Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 23rd, 2020

Evidence of meeting #7 for Canadian Heritage in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was festival.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Challenges and Issues Faced by the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sophie Prégent President, Union des Artistes

Pascale St-Onge President of Fédération nationales des communications et de la culture, Union des Artistes

Wonny Song Executive and Artistic Director, Orford Music

Lisa Rubin Executive and Artistic Director, Segal Centre for Performing Arts

Katherine Henderson Chief Executive Officer, Curling Canada, Diversified and Event-Funded National Sports Organizations

Adam Mitchell Executive Director, Fringe Theatre

Martin Roy Chief Executive Officer, Festivals and major events, Regroupement des événements majeurs internationaux

1 p.m.

Executive Director, Fringe Theatre

Adam Mitchell

The nature of most of the actual bricks-and-mortar institutions in the arts in Canada is such that very few of us are renting in the traditional form. Some are, there is no doubt, but most of us are on city property, with a multi-year lease or those sorts of things, whereby we were not actually eligible for the rent subsidy.

1 p.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

I guess this is a question I have for both you and Ms. Henderson.

I've been speaking to the municipalities, and they're of course in dire straits as well. Their revenue streams are much smaller. Much of the funding that comes through the municipalities through grant programs—particularly, I know, in the city of Edmonton—isn't going to be available. There is some discussion that they will be shut down, both for sport and for arts.

What do you anticipate the impact of this will be on you, Mr. Mitchell? Then I'll ask Ms. Henderson.

1 p.m.

Executive Director, Fringe Theatre

Adam Mitchell

We don't know what the future of grant funding for ourselves is at the municipal level. I can tell you that it is more than twice as much as I received from any other funder locally, so if we lose that funding, it will be a devastating loss.

1 p.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Ms. Henderson, go ahead.

1 p.m.

Chief Executive Officer, Curling Canada, Diversified and Event-Funded National Sports Organizations

Katherine Henderson

I'd like to add to that. It would be a devastating loss, but I'd also like to add that not all of our clubs.... While the vast majority of our clubs are local not-for-profits, not all of them are municipal facilities. They are local member clubs, but it would be devastating.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Scott Simms

Thank you.

Unfortunately, I have to end it on that note, but, again, it's illustrative of what's happening across this country. I want to thank all our witnesses for coming in and providing some great information from varied backgrounds. I want to thank Ms. Henderson, Mr. Mitchell and Monsieur Roy for being very generous with their time today and helping us in our report.

That concludes today, folks. We will reconvene on Friday at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. eastern time.

Thank you so much, everyone.

The meeting is adjourned.