The Ontario government promises $2.5 million in funding to help the music community during COVID.
The pandemic has decimated so much of the Canadian music industry, so the promise of funding is help musicians is very, very welcome. On Friday (March 12), the Ontario government pledged $2.5 million in direct funding to help out the music community. This money will be distributed through the COVID-19 Relief Program run by the Unison Benevolent Fund and the Canadian Live Music Association.
The Unison Benevolent Fun will get a one-time grant of $2 million “to immediately support individual musicians and industry workers, many of whom have lost their sources of income during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Canadian Live Music Association will receive a one-time payout of $500,000 “to support local communities that wish to develop and implement music city strategies in a post-COVID-19 economy.” In other words, to help rebuild a devastated music industry.
The full release from the government can be found here. Music Canada, the recorded music industry lobby group, is very happy about this. You can read their statement here.
