Thank you very much for the question. I appreciate it, and it’s timely.

I will express a couple of thoughts afterwards, but I’ll get to the point and cut to the chase: The Ontario Arts Council funding is being maintained at the current levels for the upcoming year. So worrying about cuts, at this point, isn’t what we are talking about. We’re talking about and working with people to take advantage of what they have, what they will continue to have, and the impact they will have on our communities.

The arts are cherished by this ministry and this government. It extends into tourism, certainly culture, and makes a huge impact on all demographics—from kids in schools, to be able to go out and experience art, to experience the artists who are delivering it. And we understand from a cultural piece, it has played a huge role in Ontario’s growth. Billions and billions of dollars are spent in tourism—and because of the arts, will get even stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll go back a little bit in time: Since 2018, we have invested over $1.1 billion in arts, culture through the ministry program and agencies. This includes nearly $340 million for the OAC.

In the OAC, we address all art; we don’t single things out specifically. Francophone art—that world is very important to us, and we’ve addressed it. We talk in terms, with respect to our government, of supporting all, not just defining one—the impact within tourism, as I said earlier; the cultural piece; what it does to communities and helps build in communities; the people within those communities who not only actually participate in the arts and the delivery of it, but those who enjoy it and support it and drive the revenue and build communities. Building communities is a part of what we do and what we focus on, and the culture in our sector is very important and will continue to be important to this government.