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A Saskatoon city councillor wants the provincial government to provide more money to fund the operations of the Remai Modern art gallery.
Aileen Burns, the gallery’s co-executive director and CEO, said the Remai receives about $600,000 a year from the province. Regina’s MacKenzie Art Gallery receives “considerably more,” she said.
“It’s regrettable,” Coun. Randy Donauer said of the disparity during two-year Saskatoon civic budget talks Wednesday.
Burns said provincial politicians praised the art gallery, which opened in 2017, after a recent event. She said Premier Scott Moe called the venue a jewel of the province and a jewel of the nation.
“Jewels cost money,” Donauer replied. He suggested now might be a good time for gallery officials to lobby the province for more financial support.
Council unanimously approved the Remai Modern budget, including operating grants of $6.6 million next year and $6.7 million in 2027 — an unusually high amount for a city the size of Saskatoon.
By comparison, the City of Regina provided a grant of $308,000 for the MacKenzie Art Gallery this year.
The MacKenzie cost $5.8 million to run in the fiscal year that ended in March; a total of $1.7 million in operating and programming grants is listed in its annual report. However, the report fails to detail where the grants come from.
Remai Modern budgeted for $12.7 million in operating costs this year. That is expected to rise to $13.2 million next year and $14 million in 2027.
TCU Place CEO Tammy Sweeney told council the downtown event venue and convention centre is having a better year than expected. Its projected deficit of $538,000 has shrunk to about $100,000.
TCU Place expects to break even for the next two years, but the facility wants an increase in civic funding from $500,000 a year to $600,000 a year in 2027.
Mayor Cynthia Block called the turnaround “very impressive.”
Council also approved the budget for SaskTel Centre, which is expecting a net surplus of $964,000 next year.
SaskTel Centre CEO John Howden said a big event for next summer is expected to be announced next week.
Overall, council approved grants of $10.2 million next year and $10.6 million in 2027 for the three venues that are operated by council-appointed boards..