Nutrien Wonderhub $300K deficit means higher admission fees in 2025

The province’s only children’s museum in Saskatoon, Nutrien Wonderhub, will be operating with an overall $300,000 deficit in 2025.

That’s even though $72,150 has been approved in next year’s City of Saskatoon budget to help with building repairs and insurance. The city also provides a yearly “culture grant” of $95,000 to the non- profit to help with expenses. The facility’s overall operating budget is just under $2 million per year.

The museum gets more than 100,000 visitors every year, with about 30 per cent of them coming from outside of the city. It offers a variety of children’s events, programs, displays, and activities year-round.

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Leah Brodie, Nutrien Wonderhub CEO, said she went to the Saskatoon city budget meetings on Dec. 2, asking for a couple of things.

“That they (City of Saskatoon) would not implement new charges in the range of $40,000 to $75,000 per year for building repairs and building insurance,” said Brodie.

“Additionally, we were hoping we would have increased support either through reduced base rent rates, or through increased grant funding, to help offset about 50 per cent of our base rent cost,” she explained.

Proposed base rent costs for 2025 are about $164,900 a year, and Brodie was hoping for either a grant to offset that or indirect help through a reduced rent rate equaling $82,450.

While she said the decision council made is helpful, it doesn’t take care of the overall deficit.

“We are looking at an increased admission fee in the future. We don’t love passing costs along to families in the community. We know that families are under a lot of financial pressure as it is at the moment,” she said.

She added that $300,000 is “not an insignificant number,” and they’re working on securing financial support from other sources, including fundraising events, and asking the provincial government for help, like other destination parks and museums including Wanuskewin Heritage Park, and the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina.

“The children’s museum has never received an operating grant from the Province of Saskatchewan,” she said.

The museum has operated with a deficit in four out of the last five fiscal years, with the amount ranging from year to year.

Even with a deficit, Brodie emphasized there are multiple benefits to keeping the museum open.

“We’re looking at a conservatively estimated $2.5 million contribution to the local economy…that really adds to local businesses, hotels, restaurants et cetera,” she noted.

The children’s events and educational programming also incorporates the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) programs, especially for ages 0 to 9.

It’s not clear yet when admission fees will be increased, but Brodie said it would likely be early in 2025.