Conservative Government Supports Alberta’s Arts

October 29, 2009

OTTAWA – The recently released 2008-2009 Annual Report by the Canada Council for the Arts reaffirmed that the Conservative Government is strongly supporting arts in Alberta.
The Canada Council for the Arts is an arm’s length branch of the Government of Canada. For the 2008-2009 fiscal year the Conservative government gave $182.2 million to the Council.  Of the Council’s funds, $10.9 million were invested in arts in Alberta.

In the Macleod constituency, the communities of Bragg Creek, Lundbreck, Okotoks, Priddis and Calgary all received grants from Council totalling $5.2 million.

“This government is committed to supporting arts in Alberta and the rest of Canada,” said Ted Menzies, Member of Parliament for Macleod. “Another example of this is the increased funding by $20 million over the next two years and $13 million per year thereafter to the National Arts Training Contribution Program outlined in the 2009 Budget.”

The Federal government’s cultural funding in Alberta was $196.6 million in the 2008-2009 year. This represents a 32 per cent increase from that amount being spent in the 2003-2004 fiscal year, when the Conservatives first formed the government.