Standing Committee on Finance Releases Report on Budget 2020 Consultation
/On August 7, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its unanimous report on the Budget 2020 Consultation. The report includes 106 recommendations for the next provincial budget and provides a summary of the concerns and priorities put forward by British Columbians. It also includes recommendations on how the provincial budget should treat arts and culture, including a review of the structure of the Gaming Grants program, as recommended by the BC Alliance.
The section on Sport, Arts and Culture begins on page 73 of the full report, which can be read here. Its contents are summarized in the Executive Summary as follows:
With respect to sport, arts and culture, Committee Members recommend increased, multi-year funding through the BC Arts Council, as well as funding for capital infrastructure and programs that support Indigenous communities in preserving and interpreting their heritage. They also recommend reviewing the purpose and methodology of the Community Gaming Grants program to ensure it meets the evolving needs of communities.
The full recommendations relevant to arts and culture are:
Arts and Culture
Provide increased, predictable, multi-year funding to arts and culture organizations through the B.C. Arts Council, including addressing regional disparity issues and identifying opportunities to leverage partnerships and federal funding
Increase infrastructure funding to help meet the capital needs of arts, culture and Indigenous heritage organizations to enable leveraging of other sources of funding while expanding public access to arts, culture and history.
Invest in funding programs that support Indigenous communities in preserving and interpreting their heritage.
Community Gaming Grants
Review the purpose and methodology of the Community Gaming Grants program to ensure it meets the needs of communities, including moving toward the provision of multi-year grants for community organizations.
Digital Media, Music and Film
Maintain existing creative industries tax credits, including the production services tax credit, the film incentive tax credit, the digital animation, visual effects and postproduction tax credit, the interactive digital media tax credit and the book publishing tax credit.
Provide ongoing, multi-year funding for Amplify BC.
Invest in Creative BC and the BC Film Commission to build the industry and leverage federal funding, including funding for domestic production.
Review potential flexibility in the time limits for filming on farmland.
Public Libraries
Provide increased, predictable, transparent, multi-year funding to public libraries and support the delivery of library services in rural and Indigenous communities, including collaborating on reconciliation initiatives.
A summary and the full report can be found here.
