jurisdiction and mandate.
• An assessment of the overall costing options for the event is currently underway. Federal organizations are working to estimate incremental service costs in support of the event. The planning and costing of an integrated security plan, including all police in each jurisdiction (federal, provincial, municipal) and the CSA, for the event are currently being drawn up.

2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games

A. Issue

• Due to the national policies of China that restrict individuals’ civil and political rights, various groups and political figures are pressuring countries, including Canada, to boycott the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games or to request that they be relocated.

B. Background and Current Status

• On February 22, 2021, federal Members of Parliament (MPs) voted in favour of labelling China’s persecution of the Uyghur community a genocide. The House also voted in favour of calling on the Government to request that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) move the Beijing 2022 Games from China if the persecution continued.
• Although they may succeed in raising awareness on issues, boycotts are generally considered ineffective in bringing about fundamental change for human rights. Leaders typically promote Olympic and Paralympic Games participation to encourage change via government-to-government interactions.
• Polling during the course of 2021 suggests Canadians support a form of boycott.
• The IOC has stated that it is too late to move the Games elsewhere, citing the years of preparation required to host such a large-scale event.
• Sport Canada has been in discussion with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and staff at Canada’s Embassy in Beijing on coordinating the Government of Canada’s position on the ongoing situation in China in the context of the upcoming Games.
• Sport Canada has created an Issue Management Team that includes GAC, the Canadian Embassy in China, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).

C. Proposed Action and Rationale

• Concerned stakeholders will continue to meet regularly and formalize responsibilities between the various organizations as it works towards ensuring that Canadians participating in the 2022 Beijing Games can do so safely.
• As Minister of Canadian Heritage, it is recommended that you connect with your GAC counterpart and with the Canadian ambassador to China with regard to Canada’s participation at the Games.

D. Strategic Considerations

GBA+ Considerations

• China’s human rights record, including women’s rights, is at the forefront of non-sport-related news. It is expected that activist groups from around the world, including Canada, use the Games to draw attention to China’s record and ask for concrete measures against China.

FPT Considerations

• It is recommended that the federal government’s position be shared with provinces and territories as this file evolves.

International Considerations

• The issue of the 2022 Beijing Games remains a priority for international diplomacy as well as for media, businesses, and non-governmental organizations around the world.
• Canada’s relations with China have become a major foreign policy issue for the Government of Canada.
• In the context of the expected mounting international pressure, coalitions of like-minded countries and partners from the region may take this opportunity to promote democratic values, rule-based order, and regional stability.

Stakeholder Perspectives

• The COC and the CPC operate independently of Government and are responsible for all aspects of the team’s involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They believe that the final decision on whether to participate in the Games lies with them. They have acknowledged the human rights issues occurring in China and are focusing their efforts on keeping sport and athletes at the centre of their messaging on the 2022 Games.
• On February 4, 2021, the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2022 Games, the Chief Executive Officers of the COC and the CPC released an Op-Ed outlining their opposition to a boycott stating, “in no way are we, at the COC and the CPC, trying to minimize what is happening in China. But a boycott is not the answer. Rather, we believe the interests of all Canadians, and the global community, are better advanced through competing and celebrating great Canadian performances and values on the Olympic and Paralympic stage… Faced with only two options—go or don’t go—our approach is to be present and join the conversation.”

Timing

• The 2022 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from February 4, 2022, to February 20, 2022.
• The 2022 Winter Paralympic Games are scheduled to take place from March 4, 2022, to March 13, 2022.

Cost Implications

• The participation and security of the federal delegation at international Games are Sport Canada’s largest expenditure in this context with an approximate budget of $725,500. For the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, $168,720 has already been committed as planning for delegation support begins several years prior to the Games. This amount is expected to fluctuate upward as the Games get closer and a delegation is confirmed to participate.

Modernization of the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework

A. Issue

• The Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF) that determines funding levels for sport organizations requires modernization due to ongoing changes to the Olympic and Paralympic Games program and the need to reflect government priorities. The last update of the SFAF was released in 2018 for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN), in 2013 for National Sport Organizations (NSOs), and in 2012 for Multisport Service Organizations (MSOs).

