Chapter 4 · 4.1 Bringing Canadians together by celebrating our stories and places
Supporting Canadian stories, journalism, and media
$1.09B net impact on the budgetary balance over five years, 2026-27 to 2030-31.
The cost line
| Line | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 | 2029-30 | 2030-31 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting Canadian stories, journalism, and media | 750 | 181 | 45 | 55 | 55 | 1,086 |
… no change to existing funding or no fiscal implication · – a further extension will be considered later · 0* less than $0.5 million. Positive numbers cost the budget (spending or forgone revenue); negative numbers improve it.
What the budget says
“To bring more Canadian stories to readers: Budget 2026 proposes to provide $32.2 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $9.5 million in future years, to make it easier for Canadians to discover and borrow books by Canadian authors by establishing a free national digital collection.”
Budget 2026, p. 229 (PDF p. 245)
“Budget 2026 also proposes to provide $20 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $5 million ongoing to renew the Canada Book Fund so Canadian publishers can bring more Canadian-authored books to readers at home and abroad and give authors, illustrators, translators, and other creators more opportunities to build lasting careers.”
Budget 2026, p. 230 (PDF p. 246)
“Budget 2026 proposes to provide an additional $300 million over two years, starting in 2026-27, to CBC/Radio-Canada to strengthen its capacity to meet the evolving needs of Canadians across the country.”
Budget 2026, p. 230 (PDF p. 246)
“To strengthen local journalism and help people in rural, remote, and underserved communities access trusted news: Budget 2026 proposes to provide $134 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $41 million ongoing to Canadian Heritage for the Local Journalism Initiative, supporting independent, reliable, and diverse local news organisations across the country.”
Budget 2026, p. 230 (PDF p. 246)
Amounts named in the text
Stated amounts can cover different periods, cash or accrual bases, previously announced money and loans. They are not additive with the cost line above.
- $32.2 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $9.5 million in future years
- $20 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $5 million ongoing
- $600 million
- $300 million over two years, starting in 2026-27
- $134 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $41 million ongoing
Also in this section
- Celebrating Canada's 160th anniversary$225MProgram spending
- Revitalising recreational facilities and ice rinks$680MProgram spendingTradesPublic work
- Renewing the Canada Strong Pass, making national museums permanently free for children and youth, and supporting national museums and heritage institutions$511MProgram spendingHouseholds
- Extending the Canadian Journalism Labour Tax Credit$501MTax measure
- Promoting Francophone culture$387MProgram spending
- Preserving the legacy of those who have served Canada$27MProgram spending
- Supporting Canada's national parks and historic sites$278MProgram spendingInfrastructure & transportPublic work
- Investing in our oceans$1.19BProgram spending