BC Museums Association
Annual Advocacy Calendar
Do you want to help advocate for a better future for BC’s arts, culture, and heritage sector but struggle to understand when is the most impactful time to use your voice? The BCMA has curated a short list of relatively simple, but highly impactful things you can do each year to make a big difference for our sector.
Please note that this checklist is based on a “typical” year in which no local, provincial, or federal elections are held. Elections will change the cadence of how the government functions and what times of year are most impactful for advocacy. During election years, please visit the BCMA website (museum.bc.ca) for more timely and relevant information.
Before you get started, try writing out your Advocacy Goals for the year to reflect back on!
January is a difficult time for impactful advocacy as most government spending and policy decisions for the coming year have already been made and are awaiting announcement. This is a great opportunity to decide on your advocacy goals for the coming year.
Actions You Can Take:
- If your organization does not already have an internal advocacy policy, consider developing one using this toolkit from the Alberta Museums Association.
Advocacy Policy Template and Action Guide
The Advocacy Policy Template and Action Guide is one of the resources that we have created as part of Reconsidering Museums. This Advocacy Guide was developed to support the work that museums should consider doing to transform today, for a resilient tomorrow, in terms of its work around advocacy.
Provincial Budget Announced
Follow organizations like the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, BC Museums Association, and BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage for an overview of how the new budget impacts the arts, culture, and heritage sector.
Depending on the year, this announcement could also take place in March.
Why is this important? It’s important to stay informed about how the provincial budget is impacting the arts, culture, and heritage sector. Reading summaries from advocacy groups is an effective way to stay informed without reviewing lengthy budget documents.
Actions You Can Take:
- Read a budget summary.
- Write your local MLA and advocate for something that was missing in the budget announcement, or to thank them for an announcement that impacts your organization or community.
Advocacy is not just asking for change, but also thanking government for positive steps they do take. A small thank you letter can help build collegiality between you and the government officials
Late March to Mid-April – Pre-Budget Submission Applications Due
Please Note: Per Section 2(3)(a) of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act, the budget consultation process does not occur during an election year. Consultations are expected to resume in 2025.
What is this? The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is one of nine permanent all-party committees of the Legislative Assembly and holds province-wide public consultations for the next provincial budget. Individuals and organizations who wish to present in person to the BC Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services are required to submit their applications before the end of March. The Committee generally holds in-person consultation sessions in communities across the province.
Why is this important? Engaging in the Participatory Budgeting process is a vital way of making both our sector’s needs and the needs of your organization/community heard. You can choose to participate in multiple ways, by responding to online surveys, submitting written contributions, or applying to speak in front of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. While the Standing Committee places equal weight on all forms of engagement, if you feel comfortable with presenting in front of the Committee, in-person presentations are a great opportunity to both practice presenting to a government audience and make a personal connection with MLAs. While there is no guarantee that what you ask for will be included in the following year’s budget, the government rarely decides to fund things that no one has ever advocated for. Quiet communities, organizations, and industries are easy to ignore when budgeting decisions are being made.
Actions You Can Take:
- Visit the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Service’s website to access the most up-to-date information: https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/committees/42ndParliament-4thSession-fgs
- Read the Report on the Budget 2024 Consultations to see how your advocacy can influence government budgeting considerations.
- Engage with the Select Standing Committee. If the Committee is coming to your community, apply for an in-person presentation. If you cannot present in person, submit a written submission.
Federal Budget Announced
Follow organizations like the Canadian Museums Association, BC Museums Association, and BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage for an overview of how the new budget impacts the arts, culture, and heritage sector.
Depending on the year, this announcement could also take place in April.
Why is this important? It’s important to stay informed about how the Federal budget is impacting the arts, culture, and heritage sector. Reading summaries from advocacy groups is an effective way to stay informed without needing to sort through lengthy budget documents.
Actions You Can Take:
- Read a budget summary
- Write your local MP and advocate for something that was missing in the budget announcement, or to thank them for an announcement that impacts your organization or community.
New Fiscal Year
April 1 marks the beginning of the new fiscal year for the provincial, federal, and most local governments. Now is a bad time to ask for funding from government, because they are entering a brand new budget year.
Actions You Can Take:
- Write a thank-you letter
Mid-May: Last day for the Legislative Assembly concludes
This begins the summer “BBQ season” for MLAs. Elected officials return to their community and look for opportunities to engage with their constituents, so if your organization is planning a special event, opening a new exhibit, or hosting a BBQ, May to September is the perfect time of year to invite your locally elected officials to interact with your organization.
