Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is proposing a broad cultural and community investment package in its 2026 budget, with roughly $5 billion over five years described for initiatives ranging from recreational facilities and museums to public broadcasting, journalism and Canadian books.
The largest single allocation is $1. 5 billion over nine years through the Build Communities Strong Fund for constructing, expanding, retrofitting and rehabilitating community recreation facilities and ice rinks. The budget divides that amount evenly, with $750 million earmarked for rinks and $750 million for other recreational spaces. Ottawa is also proposing $300 million in 2027-28 for Canada’s 160th-anniversary programming, including the Canada 160 Fund, Heritage Minutes, the Trans Canada Trail and community spaces, alongside additional support for festivals and performing arts events.
The funding covers national museums, the National Battlefields Commission, the National Arts Centre and Library and Archives Canada, with the stated aim of repairing aging facilities, protecting collections and sustaining public programs. The National Gallery of Canada is slated for a separate $60 million over four years for travelling exhibitions and improved digital access.
The budget also proposes renewing the Canada Strong Pass for another summer with $76 million in 2027-28, expanding discounted access to Indigenous-led museums and cultural centres. CBC/Radio-Canada would receive an additional $300 million over two years, while the Local Journalism Initiative would get $134 million over four years beginning in 2027-28 and $41 million annually afterward. Ottawa wants to extend the enhanced 35 per cent journalism labour tax credit through 2028 and make qualifying private audio and audiovisual news organizations eligible, at an estimated cost of $501 million over five years and $85 million ongoing.
Readers would gain access to a proposed free national digital collection of Canadian books, starting with at least 200 titles in 2027-28 and growing beyond 2,000 titles with capacity for up to two million loans annually by 2031-32. The government also plans consultations on a non-refundable Canada Creative Credit that, combined with the basic personal amount, could provide tax recognition on up to $45,000 of qualifying annual net business income from original creative works; details are due in the 2027 spring economic update.