The issue of expansion versus contraction is about money, really. We know right now, as we see and support the sector at the CMF, that the BDU revenue is declining for the cable issues and the reduction of cable. That source of revenue to us was stabilized by the federal government in 2017, and eventually the decline in BDU revenue will outstrip that stabilization.
There's tremendous pressure on the Canadian broadcasting system, as you have heard I'm sure, from loss of revenue. This could translate into fewer Canadian stories, lower licence fees or decreased budgets, and that will make our country's content much less competitive.
The industry continues to grow. Demand for content is already a minimum of 50% oversubscribed in this country than the resources that are available. There are imperatives to support indigenous voices. We have an $8.7-million fund for indigenous language and content at the CMF, but the demand for that program far outstrips the resources that are there.
At the same time, the dilemma here is that world audiences are clamouring for content. We have certainly provided some examples of success in terms of stories that have originated in Canada and travelled the world. As a country, if we want to be present in this world market of storytelling and support our sector in remaining competitive, it's going to take some resources. The bill describes the imperative for racialized content and communities that are under-represented.
We were very fortunate through COVID. We were able to support that sector to the tune of about $16 million and provide additional resources to the ISO. It created a wellspring of enthusiasm and we were able to achieve a great deal with that money, but that's temporary and it's only the beginning. The real question now is how we translate all of that into long-term change that ensures our media sector represents the fullness of Canada and, more importantly, that those incredible stories are available to audiences around the world.
I already forgot the first part of your question, but I focused in on the money. I'm so sorry about that. I hope it answered what you were asking.