As part of the the 2023 Pre-Budget consultations, CARFAC Ontario recommended that the Government of Ontario in its 2023 budget:
Sustain the 2022 level of investment in the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) at $65 million
Founded in 1963 by Progressive Conservative Premier John Robarts, the Ontario Arts Council’s work touches all almost all of Ontario’s cultural economy which, in 2019, contributed $28.7 billion to the provincial GDP. This includes $5.5 billion GDP contribution from arts education, performing arts, festivals, original visual art, craft, books, and sound recordings—sectors that are heavily supported by the OAC. In 2021-22, OAC made investments in all 124 Ontario ridings through 2,665 grants to individual artists, and 1,050 grants to organizations.
The arts sector is grateful for the additional investment of $5m to OAC’s general grant in 2022, which, per OAC’s projections has the potential to generate an additional $79m in revenues, along with 4800 new jobs. As such, we highlight that sustaining this funding can result in significantly more economic growth. In addition to its direct GDP contribution, the arts and culture sector plays a central role in driving tourism and enhancing local business, as well as creating jobs, with over 300,000 Ontarians currently employed in the sector.
Ontario cannot afford to fall behind. Previous governments have not pursued the economic impact directly associated with investment at the OAC, with the Council’s general grant from the province remaining at or around $60m since 2009; and these annual investments have not reflected population growth or inflation. While Ontario is home to approximately 42% of Canada’s artists (almost twice as much as any other province), between 2016 and 2022 British Columbia and Quebec have more than doubled their investments in their provincial arts councils. During this challenging time, sustaining a $65m general grant for the OAC represents an effective strategy to stabilize, and protect, the arts and culture sector’s economic impact.
The full submission can be read and downloaded here.
For more information please contact: Jason Samilski, Managing Director, CARFAC Ontario | jason@carfacontario.ca
CARFAC Ontario is a member of Provincial Arts Service Organizations/Organisations Provinciale de Services aux Arts de l’Ontario (PASO-OPSA), a coalition of Ontario Arts Service Organizations that, collectively, acts as a conduit to over 272,000 creative workers, and artists across the province, as well as to thousands of organizations, large and small, that create and support artistic expression in Ontario.
The coalition has collectively identified key priorities for Ontario’s arts sector around which it is aligned, and will champion, as we move though the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, PASO-OPSA recommends that the Government of Ontario:
1. Commit to Truth and Reconciliation in arts and culture.
The Government of Ontario should establish a permanent $10 million annual fund for Indigenous artists, cultural leaders, organizations, groups and collectives that is designed and managed by Indigenous artists.
2. Increase investment in the Ontario Arts Council (OAC).
Funding for the OAC has fallen dangerously behind the growth of the sector. When inflation and population growth are taken into account, to simply keep in line with 1991 investment levels, the OAC requires a permanent base budget of $110 million in 2022. In 2021, the OAC’s base budget was $60 million.
3. Embrace the role of the arts in a range of areas of provincial jurisdiction, and facilitate connections between ministries to accomplish this.
The Government of Ontario should leverage the powerful creative and innovation assets of Ontario’s arts community by acknowledging its contributions to, and ability to advance, fields such as health, mental health, education, entrepreneurship, and to engage with other sectors to address crises such as systemic racism, and others.
4. Ensure that anti-racism, and principles of fairness and justice, are embedded in all provincial programs and services.
This includes: recognizing that artists who identify as members of equity-seeking groups, as well as grassroots arts initiatives, have disproportionately faced systemic barriers to accessing support, and require low-barrier and accessible funding; working in partnership with arts organizations to hear and learn from smaller grassroots arts and cultural initiatives with the intention of informing the development of province’s arts and cultural priorities and policies. The next Government of Ontario can ensure the Ontario Human Rights Code is being upheld by evaluating the systemic barriers and exclusions that exist in, and may be perpetuated by, its investments and programs.
5. Foster the advancement of young people to participate, and provide vision and leadership in the arts.
This includes: mentorship opportunities for new-generation artists and cultural leaders, intergenerational connections between established and emerging arts leaders; supporting connections between grassroots groups and major institutions that encourage learning and transformation for all participants.
