Harper Government Creates Jobs and Growth Through Investments in Culture in British Columbia

VANCOUVER, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - New support for arts and culture organizations will help create jobs and growth throughout British Columbia, thanks to investments by the Government of Canada. Support for 182 projects was announced today by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. Minister Moore was joined by leaders of British Columbia's cultural community.

The funding supports a wide range of arts organizations and projects across the province, including important upgrades to Dance Victoria's performance studio, as well as support for the Victoria Conservatory of Music, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and the Bicentennial of the City of Kamloops in 2012.

"Our Government received a strong mandate from Canadians to invest in the economic future of our country, which must include investing in culture," said Minister Moore. "By supporting these activities, our Government is delivering on its commitment to support our arts, culture, heritage, Aboriginals and official languages while delivering jobs and growth throughout British Columbia."

"We deeply appreciate the investment by the Government of Canada in the arts, in our programs, and in our community," said Fatima Amarshi, Executive Director of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, which produces the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. "These activities play a vital role in the lives of Vancouver residents and communities across British Columbia, enriching them culturally, socially, and economically."

The Government of Canada has provided total funding of $10,599,462 through the following programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage: the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, the Official Languages Support Programs, the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Periodical Fund, the Aboriginal Peoples' Program, the Canada Arts Training Fund and the Canada Interactive Fund. For more information about the projects, see the attached backgrounder.

BACKGROUNDER

Today's announcement includes the following projects:

Aboriginal Peoples' Program - Aboriginal Languages Initiative
The objective of Aboriginal Languages Initiative is to support community-based language projects that contribute to the revitalization and preservation of Aboriginal languages and increase their use in community settings.

Aboriginal Peoples' Program - Aboriginal Women's Programming Element
The Aboriginal Women's Programming Element of the Aboriginal Peoples' Program enables Aboriginal women to influence policies, programs, legislation, and decision making that affect the social, cultural, economic, and political well-being in their communities and in Canadian society. It includes a component to address issues around family violence and a self-government initiative to support the full participation of Aboriginal women in consultations and decision-making processes.

Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
The Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program provides Canadians with more opportunities to take part in activities that present local arts and culture and celebrate local history and heritage.

Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage - Legacy Fund
The Legacy Fund component provides funding for community capital projects.

Canada Arts Presentation Fund
The Canada Arts Presentation Fund gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.

Canada Arts Training Fund
The Canada Arts Training Fund contributes to the development of Canadian creators and future cultural leaders of the Canadian arts sector by supporting the training of artists with high potential through institutions that offer training of the highest calibre.

Canada Book Fund
The principal objective of the Canada Book Fund is to ensure access to a diverse range of Canadian-authored books in Canada and abroad. The Fund seeks to achieve this objective by fostering a strong Canadian book industry that publishes and markets Canadian-authored books.

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund program seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing, visual, and media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays.

Canada Interactive Fund
The Canada Interactive Fund supports the creation of online, interactive Canadian cultural content and applications that are developed by official-language minority community, Aboriginal, ethnocultural, and other not-for-profit cultural organizations

Canada Periodical Fund
The Canada Periodical Fund provides funding to Canadian print magazines, non-daily newspapers and digital periodicals to enable them to overcome market disadvantages and continue to provide Canadian readers with the content they choose to read.

Official Languages: Development of Official-Language Communities Program
The Development of Official-Language Communities Program aims to foster the development of Canada's minority Anglophone and Francophone communities and enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.

Official Languages: Enhancement of Official Languages Program
The Enhancement of Official Languages Program is designed to foster among Canadians a greater understanding and appreciation of the benefits of linguistic duality.

Grand total: $10,599,462

*First time funding recipient under the program
**First time receiving PCH funding for the organization

SOURCE Canadian Heritage