Toronto Mayor Rob Ford listens to a presentation during the executive committee on core service review July 28, 2011 at City Hall.Moe Doiron/The Globe and Mail
News reports that Toronto's Ford administration wants to chop just over $6-million in direct grants to the city's major cultural organizations sent Maxine Bailey, TIFF's vice-president in charge of public affairs, philanthropy and membership, over to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts for a hastily organized arts "summit" Friday morning. TIFF was approved for direct funding from the city in 2008, and in the last three years has received a total of almost $2.3-million, including $800,000 this year. Only the Toronto Symphony and National Ballet received more. In 2010 TIFF prepared an impact report that, among other conclusions, predicted the fest's economic impact by 2012 would total $200-million. The reported cuts proposal is expected to go to the city's executive committee Sept. 19 -- the day after TIFF's 36th edition calls it a wrap.