6. Work towards reducing Ontario’s carbon emissions and environmental impact.
The Government of Ontario should acknowledge that reducing emissions requires not only policy and legislation, but large-scale cultural and paradigm shifts by investing in cross-sectoral collaborations between the arts sector and Indigenous communities, climate researchers, social and behavioural scientists, industry leaders, organizations advancing awareness of environmental issues, and others. This also includes supporting the arts and culture sector to research, design, and implement sustainable and energy efficient venues and buildings; and develop strategies for sustainable touring and large-scale production.
7. Recognize the need for, and current lack of, appropriate physical and digital infrastructure.
This includes: establishing a permanent funding program to support renovations, capital projects, and new builds for arts and culture organizations. This program should also provide grants for organizations and smaller groups to support short term access to space, support the capacity of organizations to digitize collections and present digitally, and support upskilling and training. The government must also address the lack of broadband internet access which disproportionately impacts Northern Ontario communities.
8. Increase investment in arts education in Ontario’s publicly-funded schools.
The Government of Ontario should engage arts sector stakeholders to maintain, design, and update curricula that is contemporary and relevant to Ontario’s diverse population, and ensure sufficient physical and human resources are in place to deliver them. It should also investigate the current disparities in publicly-funded specialized arts schools, and ensure equitable access for racialized students and students from low-income households.
9. Amplify the majority of Ontarians’ voices by working toward a Federal Basic Income Guarantee.
This includes: advocating and working with the Federal Government on the development and implementation of a Basic Income Guarantee; shifting existing provincial income support systems toward Basic Income principles that require less conditionality and provide recipients with more autonomy; implement an Ontario Basic Income demonstration program targeting low-income artists, gig-workers, and other precariously employed Ontarians for inclusion.
We are available to provide additional details on each of this recommendations, and we encourage the Government of Ontario to work in concert with PASO/OPSA members to envision the path forward for Ontario’s vibrant arts community.
For more information, please contact:
Jason Samilski, Managing Director, CARFAC Ontario | jason@carfacontario.ca
PASO/OPSA Coalition Members
Alliance culturelle de l‘Ontario
Artist-Run Centres & Collectives of Ontario (ARCCO)
ArtsBuild Ontario
Association des auteures et auteurs de l’Ontario français
Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM)
Association for Opera in Canada
Bureau des regroupements des artistes visuels de l’Ontario (BRAVO)
Canadian Alliance of Artists – East Chapter
Canadian Artists’ Representation / Le front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC Ontario)
Canadian Music Centre
Choirs Ontario
Craft Ontario
Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO)
Dance Ontario
Dance Umbrella of Ontario
Directors Guild of Canada (Ontario)
Folk Music Ontario
FUSION – The Ontario Clay and Glass Association
Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries (GOG)
Ontario Culture Days
Ontario Presents
The Association for Opera in Canada (Opera.ca)
Orchestras Canada/Orchestres Canada
Réseau Ontario
Théâtre Action
Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA)
WorkInCulture
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CARFAC Ontario est membre de Provincial Arts Service Organizations of Ontario/Organisations Provinciale de Services aux Arts de l’Ontario (PASO/OPSA), une coalition d’organismes de services aux arts de l’Ontario qui, collectivement, agit comme intermédiaire pour plus de plus de 272 000 travailleurs créatifs et artistes à travers la province, ainsi que des milliers d’organismes, petits et grands, qui créent et soutiennent l’expression artistique en Ontario.
La coalition a collectivement identifié des priorités clés pour le secteur des arts de l’Ontario, autour desquelles elle s’aligne et qu’elle soutiendra activement au fur et à mesure que nous progressons dans la pandémie de la COVID-19. Ainsi, la PASO-OPSA recommande au gouvernement de l’Ontario de:
1. S’engager en faveur de la vérité et réconciliation dans les arts et la culture.
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario devrait créer un fonds annuel permanent de 10 millions de dollars pour les artistes, les leaders culturels, les organisations, les groupes et les collectifs Autochtones, conçu et géré par des artistes Autochtones.
2. Augmenter l’investissement dans le Conseil des arts de l’Ontario (CAO).
Le financement du CAO a dangereusement pris du retard par rapport à la croissance du secteur. Si l’on tient compte de l’inflation et de la croissance de la population, pour simplement demeurer au niveau d’investissement de 1991, le CAO nécessite un budget de base permanent de 110 millions de dollars en 2022. En 2021, le budget de base de la CAO était de 60 millions de dollars.