May 18 – International Museums Day
Check the BCMA’s website for opportunities to advocate to your local representatives during BC Museums Week
Actions You Can Take:
- Invite an MLA to a special event at your site over the summer
Federal Government adjourns
Parliament adjourns for part of June, July and August, returning in September unless special orders are issued.
Mid-June – Deadline for written Provincial pre-budget submissions
Written pre-budget submissions are generally accepted until mid-June. Please visit the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services: Annual Budget Consultation to learn more about this year’s deadlines and how to submit a recommendation. BCMA will post a template letter with shared recommendations for the arts, culture, and heritage sector on our website.
BBQ season” continues for MLAs and begins for MPs
Actions You Can Take:
- Invite an MLA, MP, or local government representative to a special event at your site over the summer
- Submit a written pre-budget submission
“BBQ season” continues
Actions You Can Take:
- Invite an MLA, MP, or local government representative to a special event at your site over the summer
“BBQ season” continues
Actions You Can Take:
- Invite an MLA, MP, or local government representative to a special event at your site over the summer
Pre-election Interregnum begins (2024 only)
September can be an effective month to advocate for special year-end funding. In a typical year, governments are beginning to look ahead to the next fiscal year and should know if there is a strong possibility of current fiscal year ending in a surplus or a deficit. This can be an impactful time to request a meeting with your local MP, MLA, or minister and begin planting seeds that may bear fruit near the end of the fiscal year.
Actions You Can Take:
- Write to your local MLA, MP, or a key minister to advocate for funding or policies that will be impactful for your organization and/or community.
On October 19 British Columbia is having a general election. Elections change the normal flow of government relations work. Please note that in 2024, September marks the beginning of the pre-election "Interregnum." In the two months leading up to an election, the Provincial government goes into a quiet period called an “interregnum” where it cannot announce new programs, policies, or funds.
October 19 – VOTE!
The 43rd British Columbia general election is scheduled for Saturday, October 19.
Actions You Can Take:
- Write to your local MLA, MP, or a key minister to advocate for funding or policies that will be impactful for your organization and/or community.
Actions You Can Take:
Welcome new MLAs (2024 only)
- After the 2024 BC election, consider writing to your new or returning MLA to introduce your organization’s work and impact on your community.
- Visit the BCMA’s website for templates and resources for how to get started building a relationship with your newly elected representatives.
Many MLAs and MPs will host holiday open houses for their constituents. Make sure that you follow your local elected representatives and subscribe to their mailing lists as these events are a great opportunity to connect with elected officials and other organizations in your community.
Federal Government Launches Pre-Budget Consultations
In a non-election year the Government of Canada will typically launch community pre-budget consultations in December. To learn more about this process and how to submit a recommendation, visit the Government of Canada’s website.
Action You Can Take:
- Submit a federal pre-budget consultation recommendation
- Attend an MLA or MPs open house
- Invite an MLA or MP to a special winter event at your site
Considerations for a Local Government Context
With 188 local governments in British Columbia, it is difficult to speak to the specific timelines, contexts, and best practices for every jurisdiction in the province. Here are some guidelines and suggestions that you can follow to ensure that your local government understands the impact that your organization makes in the community.
Tips for Effective Local Government Advocacy
- Learn when your local government’s fiscal year begins and ends. The cities of Vancouver, Prince George, and Vernon, for example, all run on a January to December fiscal year. Some cities, like the City of Victoria, also run on a multiple-year financial plan. To learn more about your specific context, try Googling “CITY NAME fiscal year” or asking someone within your local government culture department.
- Build relations with both elected officials and senior staff. Effective advocacy requires building relationships with both elected officials and senior staff. City Managers, also known as Chief Administrative Officers or CAOs, are responsible for many of the day-to-day operational decisions of a local government. In addition to city councilors, it is important that CAOs, City Clerks, Managers of Arts/Culture, and administrative assistants are aware of your organization and community impact.
- Get to know the local government support ecosystem in BC. A number of independent organizations exist in the province whose mandates are to provide important services and support to local governments. These organizations can help you connect with elected officials, senior staff, and government finance officers. To learn more about how BC’s local government support ecosystem works, read this 2018 publication.
- Elections are much more predictable locally than provincially or federally – include these key dates in your planning. General local government elections are held every four years. The most recent elections were held on October 15, 2022. To learn more about future election dates and key timelines, visit Elections BC.
- Utilize your network. Local governments are local, so use your personal and organizational networks to see if you can connect with key elected officials and local government staff. Ask your volunteers, staff, and board members if they know or know someone who knows a key figure that you’re trying to build a relationship with – even the largest communities are surprisingly small when it comes to your expanded network.
