The Museums Association of Saskatchewan (MAS), alongside Heritage Saskatchewan as the Saskatchewan Heritage Coalition, welcomes the federal government’s recognition of cultural heritage in Budget 2026 – while cautioning that new funding heavily favours national institutions over local heritage sites and is undercut by Parks Canada staffing cuts.
Key Federal Investments
Budget 2026 includes several notable commitments to safeguard Canada’s heritage:
- $783.1 million over five years for national museums, the National Battlefields Commission, the National Arts Centre, and Library and Archives Canada for aging facilities, collections, and programming.
- $3 million annually through 2029–30 to designate Regina’s RCMP Heritage Centre as a national museum.
- $3.6 billion over ten years to manage 20,000 Parks Canada capital assets across national parks and historic sites.
- $300 million for the Canada 160 Fund to support Heritage Minutes, the Trans Canada Trail, community spaces, and signature experiences.
Critical Gaps for Local Museums
Despite these commitments, significant gaps remain for community heritage organizations:
- Little Support for Community Museums: Most funding targets federally managed assets, leaving minimal support for municipal, provincial, and private heritage sites. In Saskatchewan, national museum funding covers only 1 of more than 250 museums, overlooking local sites that drive community vitality and need help with aging facilities.
- Parks Canada Staffing Cuts: Operating reductions will affect nearly 3,000 Parks Canada employees and cut at least 500 full-time equivalent jobs over three years – risking the care and visitor experience at national historic sites.
Looking Ahead
As Canada approaches its 160th anniversary, national heritage relies on local museums, organizations, and volunteers just as much as national institutions. We urge the federal government to build on Budget 2026 through stronger municipal-provincial-federal partnerships that sustain local heritage across the country.
