CBC Is ‘Underfunded,’ Says Carney as He Pledges $150M Boost to Public Broadcasting

Liberal leader Mark Carney has committed to significantly increasing funding for CBC/Radio-Canada, promising an initial $150 million boost in annual support as part of a broader vision to modernize and strengthen the public broadcaster’s role in Canadian society.

During a campaign stop in Montreal on Friday, Carney emphasized the critical need to bring Canada’s public broadcasting system in line with international standards. “When we compare ourselves to the U.K., France, or Germany, we see that our public broadcaster is underfunded,” Carney said in French. “That has to change.”

Carney revealed that the additional $150 million is only the beginning. Over the coming years, he said, funding would continue to rise incrementally until it matches the support levels enjoyed by major public broadcasters in other developed nations.

Importantly, the Liberal leader pledged to make the broadcaster’s funding statutory, which would mean any changes to its budget would require approval from Parliament rather than being subject to the whims of the federal cabinet.

“Canadians and their Parliament—not ideologues—must decide on the future of CBC/Radio-Canada,” Carney said, taking a pointed jab at his Conservative rivals.

Carney outlined that the proposed funding hike would accompany a new long-term mandate for CBC/Radio-Canada. This mandate would emphasize enhancing local journalism by establishing more regional bureaus and hiring additional reporters. It would also prioritize the clear and timely dissemination of life-saving information during national emergencies.

For the 2024-25 fiscal year, CBC/Radio-Canada received approximately $1.38 billion in federal funding. Carney’s proposal would push that figure significantly higher if fully implemented over the next few years.

The proposed Liberal plan for CBC starkly contrasts with that of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has publicly advocated for defunding the broadcaster’s English-language services while preserving its French-language programming.

However, experts note that any such restructuring would require amendments to the Broadcasting Act, which mandates bilingual programming and prevents government interference in how the public broadcaster allocates its resources.

Campaigning in Trois-Rivières, Que., Poilievre did not directly address Carney’s announcement. Instead, he criticized the Liberal platform for what he described as reckless fiscal management. “What is Mr. Carney proposing today? With a fourth Liberal term, he will spend even more for CBC and other things,” Poilievre remarked.

In response to the political discourse, CBC spokesperson Eric Wright stated the corporation would refrain from commenting on party platforms related to CBC/Radio-Canada during the election campaign period.