The following is an English translation of the Culture Montréal provincial budget analysis. Click here to consult the original French document.

For culture, one priority: recovery

Montreal, March 23, 2022— Yesterday the closed session of the 2022–2023 Quebec Budget was held. Following the release of the measures announced, the Culture Montréal team analyzed those that concern the cultural sector. The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ)’s fourth budget is built around four main axes of economic growth, one of which is devoted to the revival of the cultural sector as shown by its evocative title, “Supporting recovery and promoting Quebec culture and its environment.”

Expansion and continuation of pandemic support
Investments of $147.6 million are planned for 2022–2023 (for a total of $229.5 million over five years) to continue helping the cultural sector overcome the very real consequences of the health crisis.

This includes:
– $72.1 million will be spent in 2022–2023 to extend support measures for the presentation of Quebec performances or to strengthen the Emergency Fund for artists and cultural workers in the performing arts.
– $75.5 million will be injected in 2022–2023 (in all, $157.4 million over five years) to support the development of the cultural sector with the goal of ending the crisis and returning to normal. Most of the funds will be managed by the CALQ and the SODEC to provide “additional targeted support to the most-affected cultural areas,” i.e., $65 million in 2022–2023 ($136.6 million over three years, distributed as follows: $58.6 million for the SODEC, $78 million for the CALQ).

The remainder of this $75.5 million envelope is divided as follows:
$7.5 million will be allocated in 2022–2023 ($9 million over 2 years) for the promotion of Quebec culture to encourage Quebecers to “reconnect with their habits of cultural consumption,” which have been disrupted by digital platforms.
– $2 million in 2022–2023 ($6 million over 3 years) to “continue Télé-Québec’s digital shift”
$1 million in 2022–2023 ($3 million over 3 years) to “enrich the training offered by the Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique du Québec.”

Note that the 2013 tax credit for a first major donation in the cultural sector is continued.

Heritage and museums: Subdued support
Looking at the measures specifically related to the preservation and development of cultural heritage, a total of $7.4 million will be allocated in 2022–2023, including $6.5 million for “supporting the municipal sector in the protection and management of its built heritage” ($10.5 million over 3 years) and $900 k for “emergency measures for heritage buildings” ($2.7 million over 3 years).
More than half of the funds allocated to support the municipal sector will be used to improve cultural-development agreements in Quebec City and Montreal.

Furthermore, $1.6 million will be released in 2022–2023 ($6.2 million over 3 years) to carry out a government strategy for commemorative projects.
Regarding museums, we note the slight increase in the Aide au fonctionnement pour les institutions muséales program: $1.5 million in 2022–2023 ($6 million over 3 years).

Cultural development measures

• Cultures of the First Nations – $20 million in 2022–2023 ($100 million over 5 years) to “consolidate government action in the social and cultural development of the First Nations.”
• BAnQ – $1 million in 2022–2023 ($3 million over 3 years) is given to the BAnQ to increase the grant dedicated to the network of accredited private archives.
• Recreation and culture – $2.1 million will be injected starting in 2023–2024 ($26.4 million over 4 years) to promote the sharing of resources “used for sports and leisure activities (premises, equipment, personnel)” between the educational and municipal sectors.
• French language – Note also the renewal of Quebec’s policy on Canadian francophone communities: $8 million is injected to “increase the influence and vitality of French.”

Flipping through the section on credits…
The credits granted to the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications amount to “$978.2 million in 2022–2023 (excluding debt service). This is a decrease of $81.3 million compared to the probable expenditures for 2021–2022.”
Regarding public corporations:
o The CALQ goes from $136.6 million to $187 million
o The SODEC goes from $126 million to $177 million
o Télé-Québec goes from $70 million to $67 million
o The BAnQ goes from $75 million to $77 million
o The National Museums go from $71 million to $70 million
o The Société de la Place des arts and the Grand Théâtre de Québec go from $28 million to $27 million
o The Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique du Québec goes from $29 million to $30 million

Cultural infrastructure projects

A sum of $125 million will be allocated to support various projects including the development of the MACM, the Espace Riopelle at the MNBAQ, the municipal support program for built heritage, and the continued implementation of the Espaces bleus network. See the appendix for the list of infrastructure projects already in progress or being planned in the Plan Québécois des Infrastructures (PQI) 2022–2032.
• Espaces bleus

Regarding this new network of cultural and tourist centres, we can see that the following Espaces bleus are being established in the 2022–2032 PQI:
• The Espace bleu Capitale-Nationale – Quebec City – Development ($22 million in 22–23)
• The Espace bleu Abitibi-Témiscamingue – Amos – Acquisition, expansion, and development ($10.4 million in 22–23)
• The Espace bleu Gaspésie – Percé – Acquisition, expansion, and development ($8 million in 22–23)

The following Espaces bleus are in the planning stages:

• The Espace bleu Charlevoix – Baie-Saint-Paul – Acquisition and development

• Quebec Espaces bleus network – administrative regions of Quebec – Construction
Other measures of interest

• Festivals and tourist events
To prepare the tourism sector for recovery, the Quebec government is planning $220 million over 5 years, especially for 2022–2023:
• $54.9 million to provide additional support for recovery
• $34.7 million to promote Quebec’s tourist destinations and support tourist regions and their businesses
• $34 million for support adapted to tourist regions and their businesses, especially for ongoing support of festivals and tourist events. This initiative should improve the predictability of their funding, help them continue their activities, and assist them in retaining their workforce.

• Creative industries

Creative industries could benefit from the Déduction incitative pour la commercialisation des innovations (DICI) to develop intellectual property.
Culture Montréal will obviously remain on the lookout for future ministerial announcements.

About Culture Montréal
Culture Montréal is a non-profit, independent, and non-partisan organization that brings together all citizens who recognize the fundamental role of culture in the growth of the metropolis. Culture Montréal is a place for reflection, consultation, and action whose mission is to anchor culture squarely at the heart of Montréal’s development. The organization is recognized as a regional cultural council.

Information
Catherine Deschâtelets Communications Coordinator Culture Montréal coordocom@culturemontreal.ca