With the city looking at cutting arts funding by 10 per cent, a new study that explored public money for the arts in 2009 suggests Toronto is falling behind other major cities in per-capita spending.
The study conducted by Hill Strategies Research Inc. found Toronto's net cultural investment was $19 per person in 2009, ranking behind Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal and below the five-city average of $35.
Hill Strategies Research prepared the study, which was released this week, for the five cities.
Montreal ranked first with a per capita investment of $55, followed by Vancouver ($47), Calgary ($42) and Ottawa ($28).
Combined, the cities averaged a net cultural investment of $35 per resident in 2009, the study found.
In terms of total arts funding, Toronto spent $47.5 million in 2009, finishing second behind Montreal, which spent $89 million. Calgary ranked third with $41.9 million, followed by Vancouver ($27.4 million) and Ottawa ($22.4).
At $35 per resident, the average investment is higher than previous years. According to the study, the average was $29 in 2008, and $24 in 2006 and 2007.
Between 2006 and 2009, per-capita spending increased in all five cities. Calgary saw the largest growth with a 175 per cent increase, while Toronto saw the smallest growth with a 14 per cent increase, which was below the five-city average of 48 per cent, the study found.