3. Reconnaître le rôle des arts dans de nombreux domaines de compétence provinciale et faciliter les échanges inter-ministériels à cette fin.
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario devrait mettre à profit les atouts considérables de la communauté artistique de l’Ontario en matière de création et d’innovation en reconnaissant sa capacité et ses contributions à l’avancement des domaines tels que la santé, la santé mentale, l’éducation et l’entrepreneuriat, et faire appel à la collaboration entre secteurs pour résoudre des problématiques telles que le racisme systémique, entre autres.
4. S’assurer que l’antiracisme et les principes d’équité et de justice sont intégrés dans tous les programmes et services provinciaux.
Cela comprend : la reconnaissance du fait que les artistes qui s’identifient comme membres de groupes marginalisés, ainsi que les programmes artistiques communautaires, ont été confrontés de façon disproportionnée à des obstacles systémiques à l’accès au soutien, et nécessitent un financement plus accessible et à faible barrière. Le gouvernement doit travailler en partenariat avec des organismes artistiques afin d’apprendre des plus petites organisations communautaires et culturelles dans le but d’informer le développement des priorités et des politiques artistiques et culturelles de la province. Le prochain gouvernement de l’Ontario peut s’assurer que le Code des droits de la personne de l’Ontario est respecté en évaluant les obstacles et les exclusions systémiques qui existent dans ses investissements et ses programmes et qui peuvent être perpétués par ceux-ci.
5. Favoriser l’avancement des jeunes afin qu’ils puissent contribuer et offrir un nouveau point de vue et du leadership dans les arts.
Cela comprend : des possibilités de mentorat pour les artistes et les leaders culturels de la nouvelle génération, des contacts intergénérationnels entre les leaders artistiques établis et émergents, le soutien des échanges entre les groupes communautaires et les grandes institutions qui encouragent l’apprentissage et la valorisation de tous les participants.
6. Travailler à la réduction des émissions de carbone et de l’impact environnemental de l’Ontario.
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario devrait reconnaître que la réduction des émissions nécessite non seulement des politiques et des lois, mais aussi des changements culturels et paradigmatiques à grande échelle, en investissant dans des collaborations entre le secteur des arts et les communautés Autochtones, les chercheurs en matière de changements climatiques, les sociologues et les spécialistes du comportement, les chefs de file de l’industrie, les organismes de sensibilisation aux enjeux environnementaux, etc. Il est également important de soutenir le secteur des arts et de la culture dans la recherche, la conception et la mise en œuvre de lieux et de bâtiments durables et écoénergétiques, et d’élaborer des stratégies de tournée et de production à grande échelle durables.
7. Reconnaître la nécessité et l’absence actuelle d’une infrastructure physique et numérique adéquate.
Cela comprend : l’établissement d’un programme de financement permanent pour soutenir les rénovations, les projets d’immobilisations et les nouvelles constructions des organismes artistiques et culturels. Ce programme devrait également recevoir des subventions pour les plus petits organismes afin de faciliter l’accès à court terme à des bureaux, de soutenir la capacité des organismes à numériser leurs collections et à les présenter sous forme numérique, et de soutenir la formation et le développement professionnel. Le gouvernement doit également s’attaquer au manque d’accès à l’Internet à haute vitesse qui a un impact disproportionné sur les communautés du Nord de l’Ontario.
8. Investir davantage dans l’éducation artistique dans les écoles financées par les fonds publics de l’Ontario.
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario devrait faire appel aux intervenants du secteur des arts pour maintenir, concevoir et mettre à jour des programmes d’études contemporains qui tiennent compte de la population très diversifiée de l’Ontario, et s’assurer que des ressources physiques et humaines suffisantes sont en place pour les offrir. Il devrait également enquêter sur les disparités qui existent actuellement dans les écoles d’arts spécialisées financées par les fonds publics, et veiller à ce que les élèves appartenant à des groupes marginalisés et aux ménages à faible revenu y aient un accès équitable.
