Toronto Ranks Last in Canadian Arts Funding

I received a disturbing email from the Toronto Arts Council yesterday.  A new study published by Hill Strategies Research  has come out claiming that Toronto is dead last when it comes to municipal arts funding in Canada.  And not just by a little bit but by a LOT.  Even when compared to traditionally less culturally inclined locals, Calgary comes to mind, Toronto spends just $19 per capita investment.  Calgary meanwhile spends $48.  Montreal tops the list with an investment of over $55 per capita arts investment.  The next lowest city is Ottawa which still outspends Toronto at $28 per capita investment by city council.

You'd think that in a city where the arts bring in $9 billion in revenue for this city, according to the study,  City Hall could do a bit more to support the arts in this city.  Last May, City Council moved to increase arts funding on the basis of its revenue generating abilities up to a whopping $25 per capita investment.  But instead when the most recent budget was released funding to the arts has been cut by $2 million dollars.  That means $2 million dollars less of grant funding specifically allocated to local arts groups like the Toronto Arts Council.  According to TAC a reduction like that has far reaching implications.  Every dollar invested by the city leverages additional funding up to $17 from other funding sources.  The effect?  A loss of of over $25 million dollars of arts investment money to this city.  

If you are as outraged at this as we are, or to learn more please contact Susan Wright at the Toronto Arts Council by calling 416.392.6802 *211 or email susan@torontoartscouncil.org.