Liberals follow through on promise to restore CBC funding in budget

The Liberals promised to restore and increase the CBC’s budget, and will begin with a $75-million injection this year, followed by $150 million a year over until 2020-21.

Thestar.com
March 22, 2016
By Stephanie Levitz

The cultural sector received a $1.87-billion boost over five years Tuesday in a Liberal budget that aims to reshape the narrative of the economy.

To do that, storytellers and musicians, artists and journalists all need investment, the Liberals said as they presented a budget that followed through on a key promise to restore funding to the CBC but delayed or cut back promised funds for other groups.

“Believing in innovation is also believing in the talent and in the creativity of Canadians,” Finance Minister Bill Morneau said, in a prepared text of his remarks.

Cultural funding is a fraction of new program spending announced Tuesday but the money is flowing to places that suffered from years of Conservative cuts.

Among them, the CBC, which saw its budget slashed by $115 million a year by the Conservatives beginning in 2012. The losses were made worse by the Conservatives’ cancellation of or reduction in funds focused on Canadian programming.

During the campaign, the Liberals promised to restore and increase the CBC’s budget and will begin with a $75-million injection this year, followed by $150 million a year over until 2020-2021.

CBC has said that any new money it received would be put toward its five-year plan focusing on digital initiatives.

They will have another plan to work on - the budget said Heritage Minister Melanie Joly will also develop a “five-year accountability plan.”

The Liberals had also campaigned on increased funding for the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board. While they came through in the budget, it’s for less than promised.