Glenbow Museum axes 27 employees due to COVID-19

The Glenbow Museum is laying off 27 staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization said Thursday in a news release.

"It is disheartening," CEO Nicholas Bell said.

"Many of these colleagues are long-term employees at Glenbow, and the loss of their skills and institutional knowledge is a tremendous blow."

More than 80 per cent of the museum's staff, 83 of the organization's 100 employees, were temporarily laid off in March because more than half of its operating budget comes from admissions.

Pre-pandemic, the museum received a $40 million pledge for renovation and renewal from the province in February. It was conditional on additional fundraising and fund matching from other sources.

Premier Jason Kenney said at the time he hoped the public funds would attract private investment.

• Glenbow Museum temporarily lays off more than 80% of staff due to closure
• Jason Kenney announces $40M for 'renewal' of Glenbow Museum

Prior to Thursday's layoffs, the museum tried to encourage people to leave with voluntary retirement packages in April and voluntary resignation packages the following month.

Ten people put their hands up.

"Glenbow is undertaking a major restructuring to facilitate how the museum will operate going forward," Bell said in the Thursday release.

The laid-off staff will get severance packages based on how long they worked there.