Trudeau Announces $500M Arts, Culture and Sport Emergency Support Fund

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On April 17, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a fund of $500 million towards Heritage Canada called the Arts, Culture and Sport Emergency Support Fund.

"Our government will give $500 million to Heritage Canada, to support those who work in the arts, culture, and sport sectors,” said Prime Minister Trudeau. “Like the small businesses I was talking about, people and businesses in these sectors do not have access to some of the help we've announced because of how the companies operate, or how revenues are generated.”

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault says he will be working with the sectors to “fine tune” the specifics of how the funds will be administered.

In a recent communication, Sean Casey of Global Public Affairs said that “the Fund is meant for organizations that can’t qualify for the existing wage subsidy because of the lumpy or irregular nature of their revenues as well as to cover contract workers. The Fund will also provide advances on future grants and contributions to help maintain liquidity as well as small subsidies to cover some fixed costs.”

Eligible organizations and businesses include:

• Canadian not-for-profit cultural, heritage and arts organizations

• National Sports Organizations, Multisport Service Organizations, and Canadian Sport Centres and Institutes

• Canadian journalistic organizations

• Canadian book publishers

• Canadian production companies that work in the film or television industries

• Organizations in the music industry

• Television and radio broadcasters

• Recipients of the Digital Citizen Initiative

Stay tuned for more information on this fund as it develops.