Petition for the arts: let’s take action together !

Last week, the RQD submitted its brief as part of the pre-budget consultations of Mark Carney’s government. Let us recall that, last spring during the federal election campaign, the Liberal Party pledged to strengthen our social safety net and ensure that no one would be left behind — including artists — and to support Canadian artists and creators by increasing funding to agencies, notably the Canada Council for the Arts.

Yet only a few months later, this same party, now in power, instructed its ministries and government bodies to submit a three-year austerity plan leading to a 15% reduction by 2029. In the case of the Canada Council for the Arts, these cuts amount to $54M. Inevitably, such reductions will shrink its programs and set off ripple effects throughout the sector.

Faced with this contradiction, the RQD has put forward the following recommendations:

• Exempt the arts sector from the cuts imposed on the Canada Council for the Arts and on Canadian Heritage programs dedicated to arts, culture, and heritage.
• Beginning in fall 2025, raise federal funding for arts, culture, and heritage to 1% of public spending. For 2025–2026: +$330M (Canada Council: +$140M; Canadian Heritage: +$190M).
• Establish automatic annual indexation of Canadian Heritage and Canada Council budgets to the CPI, in addition to the structural adjustment outlined in Recommendation 2.
• In partnership with the Government of Quebec, fund the research, design, and implementation of a comprehensive and accessible social protection regime for artists.
• Allow full tax deductibility of training expenses and preventive health care costs for dance artists.

At the same time, the Canadian Arts Coalition is circulating an important petition. Let’s come together (in great numbers!) to demand an increase in the budgets of the Canada Council and Canadian Heritage.

In less than a minute, we can make a difference ! > Sign the petition