9. Supporter la majorité des Ontariens en travaillant à la mise en place d’un revenu de base garanti fédéral.
Cela comprend : plaider et travailler avec le gouvernement fédéral sur le développement et la mise en œuvre d’une garantie de revenu de base ; faire évoluer les systèmes provinciaux de soutien au revenu existants vers les principes du revenu de base nécessitant moins de conditions et offrant plus d’autonomie aux bénéficiaires ; mettre en œuvre un projet pilote du revenu de base en Ontario ciblant les artistes à faible revenu, les travailleurs autonomes et d’autres Ontariens à l’emploi précaire pour les inclure.
Nous sommes disponibles pour vous fournir plus de détails sur chacune de ces recommandations, et nous encourageons le gouvernement de l’Ontario à travailler de concert avec les membres de la PASO/OPSA pour envisager la voie à suivre pour la communauté artistique dynamique de l’Ontario.
Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter: jason@carfacontario.ca
Membres de la coalition PASO/OPSA
Alliance culturelle de l’Ontario Centres et collectifs d’artistes autogérés de l’Ontario (ARCCO) ArtsBuild Ontario Association des auteures et auteurs de l’Ontario français Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM) Association pour l’opéra au Canada Bureau des regroupements des artistes visuels de l’Ontario (BRAVO) Alliance canadienne des artistes – Chapitre de l’Est Canadian Artists’ Representation / Le front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC Ontario) Centre de musique canadienne Choirs Ontario Craft Ontario Pluralisme culturel dans le mouvement artistique Ontario (CPAMO) Dance Ontario Dance Umbrella of Ontario (en anglais seulement) Guilde canadienne des réalisateurs (Ontario) Folk Music Ontario FUSION – L’Association ontarienne de l’argile et du verre Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries (GOG) Fête de la culture de l’Ontario Ontario Presents L’Association pour l’opéra au Canada (Opera.ca) Orchestras Canada/Orchestres Canada Réseau Ontario Théâtre Action Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) (en anglais seulement) WorkInCulture
In January 2022, CARFAC Ontario submitted to the Government of Ontario’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs a series of recommendations for arts and culture investments for the upcoming 2022 Budget:
1. Increase the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) base budget to $95 million annually.
2. Establish a permanent $10 million fund to support Indigenous artists, cultural leaders, organizations, groups and collectives.
3. Maximize the value of any additional arts investments (through strategizing delivery, increasing consultation, as well as allocating commitments made in Budget 2021)
4. Amplify the majority of Ontarians’ voices by working toward a Federal Basic Income Guarantee.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has profoundly impacted the arts sector, and CARFAC appreciates the Federal Government’s commitment to help artists through this challenging time. The Canada Recovery Benefit expired on October 23rd. Last week, we urged the Government of Canada to extend the CRB benefit, to ensure that Canadian artists will not be left behind.
Unfortunately, the government confirmed that the CRB will expire and it will be replaced by the new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, which is limited to regions under government-imposed lockdowns. This solution does not take into consideration the working realities of most artists, and the closures that may not necessarily be government-imposed.
We encourage visual artists to complete this very short survey to help us better understand what cancelling the CRB means for our community.
We also urge the Federal Government to find a long-term social safety net for our sector. We fully support the implementation of a Guaranteed Basic Income program, and we also believe that CERB and CRB have set a useful precedent for Employment Insurance reform. CARFAC submitted a brief on EI reform, and we look forward to further consultations about how to modernize EI in ways that make the program relevant to the realities of artists.
A social safety net for self-employed artists and gig workers
A modernized EI program that takes into account these unique labour circumstances is critical not only for the wellbeing of Canada’s artists, but for the sustainability and growth of the sector overall. It must be understood that not all artists may need this kind of support, and it is designed to help people when and if they need it. For some, that need may be seasonal or when they have a bad sales year, for example. Without it, we are at great risk of losing artists to other sectors, and without individual artists our most celebrated cultural institutions, festivals, and organizations would cease to exist. As such, a new EI program should:
Insure income, not employment
Be accessible to freelance and gig workers, and workers with mixed-employment
Be available to those demonstrating a modest level of prior income (i.e. $5,000 in the previous year), and be available without prior individual contribution to the program
Act as an effective safety net by providing unemployed, underemployed, and precariously employed workers with income support of $2,000/month. Payment amounts should not increase nor decrease based on the level of the EI recipient’s prior income; this practice perpetuates multiple inequalities experienced by the most vulnerable
Include a tax deduction of 10% at source, to avoid confusion about whether or not it is taxable income, and with the understanding that individuals may be required to pay more (or less), depending on their personal situation
Encourage recipients to develop and earn employment or self-employment income by allowing for reasonable monthly earnings (i.e $1000) before reducing EI payments.
