Canadian independent music needs your help. Now.
Being a musician is a struggle. Fortunately, Canada has something of a safety net with financial help that keeps music alive. There is, however, a problem.
The Canadian Independent Music Association, which represents the interests of indie music across the country, wants to get the word out on $16 million of annual federal funding that allows FACTOR and Muiscaction to invest in Canadian artists and Canadian-owned companies. That funding is about to expire. If this cash is not forthcoming, then “investments in Canadian owned music companies and artists could be cut by up to 50%.”
The goal is to get the feds to pay attention. CIMA has made it easy to send a message that underscores how important this funding is to the health of the Canadian domestic music scene. All you have to do is Just click on this link.
The message will automatically be sent to to the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Stephen Guilbeault, the Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne and the Prime Minister Mark Carney.
If you want to get even more involved through social networks, you can use these social media graphics to raise awareness about the #canadamusicfund.
The goal is to get the feds to include this funding in the Spring 2026 budget as a permanent part of the Canadian Music Fund. That money expires March 31. But the feds say there won’t be a spring budget. Instead, a budget will be tabled on November 4. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to ensure that this money keeps flowing.
I quote:
“This moment couldn’t be more critical for the Canadian music sector. While the federal investment in music hangs in the balance, contributions from private radio broadcasting into FACTOR has plummeted from a high in the early 2020’s of $16 million down to approximately $2 million this year. On top of all that, funds that the government was hoping would flow from the digital streaming platforms due to Bill C-11 have ground to a halt after Spotify, Amazon, Apple and other tech giants took the government to court arguing that they shouldn’t have to adhere to Canadian regulations.”
Canada is a global powerhouse when it comes to music. Part of the reason is that we support our aritsts at all levels. Don’t let this go away.
