While there may never be enough production money to go around, Canadian television should be able to avoid a repeat of last year’s funding crisis now that the federal government has restored its $100-million commitment to the Canadian Television Fund for 2004 and 2005.

The good news, contained in the budget presented by Finance Minister Ralph Goodale March 23, brought cheers from all corners of the industry and keeps a promise made by Prime Minister Paul Martin almost a year ago when he was campaigning for the top job.

‘This is a significant reversal of the fortunes of Canadian television,’ says Glenn O’Farrell, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. ‘This is a much better environment and context for television across the country.’

The two-year commitment, says O’Farrell, gives the industry an opportunity to build a long-term plan and look beyond the year-to-year concern of continued funding that has characterized the CTF since it was launched in 1996.

‘Let’s try to figure out what to do in the interests of Canadians,’ he says.

‘Producers are very happy about the budget announcement,’ says Guy Mayson, president and CEO of the CFTPA. ‘It’s a real vote of confidence for the CTF. The additional dollars will help address the financing problems inherent in making Canadian-made TV. It’s a tough business, and the reality is the government has a role to play to encourage the industry to make Cancon. Only Canadians can make Canadian-themed shows based on people like Evelyn Dick, Pierre Elliot Trudeau or even Ricky from Trailer Park Boys.’

Still, Helene Chalifour Scherrer, minister of Canadian heritage, says the restoration comes with some strings attached. She’s calling on industry leaders to come together to rethink how CTF is governed and financed.

‘We have two years to maximize the fund to ensure we meet the needs of all Canadians,’ she says. ‘Demand is growing and we need to make the most efficient CTF.’

Scherrer says that while the relentless lobby efforts to restore the CTF were successful, Martin and Goodale understood the importance of the fund and the negative impact of last year’s cuts.

‘It was made very clear to Mr. Goodale that [restoration of the CTF] was a priority,’ she says.

Last spring, the industry was thrown into a funding crisis when the federal government cut its contribution, paid through the Ministry of Canadian Heritage, by 25% to $75 million. High-profile programs were left wanting for funding and the issue became a political football, especially for those senior Liberal party members vying to replace then-prime minister Jean Chretien. Money was borrowed from the next year’s budget, creating the possibility of only $62.5 million in federal funding for the coming fiscal year, beginning April 1.

For the ailing English drama genre, restoring the $37.5 million to the federal commitment for this year means about $15 million in direct funding and could trigger more than $40 million in production budgets, says CTF president and CEO Sandra Macdonald.

The CTF in fiscal 2004/05 is projected to have about $264 million, but that figure could be revised upward depending on the contributions from cable, she adds. In the troubled fiscal 2003/04, the CTF came in at a better-than-expected $257 million, helped by robust cable payments (about $118 million) and an eventual softening of federal cuts by $12.5 million.

‘We’re very hopeful that this production season will be much better than last year, with no disruptions,’ says Stephen Waddell, national executive director for ACTRA. ‘This is something we desperately need. [Martin] has thrown us a lifeline. Now it’s time for the private broadcasters to step up to the plate to invest some of the many millions in profits into Canadian drama.’

The pre-election federal budget focused on improving education, skills development and tracking of government spending. The investment in Canadian television acknowledges its importance culturally and economically, say industry observers.

The past 12 months have been a difficult time for the $4.93-billion production industry that has been hit hard by SARS, a higher dollar and a decline in international financing, says the CFTPA. While the industry has experienced growth in the past, that seems to be leveling off as the industry sees fewer homemade television dramas and increased competition from other countries’ production incentives, says the producers association.

-www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca

Faster than a speeding budget

Who has the fastest publicity team? The new federal budget hit Playback’s e-mail servers at 4:51 p.m. on March 23, just hours before this issue went to press and, we like to think, setting off a race among lobby groups to put out their press releases. And the winners are:

Gold – CFTPA, 4:45 p.m.

What the…? Canada’s producers somehow interpreted and reacted to the budget a full six minutes before they’d clicked ‘send’ at Finance Canada.

Silver – ACTRA 4:54 p.m.

Policy wags at the actors union were fast, as usual, but not quite fast enough.

Bronze – DGC and WGC 5:32 p.m.

Tied for third, the scribe and director guilds put out a joint statement shortly after end-of-business. Not bad, but somehow we expected writers to be faster at, y’know, writing.