Alberta gives transition funding to 119-year-old historical society after budget cut
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EDMONTON – Alberta’s government is now giving a 119-year-old historical society some transitional funding after the group was left out of the latest budget.
The government’s February budget was tabled and passed without the $76,000 that for years went to the Historical Society of Alberta. Arts and Culture Minister Tanya Fir said at the time that it was a “tough budget.”
Society president Lorien Johansen had said the group wasn’t at risk of folding, but questioned why it was the one on the chopping block.
On Thursday, the society announced the government has agreed to provide it with funding for the next three years to help it transition from government support.
The volunteer-run society, founded by Alberta’s first premier in 1907, will receive its usual $76,000 this year, $38,000 in the next budget and $19,000 in the budget after that.
Johansen said Thursday the organization appreciated the assistance, as well as the government recognizing that preserving history is important work.
“This funding is not just an investment in our organization; it is an investment in Alberta’s cultural fabric and our vibrant tourism economy,” she said in a news release.
“Our history is a shared asset, and this support allows us to keep it accessible for generations to come.”
Questions sent to Fir’s office Thursday were referred to Tourism Minister Andrew Boitchenko.
In a statement, Boitchenko reiterated that the funding was temporary and said the government was committed to its decision in the budget to “refocus” its funding scheme.
“This approach prioritizes programs and initiatives that benefit the broader heritage and community sector, rather than providing ongoing operational funding to individual organizations,” Boitchenko said.
“We recognize the Historical Society of Alberta’s long-standing contributions to preserving and promoting Alberta’s history and to support a smooth transition to this new funding approach, a one-time, transitional arrangement over a specific time frame has been put in place and is not a continuation of ongoing operational funding.”
The society said the funding will be stabilizing as it plans for the future, and it thanked members of the public who had advocated on its behalf.
“The society remains firmly committed to its 119-year mission of safeguarding the diverse stories and heritage that define the province,” it said in the release.
The organization has five chapters across the province. The society puts on events to promote local history, helps fund research and has its own publications.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2026.