Backgrounder: Budget 2025: Protecting Canadian Culture, Values, and Identity

MONTREAL, November 7, 2025

Canada’s values are rooted in our shared identity, cultural richness, and deep connection to the land. Canadians have so much to be proud of, celebrate, and defend as Canadians. The government is committed to protecting what makes Canada unique and brings Canadians together—through continued investments in our official languages, our public institutions, and our natural and cultural heritage.

Connecting Canadians Through Cultural Experiences and Community Celebrations 

Budget 2025 proposes to provide targeted support to strengthen participation, community identity, and cultural access for Canadians in every region. These investments will help bring Canadians together at festivals, national moments of celebration, and community-driven cultural events across the country, including:

• $21 million over three years, starting in 2026-27, to Canadian Heritage for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program to support local festivals, community anniversaries, and community-initiated capital projects;
• $46.5 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for the Canada Arts Presentation Fund to support professionally presented arts festivals or performing arts series.
• $20 million over four years, starting in 2026-27 for the Celebration and Commemoration Program to support Canada Day celebrations; and
• $4 million over four years, starting in 2026-27 for the Celebration and Commemoration Program to support National Acadian Day.

Investing in Canadian Creators and the Cultural Economy 

Canada’s artists, creators, and cultural entrepreneurs are at the heart of our creative economy. Budget 2025 proposes to provide funding to grow Canada’s creative industries and help Canadian talent succeed in an increasingly digital and global marketplace, including: 

• $48 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for the Canada Music Fund to enhance the careers of Canadian artists while strengthening the competitiveness and stability of the Canadian music sector. 
• $6 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 to support the purchase of French-language Canadian content for the TV5MONDEplus platform. 
• $150 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for Telefilm Canada to support Canada’s vibrant film industry. 
• $127.5 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for the Canada Media Fund to support Canada’s audio-visual content creators. 
• $26.1 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for the National Film Board to produce and share Canadian content with the world.
• $38.4 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 to the Canada Periodical Fund to help small and community news outlets continue producing quality Canadian editorial and journalistic content.
• $6 million over three years, starting in 2026-27 for the Canada Council for the Arts to support professional artists and arts organisations.

Protecting our National Public Broadcaster: CBC/Radio-Canada

Canada’s new government is protecting our national broadcaster by ensuring it has the resources needed to modernise and better deliver for Canadians, and to continue providing vital programming in both French and English.

Budget 2025 proposes to provide $150 million in 2025-26 for CBC/Radio-Canada to strengthen its mandate to serve the public and to better reflect the needs of Canadians. This is in addition to $42 million in 2025-26 already provided to CBC/Radio-Canada since the 2024 Fall Economic Statement. The government will explore modernising CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate to strengthen independence, and is working with CBC/Radio-Canada to explore Canada’s participation in Eurovision.

Associated Link

• Government of Canada announces Budget measures to support our Canadian Identity