Modernizing the Employment Insurance program is an essential step in acknowledging and addressing the income precarity disproportionately experienced by artists and cultural workers. Most self-employed and contract-based workers in the arts sector cannot afford to pay into the current EI model.As workers in other sectors return to their jobs, the income potential of artists and gig workers remain highly unstable, particularly as the arts and tourism sectors are expected to take the longest to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. It is estimated that full recovery may not happen until 2028, if ever. Without a modernized support program that acknowledges the realities of labour in the arts and culture sector, many will be pushed to social assistance, and further into poverty, which decreases their chances for positive economic, social, and health outcomes, and is ultimately more expensive in the long-term (i.e., increased public health care costs associated with poverty).
A modernized program that ensures income, and not employment will also address equity, access, diversity, and inclusion in the arts sector, specifically for Canadians who are low-income, and those emerging from intergenerational poverty.
The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
The Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
The Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Re: Canadian artists urgently need a social safety net
Dear Ministers,
As we are still experiencing a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian artists urge the Federal Government to extend emergency income support for self-employed and gig workers, with a view to finding a long-term social safety net for our sector.
We applaud the Government’s leadership in working with us to best support self-employed workers with the introduction of Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Canada Recovery Benefit during this very difficult time. This support has been a lifeline for many cultural workers, and we appreciate the Government’s commitment to help artists and the cultural industries recover, because as you know: we were among the first to close and we will be among the last to recover. Beyond recovery, we welcome the opportunity to consult with you about much needed reform to Employment Insurance programs, which are often out of reach for self-employed artists when they need it most.
The Liberal Party’s platform includes commitments to implement a transitional support program for out-of-work self-employed artists, and to hold a summit within 100 days to discuss restarting our industry. Meanwhile, 750,000 Canadians are still receiving much needed support from the Canada Recovery Benefit, which is set to expire in just a few days, without that transition plan in place.
Some of them are our members, and we know they cannot wait 100 days to begin discussions about recovery without that support, and so we urge you to extend the CRB until an alternative option is in place.
We hope we can count on the Government of Canada to make this adjustment and ensure that Canadian artists will not be left behind.
Signed,
Paddy Lamb, National President of CARFAC (Canadian Artists’ Representation)
Eleanor Noble, ACTRA National President
David Farsi, Président du Regroupement des artistes en arts visuels du Québec (RAAV)
Rhea Tregebov, Chair of the Writers Union of Canada
Sasha Sobrino, General Manager, Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
Cc: Rebecca Caldwell, Director of Policy, Canadian Heritage
Irene Cheung, Senior Policy Advisor, Canadian Heritage
Simon Brault, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts
Election day is September 20th, and the next Canadian Government must commit to ensuring that Canada’s artists, and all Canadians who are impacted by precarious work, are able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and be positioned to flourish in the future.
Members of all parties use language such as “build back better”; now, we must ensure that this language translates into action. There are many issues impacting visual artists, and the larger arts and culture sector, and many policy and economic changes that must be put in place.
We urge artists to familiarize themselves with the parties’ positions on arts and culture.The Canadian Arts Coalition has prepared a summary of arts and culture commitments from the leading federal political parties, and has invited members of the leading parties to respond to a set of questions through video statements. Please click here to learn more, and watch the video responses.
Debate on Culture 2021 | September 13th, 12 – 1:30 p.m.
The Coalition for Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) and the Department of Communication of the Universite de Montreal will present a debate on cultural issues featuring members of the leading federal parties:
Steven Guilbeault (Liberal Party)
Steve Shanahan (Conservative Party)
Martin Champoux (Bloc Québécois)
Alexandre Boulerice (NDP)
Mathieu Goyette (Green Party)
The debate will be broadcast live on CPAC’s website. Please note that the debate will be conducted in French, and an English translation will be available.
Primarily self-employed, visual, media, and craft-based artists derive income through various revenue streams. It is extremely rare for a single source of revenue to provide enough income to live on. It is a common practice for artists to occupy several roles, including but not limited to: creation, sales, instruction, mentorship, consultancy, speaking, curation, writing, and working for art institutions and organizations. This leads to a mixture of royalties and fees paid, sales, and wages from additional part-time jobs, such as teaching in universities or working for galleries. Many artists and cultural workers supplement their arts incomes with labour in other sectors, which often involves low-paid and/or precarious gig-work.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
VOTE
Information on how to vote in 2021 can be found here.
