advertisement
FYI

Music Fund Halved in Ontario Budget

The Ontario Government released its annual Budget last week, and it has profound impacts on the Ontario Music Fund (OMF).

Music Fund Halved in Ontario Budget

By David Farrell

The Ontario Government released its annual Budget last week, and it has profound impacts on the Ontario Music Fund (OMF).


As a result of Ontario government cutbacks contained in the budget, the Ontario Music Fund will be reduced to $7 million per year, down from a $15 million annual fund.

The Government and Ontario Creates will be organizing industry consultations "to obtain our collective input on how the OMF should be ‘modernized’ going forward," CIMA president Stuart Johnston says.

Continuing, Johnston pledges his association “will continue to be actively engaged with the government and Ontario Creates as these consultations unfold, to ensure that our members’ voices will be heard and to help shape what the new program should look like.”

advertisement

The budget document has the government stating it supports the Ontario Music Fund but it wants funding body Ontario Creates to modernize the programs "to focus on activities that bring the biggest return to the province and refocus its investments in emerging talent to create opportunities to achieve success.”

The programs affected by the $7M cutback have yet to be named.

advertisement
From left: GIVĒON, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Simon Gebrelul photographed by Diwang Valdez on December 20, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Styling by Yashua Simmons. Barbering by Moe Harb. Hair Braiding for Gilgeous-Alexander by Alysha Bonadie. Grooming by Teresa Luz. On-Site Production by Laela Zadeh.

From left: GIVĒON, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Simon Gebrelul photographed by Diwang Valdez on December 20, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Styling by Yashua Simmons. Barbering by Moe Harb. Hair Braiding for Gilgeous-Alexander by Alysha Bonadie. Grooming by Teresa Luz. On-Site Production by Laela Zadeh.

Features

Meet the Force Behind the Canadian NBA MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and R&B Star GIVĒON

In this Billboard Canada Toronto's Simon Gebrelul's strategy to make Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a one-of-a kind sports star — and disrupt the music world.

It’s mere days before Christmas, and Paycom Center is unusually quiet.

The arena — home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning 2025 NBA champions — typically holds 18,000 roaring fans, but today, you could hear a pin drop. Yet even in silence, the Thunder’s accomplishments speak loudly. Division title banners hang proudly from the rafters. Scan past those banners and across the empty arena, and three words in bold orange and blue come into focus: Committed. Community. Together.

keep readingShow less
advertisement