SaskatoonOverall, council approved grants of $10.2 million next year and $10.6 million in 2027 for the three city-owned venues that are operated by council-appointed boards: Remai Modern, TCU Place and SaskTel Centre.City council backs spending $6.6 million and $6.7 million to help operate Remai Modern for next two yearsPhil Tank · CBC News · Posted: Nov 26, 2025 12:02 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Johan Lundh, left, and Aileen Burns, who share the role of CEO and executive director at the Remai Modern art gallery, speak at Saskatoon city council’s budget talks on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (Phil Tank/CBC)A Saskatoon city councillor wants the provincial government to provide more money to fund the operations of the Remai Modern art gallery.Aileen Burns, the gallery’s co-executive director and CEO, said the Remai receives about $600,000 a year from the province. Regina’s MacKenzie Art Gallery receives “considerably more,” she said.“It’s regrettable,” Coun. Randy Donauer said of the disparity during two-year Saskatoon civic budget talks Wednesday.Burns said provincial politicians praised the art gallery, which opened in 2017, after a recent event. She said Premier Scott Moe called the venue a jewel of the province and a jewel of the nation.“Jewels cost money,” Donauer replied. He suggested now might be a good time for gallery officials to lobby the province for more financial support.Council unanimously approved the Remai Modern budget, including grants of $6.6 million next year and $6.7 million in 2027 — an unusually high amount for a city the size of Saskatoon.By comparison, the City of Regina provided a grant of $308,000 for the MacKenzie Art Gallery this year.The MacKenzie cost $5.8 million to run in the fiscal year that ended in March; a total of $1.7 million in operating and programming grants is listed in its annual report. However, the report fails to detail where the grants come from.Remai Modern budgeted for $12.7 million in operating costs this year. That is expected to rise to $13.2 million next year and $14 million in 2027.TCU Place CEO Tammy Sweeney told council the downtown event venue and convention centre is having a better year than expected. Its projected deficit of $538,000 has shrunk to about $100,000.TCU Place expects to break even for the next two years, but the facility wants an increase in civic funding from $500,000 a year to $600,000 a year in 2027.Mayor Cynthia Block called the turnaround “very impressive.”Council also approved the budget for SaskTel Centre, which is expecting a net surplus of $964,000 next year.SaskTel Centre CEO John Howden said a big event for next summer is expected to be announced next week.Overall, council approved grants of $10.2 million next year and $10.6 million in 2027 for the three venues that are operated by council-appointed boards..ABOUT THE AUTHORPhil Tank is an award-winning journalist based in Saskatoon. He can be reached at phil.tank@cbc.ca.
Councillor seeks more money from province to run Saskatoon’s Remai Modern art gallery
