On March 19, Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau released the federal government’s 2019 Budget. In it he announced that the Canada Arts Presentation Fund budget will be increased by $16 million over two years, and the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program and the Celebration and Commemoration Program will be increased by $24 million over two years. This is positive news for festivals in Ottawa—such as the RBC Bluesfest—and for festivals and arts presenters across Canada.
The Canada Music Fund will also be increased by $20 million over two years, helping to promote and advance the careers of a wide variety of diverse, Canadian artists. This matches up nicely with an important component of RBC Bluesfest’s mandate; i.e. to support and sustain the growth of emerging and diverse musical genres . . .
In his speech, the Minister of Finance said:
“To give more people here in Canada and around the world a chance to see, hear, and appreciate our talented and diverse artists, we’re making new investments that will help support our musicians, and bring festivals and performing arts series to more communities across the country.”
With regard to recent rising festival security cost concerns, the Security Infrastructure Program will be doubled from $2 million per year to $4 million per year until 2021-22, in order to make Canada’s community gathering spaces safer to live, work, and play.
“In terms of safety, this is a very positive and important sign of support; one that we are sure our patrons and their families will appreciate,” says RBC Bluesfest Executive Director Mark Monahan. “It remains to be seen what the final breakdown of overall funding will be for respective organizations, but we are very encouraged and appreciative of the Federal Government’s leadership and support for our sector.”
Monahan added that, “these new investments in the festival sector by the Canadian government will certainly result in even greater economic impact for our community and provide a substantial return on investment for all Canadians.”
“This is a good news story for Ottawa festivals, and the artists and performers that develop and share their talents on our dynamic stages,” said Carole Anne Piccinin, Ottawa Festival Network (OFN) Executive Director.
“This increased investment by the Federal Government in festivals and presenters will enable us to make more substantial positive impacts on the economy and our quality of life. It creates more opportunities to present inspiring experiences, increases job creation and enables more students to gain valuable work experience in our industry, and supports the prosperity of Ottawa’s residents.”
RBC Bluesfest and OFN stated in a joint press release earlier this month that they "applaud Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, for his commitment to our sector, and we commend the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, for his recognition of the value of the festival industry and presenters. We appreciate Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale for valuing the importance of safe community spaces and we thank the Honourable Minister Melanie Joly for her clear understanding of the value of the visitor economy and our industry’s vital role in tourism in general and cultural tourism in particular."