Indie Producers Vote
On October 21, Canadians are heading to the polls. The CMPA is working hard to advocate on behalf of our sector, speaking to candidates and senior political staff associated with the election. At the same time, our members—Canada’s independent producers—are reaching out to candidates across the country, identifying key issues that are important to the production industry. Together, our voice is strong.
As underscored by the stats below, our industry is critically important to the country’s economic and cultural fabric. We’ve also outlined steps we believe the next government should take to bolster the industry, and ensure stability and success for years to come.
Canadians now watch programming from a variety of sources: through their TVs, computers and mobile devices. But only traditional broadcasters and cable companies are required to make financial contributions to support Canadian programming, and their contributions are declining even though Canadians are watching more programming than ever.
Updating funding mechanisms—without increasing costs for consumers—will reflect modern viewing habits and help ensure a vibrant domestic industry well into the future.
Accounting for inflation, Telefilm’s capacity to support Canadian feature films is far less today than it was in 2000. So while Canadian TV has grown by 40 per cent, feature films have remained flat. With new resources (phased in over three years), Telefilm would be able to:
1. Promote exports and showcase Canadian talent abroad
2. Support the career path of young and talented filmmakers
3. Establish a dedicated co-production fund
4. Rebalance funding across Canada and in the regions
5. Achieve a representative and diverse film portfolio
6. Facilitate feature films’ digital transition
CBC/Radio-Canada has a unique mandate to create high-quality content by Canadians for Canadians, and make it available across the country. It is a key cultural institution that also supports thousands of jobs in regions across Canada.
