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Program directory · Canadian Heritage

Cultural Industries Support and Development

Program code
BSD03 (CH)
Core responsibility
Creativity, Arts and Culture
In Departmental Plans
2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan

What it does

This program fosters the creation, development of, access to, and consumption of diverse Canadian cultural content at home and abroad. Through the delivery of grants, contributions and certification for tax credit purposes, the Department ensures that a wide range of Canadian content is produced and marketed across a variety of media, including books, periodicals, music, film and television, and innovative applications on multiple platforms. It encourages sound and sustainable business and industry practices and the establishment of partnerships at the national and international levels. This program co-administers two refundable tax credit programs with the Canada Revenue Agency through audiovisual production certification. It also provides advice on policies, legislation and regulatory measures for cultural industries.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-282028-29Cultural Industries Support and Development 2018-19: $310MCultural Industries Support and Development 2019-20: $346MCultural Industries Support and Development 2020-21: $608MCultural Industries Support and Development 2021-22: $506MCultural Industries Support and Development 2022-23: $449MCultural Industries Support and Development 2023-24: $462MCultural Industries Support and Development 2024-25: $455MCultural Industries Support and Development 2025-26: $374MCultural Industries Support and Development 2026-27: $334MCultural Industries Support and Development 2027-28: $307MCultural Industries Support and Development 2028-29: $293MCultural Industries Support and Development
Bars: spending by fiscal year (dark: actual; light: actual restated on the 2017-18 program structure; outlined: the latest plan's forecast; grey: related programs). Bands: each program in the lineage over the years it has data.
ProgramRelationYears with dataActual spending over those years
Cultural Industries Support and DevelopmentThis program2018-19 – 2028-29$3.14B

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

Significant changes in scope and budget

Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.

YearWhat changedSource
2019-20Indicators dropped: Gross domestic product (GDP) of the Canadian cultural sector.Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2020-21Spending $608M, against $346M in 2019-20 (+76%).Actual spending (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Indicators added: Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in development.; Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in production.Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Indicators dropped: Market share of Canadian artists on top 2,000 domestic album sales chart.Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2024Budget 2024 measure “Supporting the Canadian Book Industry”: $9M in total over its years (linked to this program by name, a best-effort match).Budget 2024, PDF page 274

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Historical: targets against results

