Shovels in the dirt, heavy machinery on site, and a picture of the new Greater Vernon Cultural Centre on display at the ground breaking ceremony Tuesday, August 26 (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

$500K Grant

Federal grant going to support Greater Vernon Cultural Centre

Aug 27, 2025 | 2:34 PM

The new culture and art centre in Vernon is getting an outside financial boost.

A $500,000 grant is going to support the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre (GVCC) through the Government of Canada’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.

“We are grateful to the Government of Canada for this generous contribution”, Bob Fleming, chair of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee and Director of Electoral Area B, said in a release from the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO).

“This funding has been instrumental in helping move forward a project that will serve as a vibrant and inclusive space for creativity, learning, and connection. The support affirms the importance of investing in cultural infrastructure that reflects and celebrates the diverse voices of our community. We’re excited to see this vision come to life and thank our federal partners for helping make it possible.”

The program’s aim is to invest in physical spaces that reflect and celebrate Canada’s cultural life through arts, heritage, culture, and creative innovation.

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“Cultural spaces are essential to the social fabric of any community,” Steven Guilbeault, minister of Canadian identity and culture and minister responsible for official languages, said in the release.

“They provide a welcoming place where neighbours can learn about different cultures. This Canada Cultural Spaces Fund support has allowed the Regional District of North Okanagan to advance critical pre-construction and design work in support of a new Greater Vernon Cultural Centre. The Government of Canada is thrilled to help take this cultural hub from concept to reality. I look forward to the day that the community makes the space its own.”

The $500,000 builds on the more than $1.7-million already raised in support of the GVCC.

The RDNO added it had also applied for an additional $6.86-million through two other federal and provincial grant programs, though they remained under review as of time of publication.

The ground breaking for the GVCC was held Tuesday, August 26, with the goal of having the facility built and open to the public in 2028.