COVID-19 Emergency Support for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations

On April 17, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault announced plans to provide $500 million to Canada’s cultural, heritage and sport sectors to help address the complex financial needs of organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many organizations within the cultural, heritage and sport sector have lost potential revenues from closed facilities or cancelled events. The $500 million fund is intended to assist organizations who do not qualify for Canada’s emergency response measures to COVID-19 — such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy — because of the unique revenues and costs.

The Fund will help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors so they can continue to support artists and athletes. Assistance will be delivered in the form of wage support for workers who may not qualify for other measures that have already been announced, as well as direct funding to organizations experiencing liquidity issues.

Eligible organizations and businesses include:

• Canadian nonprofits in the cultural, heritage, sports, and arts organizations

• National Sports Organizations, Multisport Service Organizations, and Canadian Sport Centres and Institutes

• Canadian journalistic organizations

• Canadian book publishers

• Canadian production companies that work in the film or television industries

• Organizations in the music industry

• Television and radio broadcasters

• Recipients of the Digital Citizen Initiative

The Fund will be administered by Canadian Heritage with the support of its partners.

The Government of Canada is working on establishing the specifics of how the money would be distributed to qualifying groups. CCVO will provide more information as it becomes available.

For more information for Canadian Heritage grants and contributions recipients related to COVID-19, click here.

Read the full news release here, and read Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan here.