This year’s estimates include $1.38-billion in funding for the CBC, representing a marked decrease from the $1.58-billion allotted to the public broadcaster during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
I’m not sure it’s fair to call this a cut - they just didn’t repeat last year’s temporary funding boost, which was explicitly framed as being temporary. CBC’s funding is almost exactly what it was 2 years ago.
Edit to add numbers for the 90% of people who won’t read the article:
2026-27: $1,383,252,311
2025-26: $1,425,237,411 (later rose to $1,575,237,411)
2024-25: $1,383,237,411 (later rose to $1,425,237,411)
2023-24: $1,287,169,435 (no subsequent expenditures)
2022-23: $1,266,123,241 (later rose to $1,287,123,241)
2021-22: $1,229,423,241 (later rose to $1,250,423,241)
2020-21: $1,210,797,846 (later rose to $1,247,497,846)
I’m not sure it’s fair to call this a cut - they just didn’t repeat last year’s temporary funding boost, which was explicitly framed as being temporary. CBC’s funding is almost exactly what it was 2 years ago.
Edit to add numbers for the 90% of people who won’t read the article:
($191,985,100)
I would call a reduction of $191M in annual funding a cut.
Now adjust for inflation.
It was a one-off bonus. If you win the lottery one year and not the next, it would be absurd to complain that you’ve lost income. https://www.thewirereport.ca/2026/03/02/liberals-discontinue-temporary-funding-supports-for-cbc/
That’s how I’m seeing it as well. With all the talk of austerity, it would be bad optics to add another $150m to the CBC budget instead.
Well it’s probably worse optics to break a clear campaign promise to increase the CBC’s funding, wouldn’t you agree?
Only if you think the voters are going to remember this into the next election cycle.