CMOG Alert
December 20, 2001
At this late date, Ontario's museums in every community across the province have not received any indication of their operating funding for the fiscal year ending, for many, in five business days. At this time, we are told that the Ministry staff is actively working on the file. The OMA has written to the Minister and strongly encouraged the announcement of the CMOG grants before December 31, 2001. We understand that this cannot be confirmed at this time.
As you know, the Ontario Museum Association has been discussing the negative impact of the delays in CMOG grant confirmations with the Ministry since the Standards consultations of late fall 1999.
Throughout the fall of this year in 2001, the OMA has had many discussions on this subject with the Ministry. During the OMA's meeting with Minister Hudak on October 17 and in discussions with his staff, and Ministry staff, your Association has asked for consideration of the tremendous pressures the delay creates for museums and their Boards with many facing, as a result, a precarious financial position at year end.
The OMA has stated how the delay in the announcement and confirmation of the operating grants creates financial instability within the museum sector. This situation jeopardizes business planning, educational and other programs including tourism readiness.
The OMA has a good relationship with the Ministry and in our discussions we have brought forward our willingness and ability to work with the Ministry in order to develop an improved CMOG program process resulting in gained efficiencies and client satisfaction. We also look forward to working with the Ministry on other initiatives in the new year for the benefit of the Ontario museum community.
Members and CMOG recipients may want to contact their M.P.P.'s locally to find out more about the status of your particular grant and request expedition of the announcement for your museum and your colleagues across the province. As always, it is important to keep your M.P.P. informed of your many successes and pressures, and the OMA would appreciate being copied on this correspondence. We will continue to work with the Ministry to assist with the delivery of the important Community Museum Operating Grant program under Regulation 877 and will keep you informed of any developments.
Professional Development Update
Interprovincial Peer Exchange Participants Picked
Ontario's two participants in the Interprovincial Peer Exchange have been chosen. Jeanie Tummon of the OPP Museum is going to the RCMP Museum in Regina, Saskatchewan and Steve Mavers of the London Regional Children's Museum is going to Manitoba to the Winnipeg Children's Museum.
E-Roundtables
The electronic roundtable Issues in Managing First Nations Collections on February 7, 2002 is now full. There is still room in "Make Museum Websites More Effective" on January 17, "Conservators and the Community Museum" on February 21 and "Measuring Impact: How do we make a difference?" on March 7, 2002. Each e-roundtable will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Ontario. For more information and a registration form, please go to the OMA website at www.museumsontario.com or call 416-348-8672.
Copy of Standard Practices Handbook for Museums Available
The OMA has a 1991 copy of the Alberta Museums Association's Standard Practices Handbook for Museums to give away to the first person to contact us. You can call the OMA at 416-348-8672. This very extensive handbook covers administration, collections management, conservation, research, public programming, and exhibitions. The latest edition is available to borrow from the OMA resource centre.
The OMA would like to wish all of its members a very happy holiday season!
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