The Government of Canada has unveiled Budget 2026, titled Masters of our destiny, committing $4 billion to protect and celebrate Canadian culture in what officials describe as the largest cultural investment in a generation. The budget, released on 5 November, puts the arts, heritage and national institutions at the centre of the government's agenda for the country's 160th anniversary in 2027.

The flagship measure is the Canada 160 Fund, a new vehicle for marking the anniversary year. Alongside it, the Canada Strong Pass, which gives free or discounted access to national parks and museums, will be renewed for summer 2027 and made permanently free for people under 25 at national museums all year round. The government says the pass is designed to make Canada's cultural institutions accessible to a generation that has grown up with free digital content.

The budget also includes $1.5 billion to expand, retrofit and rehabilitate ice rinks and recreational facilities, a new Canada Creative Credit to support artists and creators, and measures allowing up to $45,000 of artistic earnings to be tax-free. Support is pledged for CBC/Radio-Canada and for the national cultural institutions, which have faced funding pressures in recent years.

Canada will also host the 2028 Francophonie Summit, which the government presents as an opportunity to showcase the country's French-language culture on the world stage. The cultural package is part of a broader budget that frames investment in identity and heritage as a matter of national sovereignty, at a time when Canada's relationship with its southern neighbour is under strain.