USE SOCIAL MEDIA
Elevate issues important to you, your practice, and your community. Connect with the Federal party leaders:
Use the hashtags:#ArtsVote #votezarts #Elxn44 #cdnpoli
ASK QUESTIONS.
Questions you can ask your local candidates (candidates for each riding can be found using this search tool):
To survive the economic impact of the pandemic, Canadian artists require an extension of the Canada Recovery Benefit. Do you support an extension of this program?
How will you address gaps in the Employment Insurance program to ensure self-employed and gig-workers, and low-income Canadians, are supported?
All Canadians will benefit from a Basic Income Guarantee. Will your party commit to studying effective ways to design and implement such a program?
Is your party committed to increasing equity and inclusion in the arts sector? If so, how?
Primarily self-employed, visual, media, and craft-based artists derive income through various revenue streams. It is extremely rare for a single source of revenue to provide enough income to live on. It is a common practice for artists to occupy several roles, including but not limited to: creation, sales, instruction, mentorship, consultancy, speaking, curation, writing, and working for art institutions and organizations. This leads to a mixture of royalties and fees paid, sales, and wages from additional part-time jobs, such as teaching in universities or working for galleries. Many artists and cultural workers supplement their arts incomes with labour in other sectors, which often involves low-paid and/or precarious gig-work.
– According to 2016 Census data, there are 726,600 cultural workers, representing 4% of the overall labour force. This includes over 158,000 artists living and working in Canada, representing more workers than in automotive manufacturing and utilities;
– The median income of Canadian visual artists is $20,000, which is 54% lower than the median income of all workers. 66% of Canadian visual artists are self-employed, compared to only 12% of all Canadian workers;
– Of the 21,100 visual artists in Canada,16% of visual artists are Indigenous, Black, or racialized. Indigenous, Black, and racialized artists are underrepresented within Canadian cultural institutions both as presenting artists, and within executive management positions and boards. Meanwhile COVID-19 transmission has disproportionately impacted Black, racialized, and low-income communities;
– The 2016 Census revealed that Indigenous, Black, and other racialized artists earn significantly less income than their non-Indigenous/non-racialized counterparts. Indigenous, and Black and racialized artists earn a median income of 68 cents and 72 cents, respectively, for every $1 for non-Indigenous/Black/racialized artists.
We know that Indigenous Nations and communities are grieving. Although genuine action is required to truly reconcile our past, Canada as a nation continually fails to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and to the Calls to Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
These losses are a reminder of the atrocities that Indigenous Peoples have experienced, and the intergenerational trauma that continues today. As an organization that counts Indigenous artists among our board, staff, members, partners, and collaborators, we call on the federal government to carry out the Calls to Action without further delay.
CARFAC aims to serve all visual artists from coast to coast to coast, and our work involves advocating for the rights of artists at all levels of government. We are committed to advocating for policy that strongly positions the rights and freedoms of Indigenous Peoples, and for public funding programs that are intended to improve representation and autonomy for Indigenous artists. In turn, we call on all artists and cultural leaders to confront our terrible history, to read and respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the Calls to Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Contact your MP and encourage them to support the Calls.
Those of us who are settlers in this country cannot know the pain that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples have dealt with, but we promise to support your voices, and stand beside you.
Support resources for residential school survivors and their families:
First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness, 24/7 Help Line: 1 (855) 242-3310 Phone and chat counselling is available in English and French. On request, phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway, or Inuktitut.
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society: Toll free line: 1 (800) 721-0066 24-hour crisis line for residential school survivors: 1 (866) 925-4419
Alberta: 1 (888) 495-6588
British Columbia: 1 (877) 477-0775
Territories: 1 (800) 464-8106
Manitoba: 1 (866) 818-3505
Saskatchewan: 1 (866) 250-1529
Ontario: 1 (888) 301-6426
Quebec: 1 (877) 583-2965
Atlantic Provinces: 1 (866) 414-8111
Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645. Available 24/7 in English and French.
CARFAC Ontario News 