Montreal: The Dec. 10 federal budget renews government’s $100-million contribution to the Canadian Television Fund for fiscal 2002/03. CTF’s budget this year is in the order of $230 million, including $80 million to $85 million from cable and satellite program distributors. The secured funding means revised CTF guidelines for next year will apply, but the industry would still like to see CTF’s planning capacity increased with a multi-year commitment.

Chapter 4 of Finance Minister Paul Martin’s budget document announces, ‘In addition, incremental funding to the CBC and the Canadian Television and Cable Production Fund has been extended for one more year.’

The additional provision for CBC in 2002/03 matches this year’s extra money, $60 million.

In 2000, CTF contributed more than $209 million to the creation of 486 film and TV productions representing 2,424 new hours of programming and $682 million in cumulative production budgets.

In other news, Heritage and International Trade have also unveiled a $23-million, three-year program to promote arts and cultural branding in the international market.

Trade Routes will provide training, market information and counseling to Canadian cultural exporters. An additional $9-million Team Canada initiative is intended to complement Trade Routes’ branding programs.

-www.canadianheritage.gc.ca.

-www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/menu-f.