As a public producer and distributor with a mandate to reflect the lives, experiences and perspectives of all Canadians in its works, the NFB is firmly committed to specific engagements and to following and initiating best practices that ensure equitable representation of underrepresented demographic groups behind the camera, in key craft positions, in the stories the NFB produces and in how those stories are told.
To that end, the NFB has introduced action plans to advance racial, Indigenous and gender equity across all of its productions.
Table of Contents
Racial Equity
A diversity of voices and perspectives is essential to fulfilling the NFB’s mandate and to the success of storytelling in Canada. The NFB recognizes that “who tells the story” is of fundamental importance when producing stories that engage with the experiences of groups that have been historically marginalized, underrepresented and misrepresented in Canada.
By March 31, 2025, the NFB commits that more than 30% of its current production and co-production projects will be made by filmmakers/artists who identify as Black and People of Colour (BPOC). This figure represents a minimum: the NFB is aiming for more but certainly not less than this objective.
In February 2021, the NFB published a plan for equity, diversity and inclusion—with goals and commitments to make the NFB a more egalitarian, open and diverse organization. The NFB wants to help eliminate decades of injustice and systemic racism, not only in the media industry but also within the institution itself. The plan includes concrete actions that will have an impact on recruitment, production and distribution methods and on the entire culture of the organization.
Read the plan: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read the definitions as used by the National Film Board of Canada (listed below). The definitions are in line with our self-declaration questionnaire and the self-declaration definitions employed by Telefilm Canada. These definitions are also a reliable way to compare and set the standard in the industry. It’s a way to align our data and make sure we are using the same reference to compile the information.
The NFB commits to publicly reporting on its commitments on an annual basis. Updates will be shared with media, communicated with partners and published here as they become available. The above commitments represent a minimum commitment that is only the beginning. Progress towards racial equity is meant to be evolutive and responsive to feedback from the community.
No; these commitments exist in addition to the NFB’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous productions.
Indigenous Equity
In 2017, the NFB launched its living, breathing Indigenous Action Plan, which included a commitment that 15% of production spending would be allocated to projects by Indigenous directors. The Action Plan was written in conjunction with industry professionals who make up the NFB’s Indigenous Advisory Group. The NFB is also committed to creating more opportunities for Indigenous artists in key creative positions, which informs decision making around crew staffing. Where there are gaps, mentorship opportunities can be implemented and offered to Indigenous crew in craft positions. The NFB is inspired by and asks its production partners to follow the recommendations outlined in On-Screen Protocols & Pathways: A Media Production Guide to Working with First Nations, Metis and Inuit Communities, Cultures, Concepts and Stories for film shoots in Indigenous communities.
For Indigenous filmmakers and creators who regularly work with the NFB, we also offer Indigenous Circle, a monthly support circle. Contact J’net Ayayqwayaksheelth for more information.
Gender Parity
In 2016, the NFB announced that 50% of its productions and its production spending would be dedicated to projects led by women. The NFB is also determined to achieve parity in key creative positions, which informs decision making around crew staffing. Where there are gaps, mentorship opportunities can be implemented and offered to women in underrepresented craft positions. Since 2016, the NFB has been annually publishing its results, which can be viewed at this link.
Self-Declaration Questionnaire
As part of its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the NFB has implemented a confidential and non-mandatory self-declaration questionnaire, which will be sent to filmmakers and production teams working on NFB projects. The questionnaire will enable the NFB to assess and publicly report on the progress of its commitments while keeping the information confidential.
The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect information necessary to identify underrepresented groups and assist in the evaluation and planning of the NFB actions and initiatives designed to meet the NFB’s commitments to equitable representation of Canadian diversity, as outlined in its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan and its Indigenous Action Plan, listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information necessary to identify under-represented groups and assist in assessing and planning NFB actions and initiatives designed to meet our commitments to equitable representation of Canadian diversity, as outlined in our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan and our Indigenous Action Plan.
After a project is approved, members of the creative team will be invited to complete the questionnaire on a voluntary basis.
These may include filmmakers, art directors, cinematographers, image creators, audio professionals, animators, music composers, editors, musicians and screenwriters.
