Library and GLAM Sector Submissions to 2023 Pre-Budget Consultations

January 30, 2023

In June 2022, the the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance invited Canadians to provide a written brief with their priorities and proposals as part of its Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2023 Federal Budget.

The Standing Committee published the briefs submitted by associations and organizations representing Canada’s GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) sector as well as other sectors in November 2022.

Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL)

Recommendation 1:
That the Federal Government provide funding in the amount of $30M total to foster increased production and use of OER, divided into three $10M funding initiatives through targeted federal agencies.

Recommendation 2:
That the Federal Government introduce legislation to ensure that Canada’s public and academic libraries and users have access on reasonable terms to e-content from multinational publishers.

(Full submission from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries)

Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA)

Summary of Recommendations

1. CFLA-FCAB recommends that the Government of Canada introduce legislation to ensure that Canada’s libraries and users have access on reasonable terms to e-content from multinational publishers.
2. CFLA-FCAB recommends that the government commit to $200 million over the next four years to help implement efficient and cost-effective green infrastructure in vital community hubs from coast to coast to coast. Investment in a targeted library upgrade investment fund supports the circular economy and Canada’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategies.
3. CFLA-FCAB recommends that the Government of Canada provide $25 million over three years starting on 2022-23 to LAC to support the digitization of millions of documents related to the federal Indian Day School System, which will ensure survivors and all Canadians have meaningful access to them.
4. CFLA-FCAB recommends increased support for Indigenous libraries and Indigenous library workers, including:
   a. Investments of funding to support scholarships, training and paid internships for Indigenous librarians and library technicians.
   b. Sustained multi-year fun ding for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and libraries for improved access to records, particularly related to residential schools and other aspects of Indigenous experiences

(Full submission from the Canadian Federation of Library Associations)

Canadian Museums Association

Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada establish a funding component within the Museum Assistance Program (MAP) to support repatriation of Indigenous Belongings

Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada establish a funding component within the MAP to support capacity-building for Indigenous cultural centres and Indigenous-led heritage organizations.

Recommendation 3: That funding for the recommended dedicated MAP components be incremental to current 2022 MAP allocations.

(Full submission from the Canadian Museums Association)

Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC)

Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada introduce legislation to ensure that Canada’s public libraries and users have access on reasonable terms to e-content from multinational publishers.

Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada recognize the role public libraries are playing in delivering on federal priorities in communities across Canada and provide funding to further support libraries performing these critical services.

(Full submission from the Canadian Urban Libraries Council)

Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) / National Network for Equitable Library Services (NNELS)

Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada ensure the Equitable Access to Reading Program is only made available to Canadian not-for-profit organizations and at least 75% of these funds should be supplied to those groups that can provide national accessible reading services in both official languages to people with print disabilities across Canada and who have proven capacity and expertise to deliver on these services.

Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada ensure the Equitable Access to Reading Program is founded upon the following key principles:

1. All content must be made accessible to a diverse community of people with print disabilities.
2. People with print disabilities face economic and social barriers that industry-based production and distribution will not be able to fully address.
3. Support for multiple formats, including braille, is essential for an equitable reading landscape.
4. Access to published works for people with print disabilities internationally through the Marrakesh Treaty should be facilitated by organizations that are independent from industry.
5. Accessibility expertise and equitable reading must be supported and made available independent of market forces.
6. Mainstream reading systems, tools, and devices can be complicated and expensive, and support for the provision of accessible services will continue to be essential.

Recommendation 3: That the Government of Canada ensure that funding to CELA and NNELS be maintained at current levels [$3 million annually for CELA and $1 million annually for NNELS] to ensure services for those with print disabilities can be provided during a transition to an Equitable Access to Reading Program.

(Full joint submission from the Centre for Equitable Library Access and the National Network for Equitable Library Services)

Ontario Galleries

1. Five-year Stabilisation funding for Art Galleries and Museums
That the government commits to the sector by investing in the Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts with a five-year fund for stabilisation to allow for a healthy working capital ratio for the art galleries and museums to advance job and economic growth and mitigate the labour crisis, inflation and address climate change challenges.

2. Endowment Incentives Program Expansion
That the government expand the existing Endowment Incentives of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund (CCIF) through Canadian Heritage to further support performing art recipients and to include visual art museums/galleries as eligible recipients; and increase the total annual budget of the CCIF by $40 million to accommodate this change.

3. Federal basic income guarantee for all Canadians
That the government implement a Federal basic Income guarantee, and reduce poverty and simplify the complex web of benefits and programs for all Canadians.

4. New National Museums Policy
That the government review and update the recommendations of the Standing Committee Report, Moving Forward-Towards a Stronger Canadian Museum Sector, and update the National Museum Policy to reflect the significant new realities of the visual arts sector, as well as to support the sector-wide implementation of UNDRIP and support for Indigenous self-determination in the heritage sector.

(Full submission from Ontario Galleries)

Ontario Museum Association

Recommendation 1: That through the 2022 Federal Budget, the government continues to prioritize an investment of resources toward the review of the national museum policy;

Recommendation 2: That the 2022 Federal Budget extends and increases funding support for museums to reopen;

Recommendation 3: That the 2022 Federal Budget increases funding to Canada’s museums towards $60 million annually;

Recommendation 4: That the government fund initiatives for digital transformation in museums;

Recommendation 5: That the government expand the Endowment Incentives of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund to include museums and heritage organizations; and

Recommendation 6: That the Federal Budget includes sufficient financial resources to recognize the tremendous benefits of museums to the economy and society.

(Full submission from the Ontario Museum Association)

Visual Arts Alliance

Operational Supports

1. Provide funding through Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts to help arts organizations employ and retain a larger workforce to address the current labour shortage in the cultural sector.

2. Provide funding to arts organizations that is directed toward increasing day-to-day operational costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and higher inflation rates.

3. Expand eligibility requirements so visual artists and arts organizations can apply to programs that support digital activities through the Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage.

4. Increase the amount given to the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) to account for infrastructure projects now deemed necessary because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal Basic Income Guarantee Implementation

5. Provide a Federal Basic Income Guarantee for all Canadians which will reduce poverty, stabilize incomes and simplify the complex web of benefits and programs available to Canadians. Statistics show artists generally earn 46% less than general labour.

Endowment Incentives Program Expansion

6. Expand the existing Endowment Incentives of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund (CCIF) through Canadian Heritage to further support performing art recipients and to include visual art museums/galleries as eligible recipients; and increase the total annual budget of the CCIF by $40 million.

Cultural Tourism Investments

7. Provide funding to Canadian arts organizations to help promote tourism through the ongoing COVID-19 recovery period.

New National Museums Strategy

8. Review and update the National Museum Policy to reflect the significant new realities the visual arts sector is facing, as well as to support the sector-wide implementation of UNDRIP and support for Indigenous self-determination in the heritage sector.

9. Renew the Exhibition Transportation Service (ETS) to help alleviate the increasing costs associated with travelling art exhibitions and generate increased visitation/tourism.

(Full submission from the Visual Arts Alliance)

In addition to briefs from the GLAM sector, a number of other organizations submitted briefs with recommendations of interest to the library and information community, including on the topics of book selling, broadband, copyright, digital infrastructure, literacy, online learning, and publishing.

ABC Life Literacy Canada / Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation / Frontier College

Recommendation 1:
That the Government of Canada invest $1M to design a National Literacy Strategy (2024-2026) to align the efforts of the provincial, territorial, federal and international bodies responsible for promoting the quality and effectiveness of education, training, and labour market performance. This new strategy will establish national standards for child, youth, and adult literacy and foundational skills proficiency. It will provide a framework for effective data sharing, coordinated remediation planning, and sharing of best practices and high-quality resources for learners, including those from Indigenous and Newcomer communities. It will also allow for coordinated national efforts for preventing of low literacy. With a National Literacy Strategy, the Government of Canada will reduce the siloed nature of learning across the life cycle in Canada, in order to ultimately reduce the rate of adults on the lower half of the literacy scale, which is currently 49% of working aged Canadians. Increasing literacy rates in the communities most vulnerable to low literacy (low income, racialized, Indigenous communities) will result in a more inclusive, flexible, prosperous economy and labour market in Canada.

(Full joint submission from ABC Life Literacy Canada, the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation, and Frontier College)

Access Copyright

Recommendation 1: That the government implement, without further delay, its Budget 2022 commitment “to ensuring that the Copyright Act protects all creators and copyright holders… [and] work to ensure a sustainable educational publishing industry, including fair remuneration for creators and copyright holders, as well as a modern and innovative marketplace that can efficiently serve copyright users.”

Recommendation 2: That the government amend the Copyright Act so that fair dealing for education only applies to educational institutions where a work is not commercially available under licence by the owner or a collective.

Recommendation 3: That the government amend the Copyright Act to clarify that tariffs approved by the Copyright Board of Canada are enforceable against infringers of copyright protected works subject to a tariff.

Recommendation 4: That the government amend the Copyright Act so that statutory damages are available to all collectives.

(Full submission from Access Copyright)

Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL)

1. Implement the commitment in the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s mandate letter to support Canadian book authors and publishers by permanently increasing funding to the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Public Lending Right Program.

2. Make amendments to the Copyright Act to ensure that it protects all creators and copyright owners. In line with the Budget 2022 commitment, ensure the sustainability of the publishing industry, including fair compensation for creators and copyright owners.

3. Apply the Investment Canada Act to book publishing and distribution, by assessing the “net benefit to Canada”. Support our Canadian book industry by first and foremost promoting Canadian-owned publishing houses.

(Full submission from the Association nationale des éditeurs de livres)

Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP)

1. Implement the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s mandate letter commitment to support Canadian authors and book publishers by increasing funding for the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Public Lending Right Program, on a permanent basis.

2. Implement market-based solutions that encourage fair remuneration of rights-holders for use of copyright protected work through reform of the Copyright Act. As committed in Budget 2022, ensure that the Act protects all creators and copyright holders and that the educational publishing industry is sustainable.

3. Enforce the Revised Foreign Investment Policy in Book Publishing and Distribution, with more meaningful assessment of “net benefit to Canada.” Keep our book industry Canadian and put Canadian-owned publishers first.

(Full submission from the Association of Canadian Publishers)

Broadcasting Accessibility Fund

The federal government provide funding for the Broadcasting Accessibility Fund in the amount of $2.5M to support the on-going work of the Fund focused on the elimination of barriers to broadcasting content accessibility for Canadians with disabilities.

(Full submission from the Broadcasting Accessibility Fund)

 Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)

Recommendation 1
Protect the mission of public post-secondary education by amending the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act to exclude public post-secondary education institutions.

Recommendation 2
Create a national post-secondary education transfer that is separate from the Canada Social Transfer to increase transparency and accountability of education funding and ensure a strong and viable public post-secondary education system.

Recommendation 3
Increase funding for basic science by $1 billion over 5 years for the granting councils, with $185 million per year ongoing. An additional $26 million investment is recommended to increase equity and diversity in research over the next five years.

Recommendation 4
Make post-secondary education more affordable and support students by permanently doubling the value of the Canada Student Grant, moving to a 50:50 funding model for grants and loans, and investing $185 million in 2023 and $55 million ongoing to increase the value and number of graduate scholarship and fellowship awards.

Recommendation 5
Exercise federal leadership to create a national framework for open education resources (OER) and a copyright law reform package to expand users’ rights and fair dealing in the interest of educators, students and all Canadians.

Recommendation 6
Provide funding of $20 million over 5 years, with $4.3 million per year ongoing for a Federal Secretariat on Post-Secondary Education, Research and Training. The Secretariat will build capacity within the government and engage stakeholders to provide policy analysis in support of an affordable, accessible, and high-quality post-secondary system.

(Full submission from the Canadian Association of University Teachers)

Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)

Recommendation 1: The government should dedicate $20 million annually to the development and operation of a ‘Canadian Internet Observatory’ – an independent, broadband policy think tank dedicated to developing mapping, routing and peering data to inform the planning of domestic internet infrastructure with a focus on maximizing resiliency and performance.

Recommendation 2: The government should allocate a portion of funding from the newly established ‘Canadian Internet Observatory’ to conduct independent, third-party audits of all publicly funded broadband projects to ensure they meet the universal service objective prescribed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and offer Canadians a high degree of resiliency.

Recommendation 3: The government should continue to fund the development of and promote uptake of programs like the CyberSecure Canada certification to train and certify Canada’s workforce with baseline cyber security skills.

Recommendation 4: The government should promote online trust in public institutions by mandating the use of .CA domains for all federal government websites and fund the transition of non-.CA government websites to .CA domains.

(Full submission from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority)

Canadian Private Copying Collective

Recommendation: That the government amend the Copyright Act to make the private copying regime technologically neutral, requiring large technology companies to finally pay their fair share to copyright holders. The focus of these amendments would be to allow the regime to apply to both audio recording media and devices.

(Full submission from the Canadian Private Copying Collective)

Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC)

Recommendation 1: That the government drive economic growth by prioritizing and investing in the government’s digital identity mandate.

Recommendation 2: That the government strengthen alignment with provinces and territories on digital identity initiatives.

Recommendation 3: That the government make strategic investments to combat misinformation and disinformation that is impeding the acceleration of Canada’s digital economy.

(Full submission from the Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada)

Dollywood Foundation of Canada

Recommendation
Provide FREE books to Canadian children under five years old.

We propose that the government fund and support book ownership for infants and all children under five years old to help offset the potential longterm consequences caused by decreased access to early childhood education support. Book ownership has been directly linked to early childhood literacy development and school readiness. Presently 25% of Canadian households do not own a single book.

(Full submission from the Dollywood Foundation of Canada)

Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Recommendation 1: Invest in future researchers by increasing the amount of funding support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to adjust for inflation, and index the value of these funds to the consumer price index

Recommendation 2: Enhance the impact and reach of Canadian research by investing in open access publishing

(Full submission from the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences)

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

Recommendation 1: That the government partner with municipalities to build resilient communities by rapidly scaling up local climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and building municipal capacity to assess and respond to climate risks.

Recommendation 2: That the government work with municipalities to promote a better quality of life for Canadians by addressing housing affordability, building the right kind of housing supply, and taking the critical steps needed to achieve our shared goal of ending chronic homelessness in Canada.

Recommendation 3: That the government partner with municipalities and work directly with FCM to design and deliver the next generation of infrastructure in Canada, with a focus on local delivery that meets the needs of Canadians directly in their communities, no matter the size or location.

Recommendation 4: That the government work with municipalities to ensure critical community services, by absorbing all retroactive costs associated with the latest RCMP bargaining agreement, and scaling up access to local safe supply programs, alongside other harm reduction and treatment strategies.

(Full submission from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities)

Imagine Canada

Recommendation 1 – Establish a minimum core funding threshold that invests in quality services and decent work

Recommendation 2 – Strategically engage the nonprofit sector through a home in government for charities and nonprofits

Recommendation 3 – Create a Non-Profit Sector Labour and Workforce Strategy

Recommendation 4 – Collect sector-wide data for improved decision making

(Full submission from Imagine Canada)

Literary Press Group of Canada

Recommendation 1: Increase the budget for Canada Book Fund by 50% to provide critical support for Canadian-published books and Canadian authors.

Recommendation 2: Urgently implement reforms to repair the Canadian copyright framework and ensure that Canadian creators and publishers are fairly compensated for the use of their copyright-protected work.

Recommendation 3: Ensure that the rules for foreign investment in publishing are effectively enforced and undertake a realistic and transparent assessment of net benefit to Canada and the Canadian-owned publishing sector for proposed investments.

Recommendation 4: Provide a postal subsidy for books or other new investments to address skyrocketing shipping costs that small and medium-sized publishers cannot bear, which put them at extreme disadvantage vis-à-vis large corporations, who have access to much lower rates.

(Full submission from the Literary Press Group of Canada)

Music Publishers Canada

Recommendation 1:
That by the end of 2022, the government brings into force changes in the Copyright Act to extend the term of copyright to life-plus-70 years, as outlined in the Budget Implementation Act 2022. And that the government follows up on its promise to protect creators and copyright holders by overhauling the private copying regime to become technologically neutral.

Recommendation 2:
That the government ensures cultural and trade funding programs continue to take into account activities that allow Canadian companies in the creative sector to grow and export, including Canadian Heritage’s Creative Export Strategy as well as supports offered by Global Affairs Canada (access to consular services in key markets and the Global Opportunities for Associations fund).

Recommendation 3:
That the government accelerates the commitment to a permanent increase to the Canada Music Fund (CMF) from $36 million to $50 million in 2024-25 by two years to 2022-23.

Recommendation 4:
That the government develops incentives targeted at increasing the profile and usage of Canadian songs and composers within audio-visual and interactive productions.

(Full submission from the Music Publishers Canada)

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR)

Recommendation #1: That the Federal Government provide $1 million to commemorate the 2023 Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Recommendation #2: That the Federal Government provide $500,000 to support the 2023 Imagine A Canada Through the Lens of Reconciliation (IAC) events.

Recommendation #3: That the Federal Government provide $2 million to support Call to Action #78 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

(Full submission from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)

Nonprofit Federal Data Working Group

Recommendation 1: We recommend that Statistics Canada be funded to create a nonprofit advisory committee with a mandate to improve data collection, analysis and release practices related to the sector. This committee must include meaningful representation of organizations from equity-seeking and rural, remote and Northern communities. Where appropriate, Statistics Canada should compensate representatives from the nonprofit sector for their work on this committee, particularly organizations from equity seeking communities that have been historically underrepresented in Statistics Canada consultations. The government should provide $1 million in 2023-24 and $650,000 in ongoing funding to support this work.

Recommendation 2: We recommend that the federal government provide Statistics Canada with a mandate to carry out a follow-up to the 2003 National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations, to be repeated every three years, and provide funding of $5 million for 2023-24 plus $1.5 million ongoing for this purpose. The survey should include grassroots (unincorporated) organizations.

Recommendation 3: We recommend that the federal government provide Statistics Canada with a clear mandate for data collection on the nonprofit sector. We further ask that Statistics Canada modify ongoing programs to better highlight the role of the nonprofit sector and that Statistics Canada undertake the following:

A. Conduct a systematic review, in partnership with the nonprofit advisory committee, to identify existing programs that should be modified to produce nonprofit-specific information.

B. Work with the provincial and territorial registrars to produce and maintain a comprehensive list of charities and nonprofits that can be incorporated into existing sample frames, where appropriate.

C. Make nonprofits more identifiable in existing programs via measures such as designing sampling strategies to support the production of nonprofit-specific results and adding questions to identify nonprofits and those involved with nonprofits.

D. Expand the application and improve the implementation of nonprofit-specific classifications such as the International Classification of Nonprofit Organizations across government departments and agencies.

E. Ensure that data presentations from above-modified programs include nonprofit-specific tabulations.

Recommendation 4: We recommend that the federal government provides $2 million in 2023-24 and $500,000 ongoing funding for the creation of a Nonprofit Sector Data Lab. The Lab would be a partnership between the federal government and the sector.

(Full submission from the Nonprofit Federal Data Working Group)

Playwrights Guild of Canada

Recommendation 1: That the government implement its Budget 2022 commitment “to ensuring that the Copyright Act protects all creators and copyright holders… [and] work to ensure a sustainable educational publishing industry, including fair remuneration for creators and copyright holders, as well as a modern and innovative marketplace that can efficiently serve copyright users.”

Recommendation 2: That the government amend the Copyright Act so that fair dealing for education only applies to educational institutions where a work is not commercially available under license by the owner or a collective.

Recommendation 3: That the government amend the Copyright Act to clarify that tariffs approved by the Copyright Board of Canada are enforceable against infringers of copyright protected works subject to a tariff.

Recommendation 4: That the government amend the Copyright Act so that statutory damages are available to all collectives.

(Full submission from the Playwrights Guild of Canada)

Professional Music Publishers’ Association

Recommendation 1: That the core funding for the Canada Music Fund be increased to $50M annually for its existing clients.

Recommendation 2: That amendments be made to the Copyright Act to increase revenues for the music industry, including making the private copying scheme technology-neutral.

Recommendation 3: That amendments be made to the Broadcasting Act to increase revenues for the music industry.

(Full submission from the Professional Music Publishers’ Association)

Research Impact Canada

Recommendation 1: That the government implement a pan-Canadian knowledge mobilization program to maximize the social and economic impacts of academic research to benefit Canadians and Canadian communities.

Recommendation 2: That the government provide funding in the amount of $15M/year x 5 years (total $75M) for the panCanadian knowledge mobilization program.

(Full submission from Research Impact Canada)

The Writers’ Union of Canada

Recommendation 1: That the government immediately amend the Copyright Act in order to repair the damage to the cultural economy from unregulated educational copying of published works.

Recommendation 2: That the government provide additional annual funding in the amount of $15 million for the Public Lending Right program, bringing the program’s budget to $30 million annually.

(Full submission from The Writers’ Union of Canada)

📸: “Committee Room, West Block” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Sean_Marshall