CMF to invest nearly $366M in Canadian television and interactive digital media projects in 2023-2024
Funder continues to provide stability to the industry as it moves towards a more content-centric, flexible model
Toronto, March 31, 2023 – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) today announced it will invest nearly $366M in the Canadian television and interactive digital media industries for its new fiscal year starting April 1, 2023.
NOTE: The Government of Canada’s 2023 budget includes an additional $40M investment in the CMF over the next two years. The CMF’s current program budget and guidelines do not take these funds into account.
“Across 2023-2024, the CMF will strive to provide as much stability as possible while adapting our funding programs to meet the evolving demands of Canada’s audiovisual industries,” said CMF President & CEO Valerie Creighton. “Amidst disruption and uncertainty, we are pleased that our overall program budget matches our last fiscal year and the funding levels of the overwhelming majority of CMF programs remain virtually untouched.”
“New elements and changes to CMF programs will ensure we are able to hit the ground running once legislative and regulatory aspects are settled. That said, 2023-2024 will be an opportunity for us to further our Growth & Inclusion Strategy by implementing a new Narrative Positioning Policy. We will also expand the use of our PERSONA-ID self-identification tool, introduce additional CMF funding triggers in some of our Convergent Stream programs, promote environmentally sustainable production practices, and simplify many of our programs that focus on the same activities.”
“We are grateful for the ongoing support from our public and private funders. And thank you to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, for continuing to deliver on the federal government’s commitments to support Canada’s screen-based sector.”
The CMF’s program budget is supported by revenue estimates for the coming year based on ongoing funding contributions from the Government of Canada, as well as contributions from Canada’s cable, satellite, and IPTV distributors. Tangible benefits, recoupment, and repayment revenues from funded productions also support the program budget. This year’s budget reflects a steady contribution from the Government of Canada, plus stabilization funding to help mitigate declining contributions to the CMF from broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs). The federal government also provided $20M for equity and inclusion funding.
View a breakdown of the 2023-2024 CMF program budget.
Key changes in the newly published program guidelines are highlighted below. Access a detailed 2023-2024 Summary of Changes document.
Simplification of Predevelopment, Development, and Regional Production
To reduce complexity and help CMF applicants better navigate options for CMF funding, in 2023-2024 the CMF will consolidate different guidelines that focus on similar activities. While the program budgets, eligibility requirements, and deadlines will remain distinct, programs focused on predevelopment funding, development for targeted communities, and regional incentives will each be combined into separate sets of guidelines. As before, funding will continue to be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Narrative Positioning Policy
As more inclusion and participation for sovereignty- and equity-seeking communities grows across the industry, there is a collective responsibility to consider important questions around accountability in content creation, including community engagement, identity, and access.
In 2023-2024, the CMF will introduce a Narrative Positioning Policy to help ensure that storytelling in CMF-funded projects is done responsibly and inclusively.
Environmental Sustainability
Canada has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change and its audiovisual industries must also do their part.
Recognizing that the CMF has an evolving role to play in advancing environmental sustainability and climate action, beginning in 2023-2024 reasonable costs relating to environmentally sustainable activities, practices, and personnel on CMF-funded projects will be recognized as eligible costs. Furthermore, all Convergent Stream live-action projects with eligible costs over defined thresholds will need to use a carbon calculator to track the carbon emissions generated by their project.
PERSONA-ID
To obtain more information on CMF-funded projects and help ensure policies and programs are data-informed, the CMF will expand its approach to demographic data collection and make PERSONA-ID necessary for all individuals who own and control CMF-applicant companies in the majority of 2023-2024 CMF programs.
Flexibility
To meet the changing needs of the industry in 2023-2024, the CMF will allow more flexibility than ever in many of its programs that support linear content.
First, the CMF will continue with the majority of COVID-19 flexibility measures to ensure CMF applicants and broadcasters can navigate disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Second, in addition to Canadian broadcasters, the CMF will allow foreign scheduled broadcasters and eligible Canadian distributors to contribute to a project’s licence fee threshold in the following Production programs: Indigenous Program, Pilot Program for Racialized Communities (Production), Diverse Languages Program, and POV Program. This allowance will both reward projects that are focused on exporting Canadian content outside of Canada and allow these production communities more flexibility to work with additional market partners to create content and serve Canadian audiences.
Finally, while the CMF will still support convergent linear content and related digital media projects, in 2023-2024 the CMF will no longer require content funded in its Convergent Stream to be made available on multiple platforms.
Find more information about these new policies and other changes made to CMF programs in the 2023-2024 Summary of Changes.
Webcasts on Changes to 2023-2024 CMF Programs and Guidelines
SAVE THE DATE! April 6 at 11:00 a.m. EDT (in French) and at 2:00 p.m. EDT (in English), CMF staff will host webcasts to provide more information about the changes to CMF programs and guidelines. Learn more about these sessions.
About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content for all audiovisual platforms. In addition, it guides Canadian content towards a competitive global digital environment by supporting industry innovation, rewarding success, promoting diversity of voices, and encouraging access to content through public- and private-sector partnerships. The CMF receives funding from the Government of Canada and from cable, satellite, and IP service distributors across the country. Visit the CMF's website for more information.
Media Contact
Maxime Ruel
Senior Manager, Communications, CMF
mruel@cmf-fmc.ca
1-416-677-0050
