Thank you, Mr. Chair. I too would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy birthday.
Our artists have kept us strong and connected throughout this crisis. It is our turn to step up for them.
I want to thank you for your resilience and your patience. Your continuous feedback and inspiring work have helped us get where we are today.
Our government allocated $500 million to respond to the specific financial needs of the arts, heritage and sports organizations and help them be more resilient through these difficult times. Last week, I was proud to announce how this funding will be rolled out. In total, our cultural sector will receive over $422 million in this emergency funding. We are making sure organizations can continue delivering programs to Canadians, while protecting more jobs in our economy.
The funding process will be streamlined and will mostly use existing programs and partnerships to disburse payment as quickly as possible. Our government has always been there for our arts and culture communities. We continue to support them for our people and our economy during this difficult time.