No.
Personal information is collected on a voluntary basis only and may include, but is not limited to, first and last name, email address, role occupied (function) on a NFB project, Indigenous identity, racial/ethnic identity, disability status, gender identity/expression, 2SLGBTQIA+ status, and official-language minority status. This data is collected through an online form and stored securely.
- help in the administrative decision process in engaging individuals from underrepresented groups;
- design, review and assess projects and activities;
- compile aggregated and anonymized data for statistical reporting;
- develop action plans for equity, diversity and inclusion
- align initiatives with the NFB’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Plan and its Indigenous Action Plan.
Absolutely nothing.
This questionnaire is optional. There are no administrative or legal consequences for refusing to provide this information.
The personal diversity information collected through this questionnaire is used in anonymous (depersonalized) form to generate statistics on the representation of members of designated groups among creators and professionals working with the NFB.
The compilation of these statistics is necessary to assess and report on the progress of the NFB’s equity, diversity and inclusion commitments. These statistics may also be included in NFB communications.
This information is also used to assist in administrative decision-making.
The collected information is not shared with any entity or individual outside the NFB.
The personal information collected is hosted on NFB servers located in Canada and is not shared with any entity or individual outside the NFB.
Within the NFB, personal information collected through the self-declaration questionnaire is accessible only to individuals in positions that have a valid reason to access and use the information. This includes certain persons among production, distribution, strategic planning and information technology staff.
The collection and use of personal information are in accordance with the National Film Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, the Official Languages Act, the Policy on Results and the provisions of the Privacy Act.
Yes.
You may change the information you have provided by completing the self-declaration questionnaire again. If the link to the self-declaration questionnaire is lost or no longer active, please contact the NFB employee who originally provided the link to request a new link.
If you have a question, comment, concern, or complaint about the application of the Privacy Act and related policies, please contact the NFB Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator by email at atip-aiprp@nfb.ca or by telephone at 438-466-2522.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by email at info@priv.gc.ca or by telephone at 1-800-282-1376. You also have the right to complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada about our handling of your personal information.
Yes, each year in its annual update (June), in its Annual Report, and in other institutional reports.
Definitions
Indigenous Peoples is a collective name for the original Peoples of North America. Indigenous refers to First Nations, Inuit or Métis.
Black and People of Colour (BPOC) refers to persons who are non-white in race and not Indigenous. It includes but is not limited to those who identify as Black (including Black African, Black-Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Arab, Afro-Latin), Asian (including West Asian, East Asian, South Asian, South-East Asian, Central Asian, Pacific Islander), Latin American, Middle Eastern, North-African, persons from the Arabian Peninsula, and individuals who are of biracial or mixed-race backgrounds. (This definition is inclusive of international Indigenous nations and those who identify as both Black and a Person of Colour).
Gender-diverse identities: The Gay, Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Fondation Émergence describe gender identity as how an individual defines their gender based on a deep, personal knowledge of belonging (or lack of belonging) to one or several genders: man, woman, somewhere in between, or neither. This experience is unique to each person and is not determined by their sex assigned at birth. Diverse gender identities include those beyond the gender binary (male/female), which can include but are not limited to genderqueer/genderfluid, non-binary, transgender and two-spirit.
Gender-diverse expressions: The Gay, Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Fondation Émergence describe gender expression as the way a person presents their gender. A person’s gender expression can be masculine, feminine, androgynous, neutral, or somewhere in between, no matter their gender. It can be expressed in a variety of ways, including through a person’s name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, behaviour, makeup, voice and/or body characteristics. Diverse gender expressions can include but are not limited to a man presenting as a woman, a woman presenting as a man, androgynous or neutral expressions, gender non-conforming, genderfluid or genderqueer.
2SLGBTQIA+: This term encompasses two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual.
Persons with disabilities: The Accessible Canada Act defines disability as “any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment—or a functional limitation—whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.”
Members of official-language minority communities: Refers to people living in the province of Quebec whose first official spoken language is English, and to people living in Canada (outside Quebec) whose first official spoken language is French.