Creative Economy BC – MagsBC reviewed all three major party platforms for the 2017 BC Provincial Election. We have curated information that we found particularly interesting and placed it here for your review.
We also emailed all three parties with specific questions that we had regarding their policies, and how they planned to engage with BC’s creative economy.
The questions were:
- What are your party’s plans to support and grow the creative economy in British Columbia?
- What are your party’s plans to help new British Columbians participate in the creative economy?
- Can you provide specific examples of how your party will support the creative economy through infrastructure?
- Can you provide specific examples of how your party will ensure open and clear communication with BC’s creative economy stakeholders?
If you have questions about this document, please reach out to Jane Hope (jane@magsbc.com).
BC Liberals
“There is nowhere else on earth that can match the majesty of our natural wonders, the vibrancy of our cultures, and the discovery visitors can make in our urban and rural communities.”
Letter responding to our questions [pdf]
Prior Funding Initiatives:
- $24 million, a record-high funding level, for arts and culture groups through the BC Arts Council in 2017/18
- $2 million for BC Creative Spaces to improve community arts infrastructure and $1 million for BC Creative Communities
- Provided $60 million in funding for arts and cultural organizations as well as for individual artists in 2016-17
Policy Proposals:
- Invest $40 million to support our goal of 100% high-speed internet connectivity for all British Columbians before 2021.
- Provide an additional $5 million each year to the Community Gaming Grant program, bringing the annual total to $140 million to support not-for-profit organizations.
BC Liberal 2017 – Complete Platform
BC NDP
“BC artists don’t just make our communities more interesting, vibrant, and beautiful, they are huge contributors to our economy, with film and television having become major employers across all age groups, and particularly for younger British Columbians. Building on our province’s strengths, John Horgan and the BC NDP will work to make BC a global leader in arts, culture, film and TV.”
Letter responding to our questions
Policy Proposals:
- Provide incentives for film producers to use BC based writers, including in their development work, by expanding BC’s film labour tax credit to include BC writers.Creative Economy BC – NDP Response Letter 20170502
- Double the province’s investment in the BC Arts Council over four years.
- Increase investments in Creative BC to support BC musicians, publishers, authors, artists, digital media, indigenous storytellers, and the film and TV industries.
- Provide space for BC artists to create by investing in an arts infrastructure fund, mobilizing federal cultural infrastructure dollars that BC is currently missing out on
BC NDP 2017 – Complete Platform
BC Greens
The party is rolling on the platform in segments; there is no specific cultural policy currently announced.
Policy Proposals:
- Streamline government interaction with business sector to ensure that innovation is paramount