The production industry is moving its fight against multimillion-dollar public cuts to cultural programs to the regulatory sphere. A coalition of production industry associations earlier this week asked the CRTC to delay any funding revisions regarding new media until the future of the Canadian Television Fund is known.

The coalition called it ‘putting the cart before the horse,’ since Canadian Heritage has yet to decide the future structure and direction of the CTF, and even whether it will continue funding the program. Among those supporting the coalition’s request for a delay is the CBC.

The CRTC is looking at changing regulations so that money from benefits packages could be used to finance new media projects, and at piloting a new media stream under the CTF.

Knowing what the government intends to do with the CTF is critical in providing meaningful and informed comments in the CRTC process, the coalition told the commission. The coalition, which includes the CFTPA, ACTRA, DGC, WGC, and the Documentary Organization of Canada, espoused the view that the CRTC should finish its current overall review of new media before looking at the funding angle.

The recent elimination of federal contributions to programs including the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund, the National Training Schools Program, TradeRoutes (which helped the arts and cultural sector prepare to export and sell in international markets) and PromArt has the industry worried over the future of the CTF.

The cuts are also stirring up debate politically, with Liberal Heritage critic Denis Coderre publicly stating his party would reinstate the cuts, which the Canadian Conference of the Arts pegs at $40 million.

‘The Department of Canadian Heritage has said that the decision to abolish TradeRoutes was based on the results of a value for money review. The program resources [$9 million] are largely consumed by the salaries and living expenses of cultural trade officers stationed across Canada and various major cities around the world. While a relatively small amount of money was actually dedicated to making grants and contribution, artists, producers and arts professionals who use their services have indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the assistance provided,’ said the Canadian Conference of the Arts in its outline of all of the programs affected by the cuts.

The Canadian Conference of the Arts is calling on Heritage Minister Joseé Verner to explain why the cuts were made, and to spell out the government’s intentions for developing cultural markets abroad.

The CFTPA and Quebec counterpart APFTQ are still waiting to hear from the government on their request for a meeting with the minister on the CTF and Canadian New Media Fund. Public funding to the CTF and CNWF has only been guaranteed until March 2009.