Manitoba museums, heritage organizations at risk as costs rise, volunteer base shrinks: association

The heads of two Manitoba historical and heritage organizations are calling for the province to increase funding to protect agencies like theirs, saying inflation and a dwindling volunteer base are putting their sector at risk.

Gordon Goldsborough, the president of the Manitoba Historical Society, and Thomas McLeod, the executive director of the Association of Manitoba Museums, say the government hasn't increased funding for the eight heritage agencies that serve the province for roughly 20 years.

"The effect of that is, with the consequences of inflation … [that funding] has gone down," Goldsborough said.

"We're getting less than we used to get, at the same time as we're being asked to do as much or more than we used to do."

The historian, who is a volunteer himself, says many heritage agencies don't have enough in annual grants to hire paid employees, so they have to rely heavily on free labour and fundraising to keep operating.

"It's a constant challenge to raise money. You're not trying to work hard on producing great heritage content. You're just worrying where your next nickel is coming from, and that's a problem."

McLeod said the thought of losing small museums, archives and heritage associations "keeps you awake at night."

"You know how tight their margins are, and how things like rising costs and inflation this year is not going to match anywhere near the funds that they normally get to operate," he told host Keisha Paul in a Sunday interview with CBC Manitoba's Weekend Morning Show.

Without a funding boost, McLeod said he's worried some of these agencies might fail. That's because their volunteer base is aging and younger people don't always have the capacity to step in to fill the void.

"What's at stake in Manitoba when we lose our heritage is we're relying so much on the collective memory," said McLeod.

"But if we lose the artifacts and the archives that go with that … we're losing the tangible evidence, and what happens is then you're in [a] crisis of having to recover that."

Goldsborough adds that disinformation and conspiracy theories can take root when reliable organizations aren't around to answer questions with authority and accuracy.

Saskatchewan model 

Both men look to Manitoba's western neighbour for ways to help archives, museums and heritage organizations thrive.

Proceeds from Saskatchewan Lotteries — the provincial marketing organization for lottery tickets — support culture and heritage initiatives in that province like museums, archeology, archives, local heritage parks and associations.

McLeod says those agencies in Saskatchewan are getting eight to 10 times the money that Manitoba counterparts are.

Goldsborough adds that Saskatchewan agencies get stable funding for three years at a time, while Manitoba groups have to apply annually.

He says it makes him feel like Oliver Twist in the Charles Dickens novel, where the eponymous character asks for more gruel and is turned away.

"The answer is no, you don't get more. You get the same or you get less," Goldsborough said.

A spokesperson for the provincial government it supports 175 organizations on an annual basis through a variety of grants, with $5.7 million in annual funding for both operating expenses and project supports.

The spokesperson also said over the last five years, the provincial government created new endowment-based heritage programs in partnership with the Winnipeg Foundation that provided $57 million in funding, including a $25-million trust to preserve the downtown Winnipeg Hudson's Bay Building.

Heritage organizations will also be able to access support through the arts and culture sustainability fund, which was recently renewed with $6 million, as well as a new arts, culture and sport community fund, with a total of $100 million to be spent over the next three years, the spokesperson said.