B. Background and Current Status

• The SFAF has been the tool used by the Department of Canadian Heritage to identify which organizations are eligible to receive Sport Canada funding for the three components of the Sport Support Program (SSP). The SFAF has helped Sport Canada to influence the development of the Canadian sport system and has become the primary mechanism for incentivizing national organizations to advance the objectives and priorities of the federal government. Each edition of the SFAF sets funding levels for a four-year period, in line with the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games cycle, and is designed to enable sport organizations to plan more effectively.
• Sport organizations have operated without a recalibration of funding reference level for NSOs in both 2017 and 2021, and for MSOs in 2016 and 2020.
• Over the past three years, Sport Canada has been approached by over 40 sports and sport disciplines seeking eligibility status for funding purposes. A modernized SFAF would enable more consistent, transparent communication in response to these inquiries.
• With the steady introduction of new sports and sport disciplines and the removal of other sports and sport disciplines to the Olympic and Paralympic program, together with increased expectations of funding recipients in relation to support for the implementation of emerging priorities, such as gender equity, there is a pressing need to review the existing SFAF and introduce a funding framework that is better suited to the evolving sport context within the existing funding envelope. A revised approach to funding allocation would represent a shift towards greater process simplification, efficiency, and transparency, while providing flexibility to refocus efforts on the current realities.
• The proposed Sport Funding Framework for NSOs is based on three years of consultative work with the sport community.
• The modernization of the SFAF also provides an opportunity to move accountability to another level. The accountability aspect of the SFAF was based on organizations’ self-assessment of their progress on key priorities and was reviewed with each four-year SFAF cycle. In 2019, an independent sport system evaluation approach was introduced to apply an objective measure to efforts made by recipients in key priority areas. The Sport Canada Report Card reflects this approach and represents a significant shift in how Sport Canada collects, analyzes, and uses sport organization data to inform federal policies and programs. The intent is to leverage the results of the Report Card to monitor collective progress on government expectations for the sport system. While the Report Card results would not directly influence funding levels, they could be used to ensure organizations dedicate sufficient resources to key priority areas.

C. Proposed Action and Rationale

• It is suggested that the proposed SFAF be presented to the Minister in the fall of 2021, in order to address the needs and to restore the eligibility and funding reference level of sport organizations as soon as possible, with the aim of addressing service gaps for the sport sector at the national level.

D. Strategic Considerations

GBA+ Considerations

• Over the last two years, the Sport Canada Report Card gathered baseline data and monitored the progress of Canadian sport organizations in meeting the requirements of new government priorities. The initial rollout of the Report Card focused on gathering data linked to safe sport and diversity and inclusion. The second edition focused on good governance practices.
• As part of the modernization of the Sport Funding Framework, Sport Canada will incorporate a Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

FPT Considerations

• The alignment of funding frameworks across jurisdictions has been a long-standing priority for the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport Committee (FPTSC). By adopting a simpler, more transparent approach, the Government’s proposed framework would be clearer to provincial and territorial partners and would assist in promoting a better understanding and alignment of how sport organizations are deemed eligible to receive Sport Canada funding. The FPTSC has been informed of the new approach to accountability through the Report Card and the proposed Sport Funding Framework for NSOs.

Indigenous Peoples Considerations

• The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) recognized the importance and potential of sport to advance reconciliation. The modernization of the proposed Sport Funding Framework would take the Calls to Action related to Indigenous sport into consideration (Calls to Action #87 and #91) to take an integrated approach in the development and implementation of the framework.
• In future phases of the Report Card, recipient organizations will be evaluated on their ability to make their programs and services available to all Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples. Sport Canada has a dedicated unit to support Indigenous sport development and foster social development through sport.

Stakeholder Perspectives

• The design and development of the new SFAF for NSOs was informed by two rounds of consultations with funded organizations, dating back to June 2018. The consultation validated the design principles and sought feedback on eligibility requirements, the funding model, and the implementation strategy. Overall, sport organizations were supportive of the proposed changes as the changes represent a reduction in the administrative burden and a streamlined, more transparent process.
• Since 2016, the services offered by MSOs have evolved to present a greater scale of complexity. Stakeholders have engaged on various fronts to modernize the framework.
• As for the COPSIN, a collaborative process was undertaken with high performance partners over the last two years to update the funding formula and proposed changes obtained full support.
• A new Sport Funding Framework could result in increases for some organizations and reductions for others, due to new sports being included, other sports being removed, and the need to adapt to emerging priorities. The proposed SFAF, however, would have the advantage of offering greater flexibility in terms of its implementation.

Timing

• In the fall of 2021, submit the modernization of the SFAF for NSOs, MSOs, and the COPSIN to the Minister for approval.
• In the spring of 2022, submit the new reference levels to the Minister for approval and inform eligible agencies (NSOs and MSOs) so that they can plan to implement the SFAF in 2023-2024, based on their new reference level.

Cost Implications

• The proposed approach for the new Sport Funding Framework would be developed within the funding envelopes, which are $40.4 million for NSOs, $25 million for MSOs, and $3.5 million for the COPSIN.