The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has selected 16 Canadian content creators to receive just under $320,000 through the second edition of the funder’s Digital Creators Pilot Program.

Launched in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the program is designed to support the growth trajectory of mid-career Canadian content creators who are making short-form content exclusively for digital platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

Eligible costs for the program include those involved with video creation, such as location rental and labour, and marketing and business growth costs, including company incorporation, and marketing and promotion.

Fourteen of the successful applicants received $20,000 with two creators receiving just under that amount. They were selected by a jury comprising Telus Storyhive and community content manager Jennifer Park; digital media expert Laurence Grondin-Robillard; journalist, filmmaker and writer Nathan Sing; and creative director Nicolas Saint-Cyr, along with CMF program administrator analysts.

The Ontario-based creators are MMA fighter and educator Jeff Chan, who goes by the handle MMAShredded on various platforms, with 772,000 subscribers on YouTube and 291,000 followers on Instagram; animated education studio Thought Café with 241,000 subscribers on YouTube; editor, producer and JoMo films founder Joseph DeBenedictis, who has more than 151,000 followers on TikTok; Sex and History, a digital initiative focused on the history of sex work with 102,000 followers on Instagram; and pop-culture commentator This Exists, whose YouTube channel has 329,000 subscribers. This Exists received $19,836.

The four Quebec-based creators are dancer and choreographer Melo Omat, who has more than 22,000 followers on Instagram; comedian Anas Hassouna, with more than 70,000 followers on Instagram; Montreal’s Romy Victory, with 1.06 million subscribers on YouTube; and vlogging duo 2 Different Backgrounds, with 11,900 followers on Instagram. 2 Different Backgrounds received $18,653.

Another four creators are based in B.C. They are athlete, host and off-road rescuer Bruce Cook (By Hook or by Cook), who has more than 30,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel and close to 100,000 followers on his Instagram page; comedian, producer and writer Julie Kim (Run the Burbs), who has more than 45,000 followers on Instagram; Dungeons and Dragons-focused podcasters and sketch group Theatre of the Unaligned, with 253,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 200,000 followers on Instagram; and children’s series channel Life with Kiki, which has over 50,000 followers on Instagram.

Two of the creator funding recipients are based in Alberta: vlogger Rebecca Felgate, who has more than 110,000 followers on Instagram; and Runkle of the Bailey, whose content focuses on legal information and education, with 289,000 subscribers on YouTube and more than 100,000 followers on X.

Rounding out the selected creators is Manitoba-based comedy group Wildin TV, which has 325,000 followers on Instagram.

Image: Unsplash