Extra $5M for WAG's Inuit Art Centre part of PC government's new funding model

The Inuit Art Centre at the Winnipeg Art Gallery got a provincial funding boost at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility.

Premier BrianPallistersays his government's extra $5 million comes after his government re-evaluated the project using new methods to determine a value for money.

The Progressive Conservative government had previously committed $10 million to the $65-millionart centre. The contribution was $5 million less than a pledge made by the NDP in the dying days of their term in office.

Pallister made the announcement in front of hundreds of guests, contributors and dignitaries gathered under a hot sun at a ceremony next to the WAG Friday morning. Throat singers, an Inuit ceremonial dance and blessings from elders ushered in the next phase of the work on the centre.

The provincial government's increased contribution comes with a requirement the WAG raise a further $10 million in private funding.

The new model, first applied here, would see the province contribute $1 for every $2 raised by the organization, up to a cap.

Pallistersays the new model of evaluating applications for provincial funding will include more than just arts facilities.

"We will be applying these types of methods to infrastructure applications in other categories. It's not specifically to arts. But I would say attracting tourism is one component obviously. The payback in terms of tax return to the province,"Pallistertold reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony.

When the PC government announced it wouldn't meet the NDP'scommitment of $15 million in December 2017, Pallistercited fiscal concerns from the previous administration.

Pallistersays the decision to increase the funding was made after further and more comprehensive evaluations.

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"Well, because the analysis went further. I mean we were only part way along. We had enough to know that this project ranked fairly highly and wanted to ensure that it could go ahead. We didn't want to be anything but supportive of this,"Pallistersaid.

"Today is a great moment for our city, our province and our country, but especially for the Inuit," said WAG director Stephen Borys.

The total from private and public contributions has now reached $57 million, Borys said, including $15 million from the federal government and $5 million provided by the City of Winnipeg.