In October 2024, the city of Victoria proposed a 12% increase in property taxes. After a strong adverse public reaction, the city began to examine avenues to cut expenses and arts funding was jeopardized.

Making cuts to the arts jeopardizes the city’s Poet Laureate, Youth Poet Laureate and Butler Book Prize programs, as well as funding for 45 local not for profits. These essential programs take up a small fraction of the budget, but provide a huge increase in quality of life for local residents.

Former Victoria Poet Laureate Fiona Tinwei Lam and City Counsellor Matt Dell are among the residents in Victoria fighting to keep the arts alive in the city. You can learn more about decision-making for the 2025 Victoria budget here.

We thank Fiona Tinwei Lam for bringing potential cuts to the arts in Victoria to our attention. We are proud to support a thriving poetry and arts community in Victoria and hope that the 2025 Victoria City budget reflects the importance of the arts.

You can find the League’s letter below:

To Mayor Marianne Alto and Members of the Victoria City Council,

I am writing to you on behalf of the League of Canadian Poets. The League is Canada’s only national professional poetry organization, representing over 1,000 professional poets. Our organization collaborates annually with poetry publishers, libraries, festivals, and poetry lovers across the country. Many of our members live, write, and read their work in Victoria, and we also fund poetry events in the city each year.

We are deeply concerned about the potential for cuts to the arts budget as the city grapples with its budget. These cuts would have a tremendously detrimental impact on local artists and citizens, while making only a minimal impact on the budget deficit. The arts account for a very small percentage of the city budget, while providing massive value to your city and those who love it.

Of particular concern to us is the potential for cuts to the poet laureate and youth poet laureate positions, as well as the Victoria Butler Book Prizes. But we are also deeply concerned about the impact cuts would have on the not-for-profits that are supported through the city budget, bringing culture, activity, and education to residents.

The British Columbia government sees a $167 return for every dollar spent on arts, culture, and heritage. Making cuts to the arts can have long-term detrimental impacts on the economic health of Victoria, as well as the lives of citizens there.

Victoria has long been a beacon for poetry and art. Cuts to these wonderful and long-standing arts programs would remove local culture and encourage residents to travel to other cities to engage in key artistic activities.

We applaud Councillor Matt Dell for his advocacy on behalf of the arts in the upcoming budget. We understand that budgeting can be exceedingly difficult but urge you not to cut the arts as you examine options for ensuring a healthy financial future for the city.