The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is a funding program that fosters, supports, and advances the production of Canadian content and applications in Canada’s screen-based sector. Its goal is to help make Canadian content and technology more competitive in a global digital environment by fostering innovation and developing diversity in content.
The program has announced the eligibility criteria for its distribution of $88.8M in federal government support to television and interactive digital media production companies.
This support from the Canada Media Fund is part of a larger commitment of $500M from the Government of Canada to national cultural and sporting sectors in a bid to help artists, athletes, and their organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this funding is to support businesses in Canada’s television and interactive digital media sectors address financial needs to keep employees on payroll, continue operations, and support self-employed and freelance workers such as directors, writers, crew, cast, and other employees in the industry, so they are in a better position to recover once the pandemic subsides.
CMF COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds Overview
Eligible companies will still have access to the Canada Media Fund COVID-19 Allocation if they applied to receive or have received funds through other Government of Canada COVID-19 financial relief initiatives; however, they will not be allowed to use funding from multiple federal and provincial financial relief initiatives for the same expenses.
Eligible applicants may receive between $200K and $800K in a non-repayable contribution.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for COVID-19 relief funding via the Canada Media Fund, the eligibility criteria is as follows:
- Canadian-controlled parent corporation;
- Head office is in Canada and operates in Canada;
- Is not insolvent or bankrupt or in the course of the reorganization of its business;
- Operations are running at the time of application and the organization plans to continue contributing to its sector in the future;
- Has been negatively impacted by COVID-19, which has resulted in financial hardship and is therefore in need of Emergency Relief Funds to ensure a continuity of operations and to keep people employed;
- Demonstrates a projected financial impact of at least 25% of its activities;
- Funds will be used to support workers such as the self-employed and freelance workers, artists, and creators;
- Will maintain its Canadian-controlled status for at least 12-months following receipt of any funds in the CMF Allocation;
- Has not received funding from other government COVID-19 relief (ex. CEWS, CECRA) to cover the same costs as those applied for through the CMF Allocation. If the applicant consequently receives any funding related to a Government of Canada COVID-19 response initiative, it will not use that funding to cover the same costs as those applied for through the CMF Allocation;
- Has not applied for Emergency Relief Funds from either Telefilm Canada or Canada Council for the Arts; and
- Meets the following formula: The CMF contribution it has received from either the Convergent or Experimental Stream over the past three years – divided by two – is no less than $20,000.
Apply for Canada Media Fund COVID-19 Support
Applicants must submit the appropriate application form, duly completed and signed, together with all required documentation, including the Applicant attestation form, via Dialogue.
The deadline to apply for media funding through the Canada Media Fund is June 12, 2020.
If you’re interested in learning more about the federal and provincial responses to COVID-19, please register for an upcoming webinar where we’ll dive deeper into the support options.