Question Period Note: Funding programs available for anti-racism

Funding programs available for anti-racism

• Since 2019 the Government of Canada has committed close to $100M through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, including $70M to support communities organizations across Canada addressing issues of anti-racism and multiculturalism.

• $35 million has been invested in 175 projects, to address barriers to employment, justice, and social participation among Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities across Canada.

• $26 million has been invested in another 229 initiatives.

• And since 2019, $15 million have been invested in over 700 events across the country.

• The Department of Canadian Heritage provides funding for anti-racism initiatives through two programs: the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives (CSMARI) and the Anti-Racism Action Program (ARAP). The objectives for both programs are to:
o support communities in confronting racism and discrimination, promoting intercultural and interfaith understanding and fostering equitable opportunities to participate fully in Canadian society
o promote and engage in discussions on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination at the domestic and international levels
o strengthen research and evidence to build understanding of the disparities and challenges faced by racialized and religious minority communities, and Indigenous Peoples.

• The two funding programs received $30 million (over 3 years) in Budget 2019 and $40 million (over 2 years) through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.

• The CSMARI Program has three funding components: Events, Projects and Community Capacity Building and is a longstanding program with an A-base funding of $8.6 million annually.
o Since 2019, over 700 Events have been supported for a total investment of $15 million. Events is the only component with continuous intake, so applications are approved throughout the year.
o In 2019, 229 initiatives were approved through the CSMARI for a total investment of $26 million.
o The most recent call for proposals for CSMARI (Projects and Community Capacity Building) resulted in over 950 applications received, for a total of $220 million. The department is actively working on CSMARI applications. It is anticipated that through this round of CSMARI applications, that we will fund approximately $34.5 million over three years to community organizations.

• The ARAP was newly created under Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy with a focus on supporting projects that address systemic barriers to employment, justice and social participation, as well as addressing online hate.

• To date, 175 projects have been funded through ARAP for a total investment of $35 million. There is currently no additional funding for the ARAP available.

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