The federal government's decision to cancel two funds that support Canadian arts and culture is set to impact events like the Hot Docs Festival, according to The Toronto Star. The Harper government announced last week that it plans to cut the $4.7 million ProMart program and the $9 million Trade Routes program as of March 2009.
Chris McDonald, executive director of the Hot Docs Festival, told The Star the event will take a "double hit" because it uses both funds to bring foreign buyers here and to underwrite the cost of its annual Toronto Documentary Forum, which is the largest in North America. "We've created a business model that works. It stimulates economic activity and...encourages foreign investment. Our filmmakers rely heavily on exports, and it's this international revenue stream that allows them to keep telling Canadian stories," McDonald said.
