Ontario Commits $50 Million to Expand McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Province’s largest cultural investment in over four decades aims to preserve Canada’s artistic legacy
KLEINBURG — The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg is set for a transformative expansion, with the Ontario government pledging up to $50 million over the next three years to modernize the iconic gallery. The investment marks the province’s first major capital funding for the McMichael in 43 years.
Announced by Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, the funding will support the redevelopment of the aging 70-year-old facility and its surrounding grounds. The upgrades are expected to increase program capacity, improve accessibility, and ensure long-term preservation of a nationally significant art collection valued at $750 million.
“The McMichael Canadian Art Collection celebrates the Canadian and Indigenous experience,” said Minister Cho in a government release. “Our government’s investment will help McMichael modernize and grow, protect the gallery’s collection and secure the institution’s status as a world-class cultural tourism attraction for generations to come.”
#ICYMI: Our government is investing $50M into the iconic McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Vaughan.
This historic funding will ensure the McMichael can continue to preserve and promote Canadian culture for generations to come.
Check it out: https://t.co/45SnA18L0o
— Stan Cho (@StanChoMPP) April 9, 2025
Located on forested grounds along the Humber River, the McMichael is home to more than 7,000 works by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, and Indigenous artists, as well as contemporary Canadian creators. It is the only publicly funded art gallery in Canada dedicated exclusively to Canadian and Indigenous art.
Executive Director and Chief Curator Sarah Milroy welcomed the provincial commitment, noting its significance in ensuring the gallery’s future. “In a time when our nation seeks spaces to come together, the McMichael is that place – a place to share our stories, embrace our differences and celebrate the connections between us,” Milroy said.
The funding is contingent on matching support from the federal government and private donors. Ottawa has already contributed $25 million through its Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, bringing total announced support to $75 million.
King-Vaughan MPP Stephen Lecce, who represents the area, called the investment “historic,” emphasizing its importance amid increasing geopolitical tensions. “Now is exactly the right time to double down on investments that promote Canadian symbols, values, and our core identity,” Lecce said in the release.
The expansion comes as the McMichael continues to reach new audiences through exhibitions and education. Its 2025 lineup includes drawings from the Arctic community of Kinngait and contemporary works by Toronto artists Derek Sullivan and Sandra Brewster.
Board Chair Andrew Pringle praised the gallery’s evolving role in arts education and community outreach. “Thanks to this extraordinary investment from the Province of Ontario, our transformed facility will serve those communities better than ever,” he said.
The McMichael first opened to the public in 1966 after founders Robert and Signe McMichael donated their art collection, home, and land to the province. Nearly 60 years later, its legacy is poised to grow once again.
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