Provincial Budget 2011-2012

Communiqué

Heritage Saskatchewan Comments on Provincial Budget, 2011-2012

The Honourable Ken Krawetz, Minister of Finance, delivered the 2011 - 2012 provincial budget yesterday which detailed that overall spending on heritage-related initiatives within the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport (TPCS) will increase in the following year.

“Specifically, the 74 % increase in funding to the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation (SHF) is certainly a step in the right direction,” noted Heritage Saskatchewan President Kristin Enns-Kavanagh. “This increase in funding will certainly help the SHF carry out its mandate in a more meaningful manner.”

Funding for the SHF will increase from $289,000 to $504,000 this coming fiscal year.The SHF, the only provincial agency that funds community-based heritage institutions and initiatives, is a core building block for heritage assets and resources at the community level.

In addition to this funding increase, SHF has initiated a strategic review which will assist it in planning future directions. This is an important step towards a broader vision for SHF, one where that organization can truly fulfill its mandate to support a wide range of Saskatchewan heritage - built heritage, but also natural and cultural heritage such as languages and landscapes.

“Heritage Saskatchewan welcomes this substantial funding increase and thanks the ministry for having the foresight to recognize that investment in our heritage assets is vital to our provincial development,” mentions Heritage Saskatchewan CEO Ingrid Cazakoff. “We look forward to further heritage initiatives as the government continues to work with the heritage community in enhancing its cultural policy.”

Heritage Saskatchewan is a non-profit, community-based organization that represents the collective voice for heritage activity and interests throughout the province of Saskatchewan. Its members advocate preserving our collective heritage for future generations and advancing the public agenda on heritage-related issues.