Quebec’s producers association is calling for more details on how the provincial government will support independent producers following the release of Quebec’s fiscal 2022/23 budget.

The overall budget will see $22 billion provided over five years, which includes a one-time payment of $500 to households that earn $100,000 or less, as well as initiatives to support the health-care system and stimulate economic growth.

The provincial government allocated $257.9 million to the cultural sector over the next five years, with $72.1 dedicated to extended COVID-19 measures within the fiscal year; $157.4 million to support the “most affected cultural sectors” and “encourage the public to choose Quebec culture” over the next five years; and $28.4 million to support cultural heritage over three years.

Within the $157.4 million, a total of $58.6 million will be provided to the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) over three years for its programs, with another $78 million going to the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ).

Rounding out the cultural investment is $6 million to public broadcaster Télé-Québec, provided over the next three years to support its shift to digital, and $9 million over the next two years to promote Quebec culture.

The government did not provide a breakdown of how an allocated $72.1 million will be spent in fiscal 2022/23 to support recovery efforts from COVID-19, but identified maintaining production capacity for the audiovisual sector as one of the goals.

Hélène Messier, president and CEO of the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), said in a statement that the association had recommended an adjustment to the province’s film and TV tax credits to provide more structure for independent producers facing increasing production costs.

While the producers association said it welcomed the government assistance, it called for more information on how the additional SODEC funds will be allocated, rather than the broad strokes mentioned within the budget.

Minister of Culture and Communications Nathalie Roy is expected to make more specific announcements about “how the budget measures will be able to promote artists and artisans of Quebec culture” in the coming weeks, a representative of Minister Roy tells Playback Daily.

In the previous Quebec budget update, SODEC allocated $46.1 million to support COVID-related recovery programs, including a provincial program created in 2020 to compensate local productions unable to secure insurance for COVID-related shutdowns.

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