Ottawa, February 17, 2023
Submission for the Finance Department Pre-Budget Consultations 2023 by the Canadian Museums Association (CMA)
Submitted to the letstalkbudget2023.ca portal, February 10, 2023.
There are 2,700 museums in Canada. They comprise one of the few sectors that have representation in every riding, every region, rural and urban, and are contributing to the local, provincial, and federal economy.
CMA’s report, the Value Study of GLAMs in Canada, indicates that for every dollar invested in non-profit galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs), society receives nearly four dollars in benefit. The return is comparable to government investments in transportation infrastructure projects. From this research we know that museums contribute to economic health of our country, supporting skills development, innovation, and through our vast collections and growing community networks, inclusivity. In short, museums are an essential part in building a resilient, empathic Canada.
It is with this in mind that we request that the 2023 Federal Budget consider the following investments:
Recommendations:
1) Funding for the implementation of UNDRIP in the cultural heritage sector and Moved to Action report recommendations.
In 2015, the Canadian Museums Association (CMA) was named in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #67, to deliver a report and recommendations as part of a national review of museum policies and their relationship with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Call to Action #67 tasked the CMA “to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and to make recommendations.” The report, called Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums , was released on September 27, 2022.
During the CMA’s many meaningful discussions on reconciliation and self-determination in museums with Indigenous heritage professionals, knowledge keepers, and community members, one statement stood out: Reconciliation is a gift to museums. It represents an opportunity to be moved to enact and support Indigenous self-determination.
The report makes 10 recommendations for action and change aimed at governments and the museum sector. Action on these recommendations would be simple. Among these recommendations is the call for a revised National Museum Policy that would align with and support UNDRIP implementation. As well, the existing Museum Assistance Program (MAP) provides a program and policy framework that could be readily expanded to accommodate new, UNDRIP-related funding support.
Our legal frameworks governing Canada/Indigenous relations — treaties and the recently adopted UNDRIP Act — tell us that this is not a matter of diversity and inclusion; these are legal obligations that Canada must uphold. Immediate action in these areas would represent an important first step toward implementation of UNDRIP in the museum and heritage sector.
While all the Moved to Action report’s recommendations require government support at levels, we would highlight the following recommendations for budgetary allocations:
- Recommendation 1 - Enact strong legislation to support the repatriation of Indigenous belongings and ancestors. This must informed by nation-wide consultations with Indigenous peoples.
- Recommendation 2 - Provide dedicated funding for repatriation processes. The First Peoples’ Cultural Council is currently engaging in a cost analysis project for the Repatriation of B.C. First Nations Ancestors and Cultural Treasures and may be able to provide insight on the costs of carrying out these types of costing exercises.
- Recommendation 3 - Bolster financial support for Indigenous cultural centres, Indigenous-led national heritage organizations and Indigenous-led commemorative activities. This includes bolstered financial support for Indigenous cultural centres to align with the current need, with the understanding that the recent Cultural Spaces in Indigenous Communities program launched by Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada has provided funding to only 10 percent of applicants for the 2022–23 fiscal year. We would also like to identify that specific support is needed for Indigenous-led completion of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action 81 & 82.
- Recommendation 6 - Develop a cohesive collections strategy.
- Recommendation 8 - Review existing laws related to heritage for compliance with UNDRIP.
- Recommendation 9 - Develop a national UNDRIP professional development strategy for museum professionals. Currently partial funding for this has been allocated to CMA under the Museums Assistance program for one year, but we can already identify this will take ongoing support.
- Recommendation 10 - Support the development of peer networks and mentorship.
While the CMA can offer some support, determining total costs will require dedicated resources and Indigenous-led consultation. We therefore ask that the federal government provide funding and opportunities for Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations to carry out research, engagement, and consultation in support of implementation these recommendations, as a means of starting and furthering this process as required.
2) Increase the funding for and the flexibility of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) and index it to inflation.
It is our belief at this time that investment in the MAP program, along with the Department of Canadian Heritage’s consultations and planned policy renewal around the National Museum Policy will be an important step in 2023 to support museums to green their operations, create new jobs and become innovative, more inclusive, and more resilient.
As indicated in the 1990 museum policy funding for MAP was meant to reach $18 million by 1994-95. Per its own self-evaluation, MAP did not reach this funding amount by that date. Moreover, even during the report’s evaluation period (2013-2017), the funding amount stayed close to approximately $6.7 million. If funding had hit it’s 1998 target been adjusted for inflation we would see a current MAP funding pool of an estimated $34 million. From this time and into the present moment, Canadians are facing a cost-of-living crisis which will doubtless impact heritage-sector workers and institutions and undoubtedly affects the ability of museums to carry out operations.
Canada’s most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI), a core indicator of inflation, was at 6.3% in December 2022, the highest level in a decade. We would like to ask, at a minimum, that the federal budget index MAP funding to inflation from here forward, so that the program can continue delivering with high levels of relevance and effectiveness.
Additionally, the MAP program is oversubscribed in its current funding capacity. Applications to the program outpace funds by a significant margin which shows demand for the program to support museums.
Meanwhile, small (defined as museums with less than five paid staff) and remote museums often lack the internal capacity dedicated to the MAP application process, find matching funds, or meet MAP funding criteria due to operational constraints. During its consultation with museums, the Department of Heritage also found a need for MAP to review its existing intake cycles to allow funding towards time-sensitive and off-season projects. Department of Heritage staff are adept and in the ongoing process of improving the program, and we wholeheartedly support that they are given the funding and opportunity to expand it as per their recommendation. We ask that the federal budget increased the MAP funding envelope to align with eligible demand that the program can become more accessible and flexible.
3) Increase operational support for museum employment to support their roles as economic drivers, including a $400,000 pilot investment in older Emerging Museum Professionals and funding stability of $3.3 million annually for the Young Canada Works program.
Museums are especially adept at training young Canadians for professional employment through the Young Canada Works (YCW) program as administered by the Canadian Museums Association, which employed and trained more than 1,200 student and recent graduate positions at 715 museums nationwide in 2021-22.
Supplemental funding has been granted to YCW on a short-term basis since 2017-2018. The demand from the sector continues to exceed even supplemental funding, but late approvals of supplemental funding from the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy result in disrupted workplans for museums, hasty recruitment periods, and ultimately cancellations of positions. We recommend incorporating these supplemental funding amounts of $3.3 million annually into core funding, so that positions can start in early April, and so that employers can take the time to ensure they are reaching out to underserved and equity-seeking youth candidates. We therefore ask that funding more funding be allocated to YCW at its core and that funds, including funds related to program administration be indexed to inflation.
In addition, many of these students go on to contribute to museums, but across many other sectors as dynamic museum operations allow for training in many transferable skills. Currently, the Young Canada Works program does not support emerging museum workers above the age of 30, which is out of step with the required training that is required for some sector positions. Additionally, diverse candidates are given fewer opportunities to enter the sector as a result of the age limit.
This type of investment will bring stability to museums, so they can better serve in their roles as economic drivers for communities and help combat the brain drain that is faced by the sector, as emerging professionals make the tricky mid-career transition. We therefore ask that $400,000 be invested into a pilot program to support older emerging museum professionals.
We appreciate the time and consideration of the Department of Finance in our request. Any questions regarding our submission can be directed to executivedirector@museums.ca.
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