Liberals announce recipients of $600M, includes funding for news, services of exceptional importance

The federal government has announced the recipients of a $600 million investment pledged earlier this year to support the audiovisual sector. Set to benefit from the funding are the Canada Media Fund, Indigenous Screen Office, Canada Music Fund, Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting program, Canada History Fund, Telefilm Canada, and various independent production funds. Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, Que.) made the long-awaited announcement on Sunday, following the release of the Liberal government’s Budget 2026 and second round of 2026-27 supplementary estimates. The budget, released on Nov. 5, committed to the new funding for 2026-27, but gave no additional details on recipients or distribution timeline. On Nov. 6, the release of the supplementary estimates showed new funding for all the aforementioned groups, but did not specify the nature of the funding. Miller promised $600 million in “immediate” annual funding for the sector earlier this year, after the government asked the CRTC to review a decision requiring foreign streamers to earmark a portion of Canadian revenues to fund domestic content. Since the announcement in June, cultural stakeholders have questioned why funding labeled as ‘urgent’ has taken more than five months to be distributed. While the government has released key details on allocation, the timeline for funding to roll out remains unclear. Canada Media Fund to take biggest stake The Canada Media Fund will get the largest share of the funding, raking in $213.4 million to “help sustain Canadian content creation and mitigate the impact of declining private-sector contributions from cable and satellite companies, as well as expected contributions from international streaming platforms.” Priority areas will include francophone programming, children and youth content, interactive digital media, as well as distribution and export initiatives. “Canadian stories are one of our greatest sources of national identity and soft power. They shape how the world sees us and they are a big part of why Canada is admired abroad,” said president and CEO Valerie Creighton in a statement. “This investment recognizes that Canada’s screen sector is both an economic engine and a strategic asset. It creates jobs in every region, strengthens our cultural sovereignty, and supports the continued modernization of the country’s screen-based sector.” The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) will see $51 million in funding for “the production, promotion and discoverability of Indigenous audiovisual content in Canada and abroad.” In a statement to The Wire Report, ISO CEO Kerry Swanson said she is “thrilled” with the government’s announcement, calling it a “historic milestone” for the Indigenous screen sector. “These funds will enable the ISO to truly deepen the meaningful work we have been doing to foster narrative sovereignty for Indigenous storytellers across Canada, and create new international opportunities and collaborations,” she said. “This investment will ensure that Indigenous storytellers are well supported to bring their unique perspectives to screens at home and around the world.” ISO plans to distribute the funding to Indigenous creatives between January 2027 and March 2028. As for Canadian Heritage’s Canada Music Fund, it will receive $67 million, which will be further distributed by the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings ($31.5 million), Fondation Musicaction ($21 million), the Canadian Starmaker Fund ($5.7 million), Fonds RadioStar ($3.8 million), and the Indigenous Music Office ($5 million). The Department of Canadian Heritage will also fund “culturally relevant Indigenous radio and television content” by way of $10 million to its Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting program. “The funding will benefit Indigenous broadcasters to continue preserving, promoting and revitalizing Indigenous languages and provide platforms for Indigenous audiences to discuss issues important to their communities,” the release said. Telefilm’s $68.5 million will go toward supporting “the sustainability and growth of the audiovisual industry, as well as the competitiveness and international reach of Canadian and Indigenous feature films, with an audience-driven approach.” Since Telefilm is a Crown corporation, its funding will come through parliamentary appropriations. Another $185.1 million will be divvied up among various independent funds. The first group under the category is certified independent production funds, which will get $44 million and includes organizations such as the Black Screen Office, Canadian Independent Screen Fund, Broadcasting Accessibility Fund, and Bell Fund. It will also include the Independent Production Fund, TELUS Fund, Quebecor Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, Vox Fund, and M.É.D.I.A Fund. The second conglomerate is the Independent Local News Fund which will get $80 million, followed by the Commercial Radio News Fund, which is set to receive $11 million. Together, they “will sustain independent local television and commercial radio news, through the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.” Next is the Community Radio Fund, which will use $7.5 million to “strengthen community radio through operational support and sector development.” Finally, the services of exceptional importance, including Canadian Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and TV5 Québec Canada will get $42.1 million. It was previously reported the government planned to scrap the services of exceptional importance fund, and the requirement to fund local news, though the feds never confirmed the speculation. Up to $5 million will also go to the Canada History Fund to support audiovisual programming. Future of funding unclear, despite earlier promises of annual renewal According to Sunday’s release, the funding will “provide stability and direct support to Canada's audio and audiovisual sectors while longer-term policy, regulatory and market conditions evolve.” The CRTC’s framework developed under the Online Streaming Act was meant to provide a long-term funding solution to the sector by requiring foreign streamers to earmark an initial five per cent of Canadian revenues to fund domestic content. In 2026, the CRTC raised the contribution threshold to 15 per cent. Following the new decision, Miller ordered the commission to renew the 15 per cent decision and issue a new policy focused on “affordability,” and the Liberals later signalled an intention to eliminate the five per cent base contribution decision altogether. Miller announced the annual $600 million in the policy’s stead, although the CRTC’s framework would have raised an estimated $2 billion a year for the sector. The CRTC policy had repeatedly been identified as an “irritant” for the Trump administration during bilateral trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada, and the policy reversal was largely seen as a concession to the White House. While Miller has repeatedly promised the $600 million will be renewed annually, the government’s new budget has only accounted for the funding in fiscal 2026-27. There has also been no indication in Sunday’s announcement that the funding will be recurring. In a statement to The Wire Report, government spokesperson Hermine Landry said the government "committed to providing annual investments to stabilize the sector while developing a new policy direction for the CRTC and long-term structural solutions." mcollins@thewirereport.ca Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from government spokesperson Hermine Landry.

Liberals announce recipients of $600M, includes funding for news, services of exceptional importance

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By Maria Collins
|November 9, 2026

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