The Broadcasting Participation Fund provides cost support to public interest groups and consumer groups representing non-commercial user interests and the public interest before the CRTC in broadcasting matters under the Broadcasting Act.
Purpose of the Fund
Guideline for the submission of costs
Press Release: BPF Receives Financial Assistance from Department of Canadian Heritage
Please read the announcement.
Broadcasting Participation Fund press release on Bill C11
Please read the announcement.
What Criteria describe a Public Interest Group or Consumer Group which would be eligible under the BPF guidelines?
- A Public Interest or Consumer Group represents non-commercial public interest or consumer intervenors in proceedings before the CRTC in broadcasting matters under the Broadcasting Act;
- A Public Interest or Consumer Group is formed explicitly to benefit the public good;
- Public Interest and Consumer groups are non-profit groups which are focused on non-commercial ends and broad public interests;
- Public interest and Consumer groups are non-partisan;
- Public Interest and Consumer groups should reflect the public values of inclusion and diversity of Canadian society;
- The board of directors and leadership of the Public Interest and Consumer groups are Canadian;
- The head office and any branch offices of the Public Interest or Consumer group are located in Canada;
- For the most part, Public Interest and Consumer groups are intervenors and not applicants in the CRTC process;
- Public Interest and Consumer groups are often membership-based (e.g. FRPC and CACTUS) or have charitable status (e.g., PIAC) which differentiates them from for -profit organizations.
In determining whether an organization is a public interest or consumer group, the BPF may request such information as the list of the organization's board of directors, statement of incorporation, bylaws, structure and governance and whether or not the group has a membership.
The final decision with respect to what constitutes a Public Interest group or Consumer group and their funding rests with the Board of Directors of the Broadcasting Participation Fund.
BPF Procedural Changes
Effective January 1, 2021, an application for costs must be filed no later than 12-months after the day fixed by the CRTC for the filing of final representations. Claims received after this 12-month period will not be considered by the BPF Board unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated as to why the 12-month filing period could not be met. The BPF Board reserves the right to determine when an exceptional circumstance exists. (This new limitation policy does not have retroactive effect with respect to applications received prior to January 1, 2021.)
Effective November 1, 2020, the BPF is expanding the current interim cost award process to include applications from applicants who have made written submissions to the CRTC and have participated responsibly; and
1. If the CRTC has then subsequently postponed or suspended the next phase of the proceeding without setting a specific date for that phase to begin, or
2. If the CRTC has then subsequently postponed or suspended the next phase of the proceeding to a date more than 6 months after the intervention deadline.
This website contains information to aid public interest and consumer groups in making an application for funding to the Broadcasting Participation Fund to help offset the costs of participating in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broadcasting proceedings.
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