Title
REPORT BACK - CULTURE PLAN UPDATE
1. That the City of Barrie Culture Plan Update attached as Appendix A to the Report to the Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee dated November 19, 2025, concerning the Report Back - Culture Plan Update, be received and approved in principle to guide the future planning and development of the cultural sector.
2. That the overall 65 recommendations identified in this Report Back - Culture Plan Update be used to guide the development of the 2026 - 2035 Cultural Development operating budgets and future Capital Plans for Council consideration as part of the Business Plan approval process.
3. That the following implementation items be included as part of the 2026 Budget, with a net-zero impact on tax base:
a) Allocate unspent funds from Capital Project EC1000 Culture Plan and Public Art Master Plan in the amount of $50,000 to create a new capital project to update the Arts and Culture Investment Program to align with the new Culture Plan and Performing Arts Centre, including exploring alternate funding models to grow the program; and
b) Re-allocate summer student salaries in the amount of $32,000 within the Economic and Creative Development budget to provide additional resource capacity within the Small Business Centre in the form of programming, and/or conversion of a part-time resource, to temporary full-time, to deliver consultation services, professional development programs to support culture organizations' in building capacity in preparation for a new Performing Arts Centre.
4. That an intake form be included in the 2027 Budget for the development of an In-Kind Tourism and Culture Event Grant Program to offset hard costs for municipal provided services (i.e. transit shuttles, waste removal, etc.) for significant tourism-driving and culture supportive events with cost recovery to be supported by the Tourism Reserve of up to $100,000, and with the following program goals:
a) Boost Tourism: Support events ...
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