By Canadian Press

Ottawa adds funding to CBC, despite executives’ claims it was asked to cut its budget

Feb 29, 2024 | 9:35 AM

OTTAWA — Canada’s public broadcaster is getting an increase in funding, despite executives’ claims that they were asked to cut its budget for the next fiscal year. 

Documents from the Heritage Department show CBC will get a $1.4-billion budget in 2024-25, an increase from the $1.3 billion it spent in the previous fiscal year.

The broadcaster announced in December it would cut 800 jobs and $40 million from its production budget because of a $125-million projected shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

Executives insisted earlier this year that the cuts came in part because the government asked them to cut 3.3 per cent from their budget. 

The Treasury Board, which oversees spending in the federal budget, said there was no such directive — instead, departments, agencies and Crown corporations were asked to report on how such a cut could affect them. 

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The Treasury Board announced today that CBC is not on the list of departments whose funds are being reallocated as part of the government’s belt-tightening exercise. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 29, 2024. 

The Canadian Press