B.C. finance minister calls arts funding cuts 'a mistake'

Tamsyn Burgmann , The Canadian Press Date: Wednesday Jan. 11, 2012 7:45 AM PT

The BC Liberals erred and are aiming to atone for the deep cuts they made to arts funding when the global downturn hit, the finance minister said Tuesday as he painted a picture of the province's economic outlook for the new year. Kevin Falcon said arts and cultural groups got the short end of the stick when the government tried to exert fiscal discipline three years ago. "In retrospect, it was a mistake at how aggressively we did that," he told a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon, noting he believes the sector is a "big economic driver." His speech outlined steps the government will take towards reaching a balanced budget in 2013-14. "I start from a position of looking favourably to the sector." Falcon's comments come a month ahead of the provincial budget and a day before Premier Christy Clark outlines the government's response to a review of how gaming grants are spent. It's believed the report will be released at the announcement. The minister said the government has already put $15 million back into the sector, although a group representing hundreds of organizations in the arts community said there's still no sense of a "full and lasting commitment" to its full restoration. However, Rob Gloor, executive director for the Alliance for Arts and Culture, said if Falcon is hinting at increased investment, that would be welcome news. "That may be an indication of some new perspective coming through the budget," he said. "I also recognize pre-budget a lot of things are speculation, and anyone's comments from government being non-specific are really a wait-and-see kind of message." Funding to B.C.'s Arts Council was slashed by more than half in 2008-2009, with the government later injecting a $7 million top-up in September 2010 as money from the 2010 Sports and Arts Legacy.