Five national museums in Ottawa will get a big boost of funds for fixing leaky roofs, repairing electrical systems, and other long-term building maintenance, the federal government announced Monday.

Heritage Minister Bev Oda said the money is targeted for repairs and long-term building maintenance.
(CBC)

Heritage Minister Bev Oda was at the Canadian Museum of Nature in the morning to outline details of capital and infrastructure funding of $98.1 million for five Ottawa-based organizations. The investment will come from the Treasury Board Management Reserve.

In addition to the Museum of Nature, which will be receiving $2.8 million for urgent repairs, the funding is to be distributed over the next five years to the:

• National Gallery of Canada - $14.8 million for urgent repairs related to health and safety issues.
• Canadian Museum of Civilization - $4 million for urgent infrastructure issues.
• Canada Museum of Science and Technology - $19.9 million to address an operating shortfall, major repairs at three affiliated museums, education projects and to create a foundation to manage fundraising.
• National Arts Centre (NAC) - $56.6 million to address urgent repairs and replace equipment.

Oda called the Ottawa venues "keepers of our most treasured and significant heritage" and said in a statement that the one-time funding ensures "that the arts and our cultural heritage will play an essential role in the lives of Canadians for years to come."

Treasury Board president John Baird, the member of Parliament representing Ottawa West-Nepean, was also on hand for the announcement.

Baird said the funding will "ensure that our museums and culture centres have the support they need to preserve our shared history and promote Canadian talent."

John McAvity, executive director of the Canadian Museums Association, called Monday's announcement "good news" for museums.

"I think it's a very positive announcement that shows the federal government is taking its responsibility to museums and cultural institutions seriously," he told CBC Arts Online.

Infrastructure repairs 'not sexy, but necessary'

Many of Ottawa's national cultural institutions have complained about the decline of their facilities for years, saying they have had to defer necessary repairs and upgrades due to lack of funds.

Ottawa's Museum of Civilization will get $4 million for urgent infrastructure issues.
(CBC)

The new money will address "the longstanding issue of needed funding for repairs and long-term maintenance at Canada's national cultural organizations," said Peter Herrndorf, the president and chief executive officer of the NAC.

"While infrastructure rehabilitation may not be sexy, it is necessary to do the 'below the radar' work that protects our cultural assets."

In February 2004, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said that Canada's cultural heritage was in danger to future generations unless the government acted to protect, upgrade and restore federal historic and cultural sites.

No word on restoration of recent cuts

The announcement made no mention of whether the $4.6 million in cuts made to the museums assistance program in September would be restored. The program funds exhibits, restoration and other programs in regional museums across the country.

In late October, a House of Commons vote called on the government to reverse its decision. However, the vote was not binding and the government is not required to rescind the cuts.

The museum association's McAvity said he was encouraged by the fact that both Oda and Baird indicated that finding money for the five Ottawa institutions was a first step.

The National Gallery of Canada is getting $14.8 million to address health and safety issues.
(CBC)

"National institutions are important institutions. They are the federal government's sole responsibility, but they're not [its] only responsibility, either," McAvity said.

"Our collections do reside all across Canada in various museums — they're not all located in Ottawa. The needs of the national museums are indicative of so many of the other museums across Canada."

Oda also had no updates about the proposed National Portrait Gallery, a project that was first announced by the previous Liberal government in 2001 and originally set to open in 2005.

Earlier in 2006, the Conservative government launched a review of the $45-million project.