The cuts at CBC/Radio-Canada will ultimately be less significant than expected. The Trudeau government increased the public funding of the state corporation by $42 million in its budget tabled Tuesday, which means that it is no longer necessary for the public broadcaster to carry out new waves of layoffs This year.
“The new funding announced today and improvements observed in the Corporation’s financial situation ensure that CBC/Radio-Canada can close its remaining forecast deficit and balance its budget without major additional cuts this year,” we can read in a press release sent Tuesday by the state company.
Remember that last December, the public broadcaster announced cuts of $125 million, indicating that it was suffering from reduced public funding and falling advertising revenues. In total, 800 positions, or approximately 10% of the state corporation’s workforce, were to be abolished in the next year, both on the Radio-Canada side and on the CBC side.
Ultimately, CBC/Radio-Canada will have eliminated 346 positions since December, including 205 that were vacant.
In December, the public broadcaster had already suggested that the cuts could be less significant than expected if its public funding was increased. The Minister of Heritage, Pascale St-Onge, subsequently confirmed that the public broadcaster would not have to comply with the 3% spending reduction objective imposed last year by the Trudeau government on the whole public bodies.
The additional $42 million announced Tuesday by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is to be used for the production of current affairs and entertainment programming, “so that all Canadians, including rural, remote communities , indigenous and minority language, have access to high-quality entertainment programs and independent news,” it is specified in the federal budget.
Temporary help for festivals
Furthermore, the Trudeau government is increasing the budget of the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF), intended among other things for festivals, by $31 million over two years. In the events industry, this investment was rather well received, although we would have liked more. We also emphasize that this envelope is not permanent, mentioning that the basic budget of the FPCA has in fact remained the same for around fifteen years.
“By acting in this way, the federal government condemns the cultural sector to be in perpetual representation to renew sums, year after year or period by period. It is a practice which also has the effect of making these investments more risky once they come to an end, with or without a change of government,” lamented the Regroupment of Major International Events (RÉMI) and the Festivals in a joint press release. and major events in Canada (FAME).
This feeling is shared by the Scènes de Musique Alternatives du Québec. This association, which represents independent performance halls, also regrets that nothing was announced for venues in this budget.
“It is crucial to remember that 80% of professional musical performances in Quebec are held in independent spaces, most of which are for-profit organizations. These theaters are facing major challenges, such as a significant drop in attendance and cost increases well beyond the rate of inflation,” we recalled in a press release, emphasizing the urgency to act.