Building on CFLA-FCAB’s 2017 federal budget brief to support the creation of opportunities for the people and communities who need support the most, and fuel innovation from the research and knowledge networks that are vital to Canada’s economic growth.

The recommendations provided in the 2018 Pre-Budget Brief seek to improve Canadians’ ability to access and use important cultural products and historical records and up-to-date knowledge from the world’s leading researchers. Our nation’s libraries fuel the knowledge economy by nurturing curiosity and empowering creativity. The activities they enable lay the foundation for innovation that is a key objective of this government. By ensuring these institutions and the people who make them run have crucial resources at their disposal the government will ensure that Canadians can reach their fullest potential.

Invest in library services and infrastructure

Libraries are spaces that work toward universal access. Their programming teaches basic digital skills to vulnerable groups, this is an area where services should be improved and expanded.

CFLA-FCAB is calling on the federal government to invest $50 million over 5 years in a targeted Library Upgrade Investment Fund, which will allow libraries of all formats in all communities to improve their facilities and services, and be welcoming places where all Canadians can find the resources they need to contribute to our society and to the economy. Making this investment will encourage matching from provincial governments and local communities to have an even broader impact.

Funding to support the Library Materials Service

In 2017 Canada Post imposed severe restrictions on Libraries ability to create accounts in the Electronic Shipping Tool. In addition to the restrictions on setting up accounts in January 2017, Canada Post announced that it would be increasing rates for shipping library materials by a weighted average of 5%.

CFLA-FCAB requests that the federal government contribute funding to support the Library Materials Service to ensure Canada Post can maintain existing services without further increases and that restrictions on library’s ability to create automatic accounts in the Electronic Shipping Tool be eliminated.

Digitization of archival materials

CFLA-FCAB supports and echoes CARL-ABRC’s call for support of the National Heritage Digitization Strategy (NHDS) and requests that the Government of Canada invest $30M over the next five years (2018-2022) to support a coordinated national initiative to digitize content and to build the digital infrastructure required to make Canada’s rich documentary heritage available to all Canadians.

Library services targeted at Indigenous peoples

CFLA-FCAB recommends that the Government of Canada invest $250,000 in 2018 to support the creation and establishment of a National Indigenous (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) Association of Archives, Libraries and Cultural Memory that will “…advocate for, inspire and collaborate with First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and communities to reach their full potential by facilitating increased access to Indigenous knowledge through resources, training, and by developing and sustaining those knowledges in cultural memory institutions.”

View Full 2018 Pre-Budget Submission