Let me give you an example. This year, the artists in the Regroupement Pied Carré group are going to pay the city of Montreal $1 million in property taxes for a space of approximately 200,000 square feet.
Moreover, revenue has to develop and become more concentrated in order to pay the costs of maintenance and other things. We are looking for a formula through which all layers of government can recognize the essence, the activity, of artists’ workshops or creative hubs. That would pave the way, through provincial legislation, to breaks such as property tax exemptions or reductions in the property tax rate. Examples like that actually have to do with municipalities, districts, and the provincial government. But if the federal government recognized the organizations using criteria like the fact of coming together, a certain square footage, the presence of an on-site manager, and a defined mission with criteria to meet, the door would be open to other departments or public authorities feeling encouraged to do the same thing. That could make a difference. Some artists are paying $12 or $13 per square foot, $5 of which goes to pay the taxes, and they can no longer afford that. It is a very specific detail, but it is hugely important.
We have been talking about Pied Carré, but you can see the same phenomenon in cultural cities elsewhere in Canada, such as Toronto and Vancouver. You have heard of the cultural centre located at 401 Richmond St. in Toronto. The people in charge of that project found a solution this year with the city and the provincial government. The recognition of organizations like Artscape and Akin Collective—with which we have established links, such as sharing best management practices—would give easier access to openings in the area of tax breaks. This would not involve a grant from the city, which would be less of an advantage; it would be a reduced tax rate.
Let me emphasize that the artists are still contributing to public services and they bring a lot to the neighbourhood. What they bring to sustainable development and to the quality of life must be recognized. We must keep them in central locations, otherwise they will go to the suburbs and outside the city. There will then no longer be a cultural cityscape in places like Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver.