Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news for professionals in the performing arts, museums, theatre-operators, event-spaces, Canadian and Francophone trad media and social media publishers, and broadcasters. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in industries related to Arts & Culture? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Hospitality & Retail.

Dates: 2025-11-09 to 2025-11-15

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Parliamentary Calendar
• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Parliamentary Calendar

• Canadian Heritage Committee: Effects of Technological Advances in AI on Creative Industries: On November 17, the Canadian Heritage Committee will convene for a closed session to discuss the impacts of AI on creative industries. Drafting report instructions and committee business are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with webcast available.
• Official Languages Committee: Minority-Language Education Continuum: A session on the Minority-Language Education Continuum is set for November 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Witnesses include the Acadian Society of New Brunswick, Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique, and University of Moncton.
• Canadian Heritage Committee: Audit of the Indigenous Art Collection: On November 19, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the Canadian Heritage Committee will review the audit of the Indigenous Art Collection, with witnesses from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, including Deputy Minister Valerie Gideon.
• Senate Committee on Official Languages: Arts, Culture, and Heritage in Official Language Minority Communities: The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages will hold an in camera meeting November 17 at 5:00 p.m., examining federal institutions’ responsibilities in arts, culture, and heritage for official language minority communities.
• Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples: Upcoming Session: The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples will meet via videoconference on November 19 at 6:45 p.m., with an agenda to follow. Interpretation services will be provided.

Canadian Federal Government News

CRTC Announces New Broadband Fund Measures for Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Connectivity

Joanne Levy, Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, delivered an update at the Canada’s Rural and Remote Broadband Community conference regarding ongoing CRTC initiatives. The CRTC Broadband Fund, in operation since 2019, has distributed over $750 million to support Internet and cellphone services in more than 290 communities, with further expansion planned. The most recent funding round will support a 1,300-kilometre fibre link from Nunavik to Nunavut, connecting 4,200 households. Additional investments are rolling out in the Yukon, northern British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta. In December 2024, the CRTC announced process improvements for quicker access to funding and introduced enhanced Indigenous engagement and consent requirements. Ongoing review efforts are considering dedicated Indigenous streams and network reliability criteria. The CRTC also confirmed rules facilitating access to telephone poles for wireless small cell deployment to accelerate national 5G rollout. Recent regulatory changes require outage notifications and upcoming consultations are slated on service reliability and consumer compensation in case of disruptions. The Commission’s recent frameworks have enabled competitors to offer broadband and mobile services on major carriers’ networks, promoting broader market options.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Government of Canada Invests $2 Million in Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Expansion

On November 12, Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, announced a $2 million investment from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund to expand and renovate the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum. The project aims to provide additional space for collections, year-round programming, and enhanced accessibility features including elevators and washrooms. Construction is scheduled to conclude in 2027. The expansion will also increase capacity for exhibitions centered on Indigenous and Black histories and upgrade preservation standards for the museum’s holdings.

Sources: www.canada.ca

National Film Board Releases Animated Short 'Hairy Legs' Free Online

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) released Andrea Dorfman’s animated short 'Hairy Legs' for free streaming on November 10. The award-winning film, recognized at festivals in Montreal and Los Angeles, presents a coming-of-age narrative using stop-motion and hand-painted techniques. The short explores themes relating to gender, self-expression, and non-conformity, employing 2D puppets and real-world anecdotes. Dorfman's previous works include the Emmy-nominated 'Flawed' and feature doc 'The Girls of Meru.'

Sources: www.canada.ca

NFB Documentary 'Night Watches Us' Streams December 2; Montreal Screenings Scheduled

Stefan Verna’s documentary 'Night Watches Us' is set to be available free on NFB platforms from December 2. The film investigates the community fallout from the death of Nicholas Gibbs, focusing on dynamics of policing and mental health. Montreal screenings at the Alanis Obomsawin Theatre are scheduled on November 14 and December 4, with panel discussions including Alain Babineau (Red Coalition), Emilie Nicolas (human rights advocate), Ted Rutland (Concordia University), and director Verna. The film combines documentary storytelling with spoken word and street art elements.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Tourism Ministers Meet in Winnipeg to Discuss Sector Growth and Resilience

Federal, provincial, and territorial tourism ministers convened in Winnipeg for the Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers (CCTM) meeting on November 13 and 14. With tourism directly supporting over 702,000 jobs and contributing $50.8 billion to GDP, participants considered strategies on emergency management, digital marketing adaptation, and investment trends. Topics ranged from infrastructure, rural access, and visitor experience innovation to preparations for the FIFA World Cup 26™, which will bring one million visitors to Toronto and Vancouver. Mandates for CCTM working groups were renewed for 2026 with priorities including competitiveness and emergency management.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Upcoming Federal Announcement: Bilingual Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship in Southern Ontario

An upcoming announcement by MP Mark Gerretsen, on behalf of Minister Evan Solomon, will outline new measures to attract bilingual talent and support entrepreneurship in southern Ontario. The event is scheduled for November 17 at ACFOMI in Kingston, with broad implications for workforce development and economic diversification in the region.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Statistics Canada Data: Newspaper Publishers See Steep Revenue Decline in 2024

Operating revenue for Canadian newspaper publishers dropped by 17.9% in 2024 to $1.6 billion, continuing a downtrend that accelerated from a 7.3% decrease in the previous period. The data, published by Statistics Canada on November 10, reflects changes in the media sector’s financial landscape and may inform future industry planning.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Statistics Canada Releases Microdata on Official Language Minority Population

Statistics Canada released new microdata and reference products from the 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population on November 14. The release provides granular insights into demographic and language trends affecting minority-language groups, with data accessible to stakeholders and researchers.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Canadian Provincial Government News

Ontario Funds Irish-Canadian Arts Venue 'The Corleck' in Toronto

The Ontario government is allocating $2.2 million from the Fall Economic Statement to support The Corleck, a new Irish-Canadian arts venue on Toronto’s waterfront. The venue, set to open spring 2026, features performance, gallery, and museum spaces.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Quebec Announces 2025 Cultural and Scientific Prize Recipients

Eighteen individuals were awarded the 2025 Quebec Prizes, the province’s highest distinctions for contributions in cinema, literature, performing arts, journalism, heritage, and scientific innovation.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

Alberta Heritage Sites Report Record Summer Attendance, $51 Million Invested

Alberta’s museums and historic sites welcomed 603,000 visitors from May to August 2025, marking a record high. The provincial government has invested $51 million to expand offerings and support growing interest.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Can CBC/Radio-Canada avoid a BBC-like scandal of its own?: Explores risks for the public broadcaster in light of international developments.
• With the rise of AI ‘slop,’ Canada’s creative sector sets sights on licensing regime: Details sector initiatives around licensing frameworks as AI-generated works proliferate.
• Hollywood North-East: Pickering’s rise as a film and television hub: Outlines Pickering's strategic position in Canada’s entertainment landscape.
• Canada seeks star academics, but higher-ed funding worries persist: Examines recruitment trends and ongoing funding challenges for Canadian universities.
• Fort McMurray arts incubator creates space for local artists: Reports on investments in local arts infrastructure in northern Alberta.
• Canadian doc Mbira Talks connects musical worlds: Highlights the cultural exchange captured in a new Canadian documentary.
• Steven Galloway’s cancellation and lingering effects on CanLit: Reflects on a decade of repercussions in Canadian literary circles.

.