Officials with the Stratford Festival have asked Ottawa for some financial help.
The Festival's board chair has asked a House of Commons standing committee for $8 million.
Carol Stephenson says the festival, which cancelled its entire season, has a $20 million shortfall but believes it can raise $12 milion of that through private sector donations.
Last week in an interview with the CBC, the Shaw Festival's executive director Tim Jennings says so far the festival has lost about $8 million in cancelled performances.
Jennings say fortunately the theatre decided in 2016 to boost its disaster insurance coverage and the plan does cover losses due to a pandemic.
So far the Shaw has cancelled performances until June 30th.