August 18, 2018
Festivals and major events Canada (FAME) submitted a brief as part of the pre-budget consultations in Ottawa. The proposal for a better business environment for all festivals and major events rests on three pillars that will help Canada compete in a growing international market. We invite the Government of Canada to keep them safe, help them grow, and focus on their creation.
- Security: The terrorist threat that is felt around the world forces festivals and events to take necessary mitigation measures, which represents a significant and increasing cost that cannot be covered through sponsorship or otherwise.
- Growth and Competitiveness: The disappearance of tobacco sponsorship and previous Federal programs — as well as an absence of reliable sources of funding — has stunted the industry’s growth and affected its ability to compete with other jurisdictions around the world in attracting international tourists. FAME wants to ensure that our industry will be able to compete to attract tourists in a rapidly-growing international market.
- Culture: As the number of events in Canada has increased, the budgets of programs that benefit the industry at the Department of Canadian Heritage have not increased in almost 10 years. This means that these programs remain under high pressure and cannot keep up with the demand.
As the only pan-Canadian organization exclusively comprised of festivals and events in the country, FAME acts as the spokesperson for the industry. Therefore, the scope of our thinking extends to the entirety of Canadian festivals and events, of all sizes and all places. Small and large events are equally concerned by growth, security, and the recognition of their contribution to Canada’s cultural vitality.
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