Notice of release
Québec, March 22, 2024. – In 2021–2022, cultural expenditures by Québec government ministries and agencies totalled $2.4 billion, a 2.5% increase. These expenditures accounted for 1.77% of the Québec government’s consolidated spending. This was revealed in the publication Les dépenses en culture de l’administration publique québécoise en 2021-2022 released today by the Observatoire de la culture et des communications of the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Québec government spending1 on culture, Québec, 2017–2018 to 2021–2022
1. In millions of current dollars.
Source
Institut de la statistique du Québec. Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec.
Tax expenditures posted sustained growth while direct expenditures remained stable
The increase in cultural spending by the Québec government was largely due to tax expenditures (tax credits), which went up from $820 million in 2020–2021 to $865 million in 2021–2022 (+5.5%).
After an exceptional increase in 2020–2021, direct spending (salaries and wages, purchases of goods and services, financial assistance, investments, etc.) remained relatively stable, increasing by only 0.9% between 2020–2021 ($2,351 million) and 2021–2022 ($2,410 million). These expenditures reflect the extension of pandemic-related support measures offered to the cultural industry.
Spending by cultural field
In 2021–2022, about half of direct spending was in the Libraries (20%), Performing Arts (15%) and Multidisciplinary Activities (14%) fields. When tax expenditures are taken into account, the Cinema and Audiovisual (26%), Multimedia (13%) and Libraries (13%) fields held the largest shares of total spending.
Evolution of per capita spending
Québec government total spending on culture amounted to $282 per capita in 2021–2022, up from $274 in 2020–2021. Direct spending stood at $181 per capita in 2021–2022, while the value of refundable tax credits was $101 per capita.
Spending by region
In 2021–2022, 74% of direct spending on culture went to the central regions of Montréal ($406 per capita) and Capitale-Nationale ($428 per capita). In the other regions, direct spending ranged from $40 to $180 per capita. Direct spending on culture increased in nine administrative regions in 2021–2022 from the previous year but decreased in eight regions.
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