Canadian Heritage has tapped the Canada Media Fund (CMF) to administer some of the $10 million earmarked for the federal government’s newly launched Changing Narratives Fund (CNF).

The federal government has invested $10 million over three years to support incentives and initiatives for the training, mentorship and professional development of diverse voices in media and journalism.

Of the total available funds, CMF will administer $4.5 million ($2.5 million in 2024-25 and $1 million in both 2025-26 and 2026-27), a spokesperson for Canadian Heritage told Playback Daily.

The funding is meant “to support diverse communities in the television, digital media, screen industry and cinematic production industries,” according to a news release.

In a separate release, CMF said the fund will support mentorship, training and work placements for creators and companies “at all stages.” The guidelines will be published on Nov. 1, and applications will open on Nov. 21.

Roughly $3.9 million will go toward the Canada Periodical Fund’s Collective Initiatives and the Local Journalism Initiative to support the creation of civic journalism in underserved communities. The remaining funds (about $1.6 million) “will be allocated to managing, delivering and reporting on this horizontal initiative” in the next three years, said the spokesperson for Canadian Heritage.

“We are encouraging Canadians to appreciate and understand our country’s rich diversity through the media and culture industries, which is why we are supporting efforts to accurately reflect the voices, experiences and perspectives of diverse communities and organizations,” said Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge in a statement. “The Changing Narratives Fund is another tool that will help us make meaningful change in advancing inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility while also tackling all forms of racism and discrimination.”

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