Sandra Macdonald is preparing to leave the Canadian Television Fund and has announced she will step down from its top spot when her contract runs out in September, ending a rocky three-year term, just as the future of the fund seems again to be growing cloudy.

‘We’ve made a lot of progress over the last three years,’ says Macdonald. ‘With its strong board and staff I am confident the CTF will continue its vital role of helping bring Canadian television to our screens.’

Macdonald, who is based in Ottawa, hopes to spend more time at home, according to a CTF spokesperson. The fund says it will start looking for a replacement in June after the Banff World Television Festival.

The CTF saw hard times during Macdonald’s term as CEO and president – most notably during the funding shortfall of 2003 when federal cuts and an excess of applications overwhelmed its budget, jeopardizing several long-running shows. Macdonald also oversaw the fund’s overhaul to a ‘one-application, one-answer’ system.

Her successor will face two potential problems. Ottawa is considering major changes to its film and TV funding agencies that could make or break CTF – an announcement could come as early as next month – and the $100-million federal portion of the fund’s budget is up for renewal next year.

CTF chair Doug Barrett praised Macdonald’s leadership and her work at overhauling the fund’s application system, saying, ‘We will miss her fierce intelligence and commitment to our work.’

Before joining the fund in 2002, Macdonald was chairperson of the National Film Board and president of the CFTPA.

-www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca