After carefully considering the City of 国产传媒鈥檚 offer for a one-time grant alongside the Burnaby School District鈥檚 comprehensive review of the costs of the Michael J Fox Theatre, the 国产传媒 must remain committed to prioritizing its finite resources toward 国产传媒 students and K-12 educational needs. As such, while the Board sincerely appreciates the City鈥檚 proposal, regrettably the transition will continue on July 1 to exclusive use of the theatre for school and District-related purposes.
国产传媒 Chair Kristin Schnider:
鈥淲e want to thank the City of 国产传媒 for their efforts throughout this process. This decision was not made lightly by the Board. We appreciate the uncertainty surrounding the future of the theatre has been difficult for the community, user groups, and the dedicated theatre staff. While we recognize the significance of this loss to the community and that this is not the outcome many had hoped for, we cannot redirect classroom dollars and staff resources to community theatre, as our duty is to prioritize education.鈥
The theatre has run at a financial loss for more than a decade. The District鈥檚 analysis included its evaluation that costs borne by the District go beyond that of the theatre鈥檚 estimated $150,000 operating loss for this year. The District has spent approximately $200,000 over the last year on the cost of time for staff, who hold other portfolios connected to the success of education, doing theatre-related work. