Overview of the Bell Fund

Mission

To support Canadian media content makers in creating for and connecting with, audiences here and everywhere.

Since 1997 the Bell Fund has received over $300 million in financial contributions from Bell TV to support Canadian Independent Producers in the development and production of great Canadian content. In 2001 the Bell Fund was awarded an endowment of $10 million from Bell TV, as a result of a tangible benefits package. The revenues generated by this endowment are made available for development funding.

Background

The Bell Fund is a not-for-profit organization. It has been certified by the CRTC as an independent production fund eligible to receive and administer contributions from:

• broadcast distribution undertakings; and
• online streaming services.

The Fund is governed by an independent nine-member board operating at arm's length from Bell TV and has offices in Toronto and Montreal.

Guiding Principles

The Bell Fund is committed to supporting a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive and accessible industry across Canada. This means supporting screen-based producers/creators who are

• Indigenous

and/or identify as being from Equity-deserving Community such as

• Black;
• Racialized;
• Women and gender-diverse;
• 2SLGBTQIA+;
• Persons with disabilities;
• Regional and Official Language Minority Community (OLMC); and/or
• Emerging screen-based producers/creators and teams.

Please consider how you engage with individuals and communities as you proceed with your Projects. Applicants and production teams are encouraged to refer to resources and respect the guiding principles and best practices set out in:

• the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) On-Screen Protocols & Pathways: A Media Production Guide;
• the Black Screen Office (BSO) : Being Seen - Directives for Creating Authentic and Inclusive Content;
• Reelworld #HerFrameMatters Protocol Guidelines;

All Applicants are also encouraged to implement more environmentally sustainable practices including the use of cleaner technologies and reducing the use of unsustainable resources, in the development, production and exploitation of projects, refering to resources such as :

• Producing for the Planet : Action Guide
• Rolling Green/OnTourneVert (OTV) : Best practices guides

Commencing in 2025

The Bell Fund has committed that it will allocate at least 10% of its total budget to an envelope dedicated to OLMC producers (in either official language) and producers from diverse communities (as defined by the CRTC). A minimum of 5% to OLMC and 5% to diverse communities.

For further information: