Council grants more money to rights museum

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is getting another $3.6 million from the City of Winnipeg.

It brings the total money the city has granted to the museum to more than $23 million.

Despite a unanimous vote by councillors on Wednesday , the money wasn't granted without trepidation.

Coun. Harvey Smith raised his concerns about the museum's financial position.

"We're getting nothing from them and I'm afraid they're going to come back again for more money," he said.

The $310-million museum, slated to open in 2013 near the forks of the historic Red and Assiniboine rivers, will be Canada's first national museum outside the Ottawa region.

It has been under construction since early 2009 and has been scratching for private donations for much longer.

'I voted for it, but I have really questions about them constantly coming for more money.' —Coun. Harvey Smith

The federal government has committed $22 million annually for the museum's operating costs — on top of a $100 million capital investment.

Manitoba is putting $40 million toward the project and the City of Winnipeg had previously approved a $20-million contribution in cash and in-kind donation in the form of land, infrastructure and forgiveness of property taxes.

The $3.6 million grant approved Wednesday by council is money that is simply being flipped back to the federal governement, in a way.

The federal government is paying the city money in lieu of taxes on the new museum. The grant will come from that money and be redirected to the museum.

"I voted for it, but I have really questions about them constantly coming for more money," said Smith.