CMF announces Sector Development Support Program consultation
Funder seeks to understand needs and opportunities from coast to coast to coast.
Toronto, June 2, 2025 — The Canada Media Fund (CMF) today announced a national consultation to help guide our Sector Development Support program’s future, including identifying further needs of eligible communities in the screen industry and opportunities for program enhancement.
“Consultations have long been the CMF’s way to hear directly from partner organizations and creators across the country on what we are doing well and what may need a spark to initiate change,” said Joy Loewen, the CMF’s Vice President of Growth and Inclusion. “The insights gleaned from these consultations will be invaluable in enhancing the Sector Development Support program. We are excited to collaborate with our communities.”
The consultation, an action item in our three-year EDIA Strategy All In: Embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the audiovisual industry, will take place in three phases. It will begin with an online survey for past applicants to the program and participants in CMF-funded Sector Development initiatives. The survey link was sent today and we encourage recipients to answer and to circulate to their program participants.
Phase 2 will take place this summer. CMF staff will travel to select regions across Canada to engage with Indigenous, Equity-Deserving, and Regional communities in by-invitation working groups. The focus of the working groups will be to share themes from the online survey results and to seek perspectives on program improvements. Dedicated virtual sessions, held in both official languages, will also be offered in October.
Phase 3 will take shape in the coming fall and winter and will inform program enhancements for our Sector Development Support program’s next funding cycles. As outlined in the second and third goals of our All In EDIA strategy, we aim to offer a variety of approaches that lead to more engagement and collaboration with members of Equity-Deserving Communities.
Later this month, we will send invitations to the July working groups and announce the dates for the October virtual sessions. The online survey will close on June 30, 2025.
About the Sector Development Support program
Launched in 2020–2021, the CMF’s Sector Development Support program is a cornerstone of our three-year All In EDIA strategy. Informed by community feedback and ongoing collaboration, the program offers project-based funding to industry initiatives that demonstrate the potential to positively impact Canada’s audiovisual ecosystem and address industry gaps in distinct and identified areas. Sector Development Support funding is awarded on a selective basis and juried by a team of CMF staff and external advisors, including members of Indigenous, Equity-Deserving and/or Regional communities.
About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voices, and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite, and IPTV distributors. Visit our website for more information.
Media Contact
Maxime Ruel
Senior Manager, Communications
Canada Media Fund
[email protected]
