Provincial Budget 2007: Good News
for Museums
March 22, 2007
There is good news for Ontario museums in the provincial budget
announced today by Finance Minister Greg Sorbara.
As part of its strategy to further boost jobs and economic renewal,
the government will increase annual funding of the Community Museum
Operating Grant (CMOG) program by $2.3 million starting in 2007-08.
The OMA had requested $5 million to fill the gap between the level
of funding currently received by museums and the level of funding
prescribed under the funding formula in the Ontario Heritage Act.
The OMA also requested an additional $5 million to support new museums
and those which currently do not qualify for the program.
“We are pleased with this investment in Ontario’s museums
as a first step in addressing the gap in funding,” says OMA
President Tammy Adkin. “We look forward to continuing to work
with the Ontario government to ensure that museums are in a position
to excel at telling Ontario’s stories, preserving Ontario’s
history, and contributing to Ontario’s economic prosperity.”
In a letter to Adkin, Minister of Culture Caroline Di Cocco wrote
“I commend the Ontario Museum Association for its successful
postcard campaign. I was pleased to share this public support for
heritage with my Cabinet colleagues, and I look forward to receiving
the final results of the Ontario Trillium Foundation study on financial
sustainability, which is now being completed by your association.
We will continue to work cooperatively with the Ontario Museum Association
as we chart a future course for Ontario’s community museums.”
The budget also included a $20 million increase in annual funding
for the Ontario Trillium Foundation by 2009-10. The OMA hopes this
increased capacity will enable the Trillium Foundation to extend
funding to municipal museums currently ineligible to receive Trillium
support.
The Ontario Arts Council also receives an increase in annual funding
by $15 million by 2009-10. The OMA hopes that increased public support
to the OAC may lead to eventual support for the dynamic programming
and innovative artistic endeavours of museums across the province.
The budget did not include any new capital programs specifically
open to museums, but rather reiterated $1.9 million in capital investments,
already announced as part of the stimulus package in the 2006 Economic
Outlook and Fiscal Review, to Cobalt Mining Museum, Bonnechere Museum,
Iron Bridge Museum, Paipoonge Museum, Oil Springs Museum, Red Lake
Museum, Battlefield House Museum Park, Thunder Bay Historical Museum
Society, Timmins Museum and Royal Canadian Regiment Museum. The
budget did include $2.6 million for additional capital projects,
including arts and heritage facilities, in Bracebridge, Cornwall,
Guelph, Hamilton, Minto, Napanee, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.
Also in the budget:
- $1.2 million to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in 2006-07
- $2 million annually to the St. Lawrence Parks Commission to support
Ontario’s Tourism industry and preserve the valuable heritage
sites at Fort Henry and Upper Canada Village
On behalf of its members, the OMA thanks the Task Force to Increase
Provincial Support to Ontario museums chaired by Gilles Seguin (City
of Ottawa, Heritage Development) and comprised of Marty Brent (Black
Creek Pioneer Village), Christina Tessier (Bytown Museum), Francis
Beaulieu (Museoparc Vanier Museopark), Nataley Nagy (Textile Museum
of Canada), Fiona Graham, private museum consultant, Barbara Ribey,
(Bruce County Museum and Archives) and Tom Reitz (Doon Heritage
Crossroads).
The OMA also thanks all members who wrote letters, called, e-mailed
and visited MPP’s and participated in the postcard campaign.
Your efforts made the difference. We encourage you to continue to
actively participate. While we celebrate the progress reflected
in today’s budget, we still need additional CMOG support,
a capital grants program and inclusion of all museums in the Ontario
Trillium Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council. We encourage all
members to thank Minister Di Cocco and your local MPP for this public
support.
Contact: Marie G. Lalonde
Executive Director
oma@museumsontario.com
416-348-8672
or toll-free in Ontario 1-866-OMA-8672
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