The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is demanding the federal government completely defund the CBC following a recommendation to nearly double the state broadcaster’s taxpayer funding and reduce budget transparency.
“It is outrageous for the government to try to hide the cost of the CBC from the taxpayers who are paying its bills,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director.
“This government is totally out of touch if it thinks it can nearly double CBC’s cost to taxpayers and try to hide its costs.”
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge has proposed increasing CBC’s taxpayer funding from $1.4 billion annually to approximately $2.5 billion, bringing Canada’s public broadcaster funding in line with the G7 average of $62 per person per year.
With Canada’s population at about 41.5 million, this increase would amount to an additional $1.1 billion annually — enough to cover the yearly grocery bills of roughly 152,854 Canadian families.
St-Onge also recommended shifting CBC’s funding from the government’s budget report to statutory appropriations, meaning its taxpayer support would be enshrined in legislation rather than subject to annual budget scrutiny.
“I propose that it be financed directly in the legislation instead of in the budget through statutory appropriation,” St-Onge said.
Critics argue this move would further reduce the CBC’s financial accountability.
“Canadians have told this government that the CBC costs them too much money, that it is not accountable to taxpayers, and they don’t watch it, and now the government wants to double down on all those problems,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director.
“The CBC is an enormous waste of money, nearly nobody is watching it, and journalists should not be paid by the government."
“The CBC must be defunded.”
