Canadian Heritage has unveiled the members of an advisory panel appointed to guide modernizing federal support to the audiovisual sector.

Announced by Canadian Identity and Culture Min. Marc Miller at the annual conference of the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), the panel will be guided by so-called “foresight experts” Catherine Mathys, former Director of Foresight and Innovation at the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Catalina Briceño, former Director of Industry Markets and Trends.

The panel includes:

• Alethea Arnaquq-Baril – Inuk filmmaker, director, producer and screenwriter
• Marcel Gallant – Producer and director; Partner, Connexions Productions
• Monique Simard – Cultural administrator and producer; former President and CEO, SODEC
• Prem Gill – Chief Executive Officer, Creative BC
• Roma Khanna – Executive Chair, Hidden Light Productions
• Florence Girot – Senior Director, Festivals, International Federation of Film Producers Associations
• Kyle Fostner – Executive Director, Vancouver International Film Festival
• Katerina Cizek – Documentary director and digital media innovator; Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Co Creation Studio, MIT Open Documentary Lab
• Tamara Mariam Dawit – Producer, director, and writer; Founder, Gobez Media
• Jason Della Rocca – Game industry entrepreneur and investor; Co-Founder, Execution Labs
• Christine Kleckner – Executive Director, National Screen Institute (NSI)

According to data supplied by Canadian Heritage, Canadian audiovisual exports have doubled since 2017, with audiovisual and interactive media contributing $19 billion to the GDP and 160,000 jobs in 2024.

In its announcement, the department said the current framework for federal audiovisual support “was built for a different era and needs to evolve so Canadian stories can thrive, both at home and globally.”

“The goal is to make sure that federal support remains effective, efficient and transparent, and that it can support the full spectrum of Canadian voices and stories,” the statement continued.

The panel’s work will include reviewing audiovisual policy and institutions as Miller continues to speak with stakeholders over the coming months.

“We have the talent. We have the creativity. We need a modernized system that keeps pace and sets us up for future success,” said Miller. “The advisory panel will help us adapt our support to the system so it can respond to the sector’s current and future needs, while strengthening our economy and creating good jobs.”