Thank you, Sarah.
Thank you, Madam Chair and members of this committee.
Another issue for artists is space. We all know that our cities are becoming less affordable. Housing is a top priority, but those who create art face a severe shortage of other kinds of space—affordable and accessible space to rehearse, to create and to perform. In cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, artists are struggling to find available, appropriate, affordable and accessible space that satisfactorily fulfills the requirements for very basic working conditions.
As Canadians have increasingly turned to digital experiences with the arts over the past two years, this has exposed the challenges faced by artists and arts organizations to meet the demands of their fellow citizens while being fairly compensated for their own work. Digitization has highlighted the need for the current copyright, licensing and royalty regimes to be updated.
The transition from live performances to digital experiences has also highlighted the severe technology gaps, data access and poor infrastructure that racialized and indigenous communities are experiencing. It's demonstrated that many artists and arts organizations require significant investment in basic technology and also, very importantly, in training.