Market share of Canadian artists on the top 10,000 domestic music streaming chart.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
10%2018-19✗ not met10.6%2022-23✗ not met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ 12%201910%
Target was not met. Music streaming platforms are dominated by international superstars, with Canadian artists facing increasingly fierce competition for visibility and attention. The Canada Music Fund is addressing the challenges of a rapidly changing and highly competitive environment through a greater focus on skill development and promotion to build larger audiences for Canadian artists acros…
Not met
2022-23≥ 15%202310.6%
2021 and 2022 results cannot be compared with previous years due to a change in the data source as of 2021. Therefore, 2021 will become the baseline for future comparisons.
Not met
Number of funded titles published by Canada Periodical Fund recipients.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
7292019-20✗ not met7112020-21✗ not met7552021-22✓ met7542022-23✓ met7592023-24✓ met1,3642024-25✗ not met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2019-20≥ 7502020729
The number of magazines in Canada producing Canadian content continues to shrink as advertising revenues further decline and more online content becomes available. This trend has also affected the number of titles that are supported by the Canada Periodical Fund.
Not met
2020-21≥ 7502021711
The number of titles funded by the CPF continues to shrink as publishers change their business models (for e.g. switch to a free or digital-only business model, which are not eligible under the CPF Aid to Publishers component in 2020-21) or stop publishing altogether.
Not met
2021-22≥ 7502022755Met
2022-23≥ 7002023754Met
2023-24≥ 7002024759Met
2024-25≥ 1,50020251,364
The number of magazines and non-daily newspapers in Canada has declined in recent years due to reduced advertising revenue, changing consumer habits, and the growing dominance of digital platforms. More readers now prefer digital content, and advertisers are investing less in print.
Not met
Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in development.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
452023-24✓ met492024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2023-24≥ 10202445
In 2023-2024, the Indigenous Screen Office disbursed the available funding to a higher number of projects.
Met
2024-25≥ 10202549Met
Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in production.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
662023-24✓ met272024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2023-24≥ 5202466
In 2023-2024, the Indigenous Screen Office disbursed the available funding to a higher number of projects.
Met
2024-25≥ 5202527Met
Number of innovative Canadian content and software application projects supported by the Canada Media Fund.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
1162018-19✓ met1752019-20✓ met602020-21– no result2052021-22✓ met1302022-23– no result1302023-24– no result1732024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ 602018116
The Canada Media Fund’s Experimental Stream allocated $42.0M to 116 projects in 2018-2019, which was a five-year high. Resources were reallocated within the Canada Media Fund to increase support for these projects, resulting in the CMF exceeding its original target of 90 projects.
Met
2019-20≥ 602020175
The number of projects supported varies over time depending on a number of factors, including average budgets and other industry trends. The difference between the minimum target and the actual result speaks to the level of interest of Canadian companies in obtaining funding for these types of projects.
Met
2020-21≥ 602021—
We expect to be able to report on the number afer we receive the CMF's annual reporting by Fall 2021.
No result reported
2021-22≥ 902022205Met
2022-23≥ 1302023—
The Department expects to report on the number after the Canada Media Fund annual report is received by Fall 2023
No result reported
2023-24≥ 1302024—
The result for 2023-24 was not available at the time of the tabling of this report.
No result reported
2024-25≥ 1302025173Met
Percentage of Canadian content broadcast on TV5MONDE.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
11.4%2018-19✓ met10.5%2019-20✓ met10%2020-21✓ met11%2022-23✓ met11.5%2023-24✓ met11.8%2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ 7%201811.4%Met
2019-20≥ 7%201910.5%Met
2020-21≥ 7%202110%Met
2022-23≥ 7%202311%Met
2023-24≥ 7%202411.5%Met
2024-25≥ 7%202511.8%Met
Value of domestic and international sales of Canadian-authored books by Canada Book Fund recipients.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
$389M2018-19✓ met$400M2019-20✓ met$350M2020-21– no result$350M2021-22– no result$4032022-23✓ met$451M2023-24✓ met$387M2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ $350M2019$389MMet
2019-20≥ $350M2020$400MMet
2020-21≥ $350M2021—
The actual results were not available at the time of publication.
No result reported
2021-22≥ $350M2022—
Actual results were not available at the time of publication.
No result reported
2022-23≥ $3502023$403Met
2023-24≥ $350M2024$451MMet
2024-25≥ $350M2025$387MMet
Market share of Canadian artists on top 2,000 domestic album sales chart.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
19%2018-19✗ not met23.3%2022-23✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ 22%201919%
Target was not met. In 2018, the result remained steady from the previous year, with 19% of the top 2,000 albums sold in Canada being by Canadian artists. This, however, was slightly lower than the 20% target. The increased competition from foreign artists in Canada is having an impact on the sales of albums by Canadian artists. It is important to note that sales of music, both in physical and di…
Not met
2022-23≥ 20%202323.3%Met
Gross domestic product (GDP) of the Canadian cultural sector.
Expected result: Creative industries are successful in the digital economy, foster creativity and economic growth.
$53.1M2018-19✗ not met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2018-19≥ $55B2019$53.1M
Target was not met.
Not met

Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets

Market share of Canadian artists on the top 10,000 domestic music streaming chart.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
11%2026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 11%2027—Planned
Number of funded titles published by Canada Periodical Fund recipients.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
7002026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 7002027—Planned
Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in development.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
502026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 502027—Planned
Number of Indigenous audiovisual stories in production.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
372026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 372027—Planned
Number of innovative Canadian content and software application projects supported by the Canada Media Fund.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
1302026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 1302027—Planned
Percentage of Canadian content broadcast on TV5MONDE.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
11.5%2026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 11.5%2027—Planned
Value of domestic and international sales of Canadian-authored books by Canada Book Fund recipients.
Expected result: Diverse Canadian cultural content is created, developed, accessed and consumed at home and abroad.
$400M2026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ $400M2027—Planned

Future goals: targets due after 2026-27

No targets with a later due date.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

2018-19: $291M2018-19: $310M2018-192019-20: $296M2019-20: $346M2019-202020-21: $323M2020-21: $608M2020-212021-22: $314M2021-22: $506M2021-222022-23: $391M2022-23: $449M2022-232023-24: $389M2023-24: $462M2023-242024-25: $328M2024-25: $455M2024-252025-26: $374M2025-262026-27: $334M2026-272027-28: $307M2027-282028-29: $293M2028-29
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-19$291M$310M
2019-20$296M$346M
2020-21$323M$608M
2021-22$314M$506M
2022-23$391M$449M
2023-24$389M$462M
2024-25$328M$455M
2025-26$374M—
2026-27$334M—
2027-28$307M*—
2028-29$293M*—

Employees (FTEs)

2018-19: 1422018-19: 1522018-192019-20: 1452019-20: 1442019-202020-21: 1452020-21: 1502020-212021-22: 1492021-22: 1492021-222022-23: 1532022-23: 1712022-232023-24: 1742023-24: 1722023-242024-25: 1502024-25: 1642024-252025-26: 1552025-262026-27: 1592026-272027-28: 1522027-282028-29: 1532028-29
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-19142152
2019-20145144
2020-21145150
2021-22149149
2022-23153171
2023-24174172
2024-25150164
2025-26155—
2026-27159—
2027-28152*—
2028-29153*—

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.