ONmuseums: Museums Impact on Budget

Need to Know   |   Provincial News  |   Have you Heard?
OMA Initiatives     |    Upcoming OMA Dates

TODS Program One-year Price Freeze
 

Following concerns expressed by representatives from Ontario’s tourism industry and the OMA on behalf of museums, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport announced a negotiated price freeze for the Tourism-Oriented Directional Signing (TODS) program of 2019 on December 27, 2018.

Read the press release by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport HERE.

TODS representatives confirmed that previous TODS Participation Agreements (contracts) are extended at the same 2018 participation fees and terms up to December 31, 2019. 

Revised invoices will be sent to TODS participants by mail. If you have already paid the invoice you previously received, you will be sent a refund shortly for the difference in the participation fees.

Read the letter from Canadian TODS Limited HERE.

Thanks to members' responses to the OMA TODS Survey, the OMA was able to more accurately present the financial issues created by the late notification and unanticipated substantial fee increases. The OMA expressed these concerns to Minister Tibollo on December 21, 2018, and also provided a draft report of anonymous collected information to MTCS staff. The OMA worked with Attractions Ontario and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), and will be working together to improve the TODS Program.  

Read the OMA letter to Minister Tibollo HERE.

Here are some results from the December OMA TODS Survey  (thank you for your prompt feedback!):

Ontario Government Budget Submissions
Deadline February 8, 2019
 

In advance of the Ontario Budget 2019, the Ministry of Finance is undertaking budget consultations to hear from members of the public.

The Government is looking for "innovative and cost-effective ideas that can":

• cut red tape for businesses and people who access government services
• improve the delivery of government programs or services
• save taxpayers’ money

Read more about 2019 Budget Consultations HERE. 

There are three ways for museum staff, volunteers, board members, and supporters to participate:

1. Online at https://www.ontario.ca/form/2019-ontario-budget-listening-to-the-people-survey 
2. Attending a regional in-person session (details still to come)
3. Sending in (500 words or shorter) written submissions to submissions@ontario.ca

The OMA will present to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, and the Association will share our documents and talking points for coordinated action. Check future OMA communications and website for updates. We encourage members to focus on our sector's key areas of impact:

• E conomic Development
  • Museums in Ontario are a vital part of our province's
    • $25.7 billion Culture GDP (269,000 jobs)
    • $34.1 billion Tourism GDP (390,000 jobs)
  • Culture is 3.7% of the province's GDP, and growing
  • Museums in Ontario welcome 19.4 million in-person visits per year
    • 53,150 visits per day!
  • 93.5 million online visits per year to Ontario museum websites
    • 52% increase over 5 years 
• E mployment
  • 11,000 jobs in Ontario museums
• E ducation
  • 2 million schoolchildren visit Ontario's museums as part of dedicated class visits annually
  • 77% of museums in Ontario offer programs directly linked to provincial curriculum

And to highlight their work towards the goals of Ontario's Museums 2025 for :

• Vibrant & Vital Museums;
• Relevant & Meaningful Collections;
• an Effective & Collaborative Workforce; and 
• a Strong & Successful Sector

To support member submissions, see our summary document Ontario's Museums HERE.

The OMA encourages members to complete the Museum Impact Survey  before January 31, as data and stories of impact are essential to building a strong case for support of Ontario's museums. 

Read more about 2019 Budget Consultations HERE.