Greek heritage museum gets funding boost
The Ontario government has put forward $325,000 in funding to support the development of a Greek-Canadian heritage museum in Toronto.
The province announced the funding on March 25, and the money will be used to create a new community hub and central repository of photos, books, historic newspapers, and an archive of recorded histories. It will also provide professionally designed educational programs for people of all ages, linking generations of Canadians to the Hellenic legacy.
"Ontario is home to a proud and growing Greek community," said Premier Doug Ford. "This museum will provide a destination for everyone to celebrate Greek heritage and culture, right here in Toronto."
The museum will be located at the Archdiocesan headquarters in Toronto. Project planning is currently in preliminary stages with timelines and architectural plans to be determined.
"With more than 270,000 people of Hellenic descent in Canada, and more than half of them living in Toronto, there is no better place to locate this new Greek-Canadian heritage museum," said Tourism Minister Lisa MacLeod. “This investment will boost tourism in the GTA, bring communities together and highlight the modern intellectual and scientific knowledge people of Hellenic descent have brought to the province - showcasing how Ontario offers the world in one province."
March 25 is the annual Greek Independence Day. This year’s occasion commemorated the 200th anniversary of the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821.
Last year, Ontario became the first province in Canada to formally recognize March as Hellenic Heritage Month.