Question Period Note: Pandemic and Emergency Investment for national museums and the National Battlefields Commission

The national museums and the National Battlefields Commission rely heavily on their earned revenues to supplement parliamentary appropriations. Social distancing measures continue to have an adverse affect on visitation to these cultural institutions. On June 18, 2020, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced an emergency investment for the six national museums and the National Battlefields Commission of $25.7 million to help offset impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• Canada's national museums are important cultural institutions that play a vital role in preserving Canada's heritage, educating Canadians and inspiring innovation.
• In the short term, the Government of Canada is investing up to $25.7 million to protect the sustainability of our national museums and the National Battlefields Commission by supporting their operating costs and projected reopening costs.
• We will continue to work with these national institutions towards the continued preservation and development of our artistic, cultural and historical treasures as we grapple with this pandemic.

• As of March 14, 2020, all six national museums and the National Battlefields Commission closed their doors as a precautionary measure to protect the health and safety of Canadians and visitors against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• These closures are having a significant negative impact on their budgets, since these institutions rely heavily on their earned revenues to supplement parliamentary appropriations. On average, self-generated revenues and contributions account for approximately 25 percent of their annual budgets.
• The national museums and the National Battlefields Commission garner most of their revenues during the spring and summer, which is peak tourist season: these revenues come from special exhibitions, seasonal camps, school trips, group tours, special events, animation activities, parking, and summer holiday visitors.
• Despite taking measures to reduce operational costs, the national museums and the National Battlefields Commission are facing severe and unmanageable pressures as they have limited financial capacity to absorb losses and reallocate spending.
• In June 2020, CBC/Radio-Canada News reported that employees of the National Museum of Science and Technology (which operates publically as Ingenium) had been asked to take several weeks of unpaid leave. The proposal was made as a response to financial issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and was intended to avoid the need for layoffs.
• These institutions do not qualify for federal support measures such as Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) due to their status as Crown corporations or government institutions.
• On June 18, 2020, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced a one-year emergency investment for the 6 national museums and the National Battlefields Commission of $25.7 million to help offset impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This funding ensured that these organizations were able to stay afloat during the crisis and retain essential and skilled staff, maintain critical essential services during the closure, meet existing financial obligations, and have the capacity to re-open when the precautionary measures were lifted.
• Funding will be allocated among the following organizations :
o Canadian Museum for Human Rights ($2,206,586)
o Canadian Museum of History ($4,256,563)
o Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 ($2,049,575)
o Canadian Museum of Nature ($5,927,263)
o National Gallery of Canada ($4,808,711)
o National Museum of Science and Technology ($5,338,974)
o National Battlefields Commission ($1,112,328)
• The national museums and the Plains of Abraham Museum at the National Battlefields Commission have all re-opened their doors to the public.

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