Government Hosting Culture Talks Across the Province
Ontario is seeking input from across the province to develop its first culture strategy, which will set out a vision for arts and culture in Ontario to build healthier, more vibrant and prosperous communities.
Culture in Ontario can include everything from our heritage, traditions, and identity, to creative arts including music and film, to public spaces including libraries, museums and historical sites. Culture is also continuously evolving. Changing demographics, the economy and the influence of digital technology are having a profound impact on culture in Ontario. The new culture strategy will help ensure that support for culture reflects these changes, while giving Ontarians a chance to tell their stories and share what arts and culture mean to them.
Ontarians are invited to get involved in Culture Talks by:
- Attending one of the town halls across the province
- Sharing ideas on the new Culture Talks website
- Using #ONCulture on Twitter.
Consultations, which will include First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, will run until December 7, 2015.
The government has also brought together a Culture Strategy Advisory Group, which will provide expertise and diverse perspectives on the role of culture in Ontario and the development of the culture strategy.
Supporting arts and culture in the province is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
QUICK FACTS
- Public consultation is a key part of Ontario’s Open Government initiative, which is helping to create a more transparent, accessible and collaborative government for the people of Ontario.
- Culture is one of the fastest growing sectors in Ontario. It generates approximately $22 billion of Ontario’s GDP and supports more than 280,000 jobs.
- Ontario has over 58,000 artists – nearly twice as many as any other province.
- Nearly five million Ontarians are active library cardholders.
- About 24,000 properties are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act and there are over 300 community museums in the province.
- Ontario’s music industry is the largest in Canada, and in 2013-14 its film and television production supported over 44,000 direct and indirect jobs.
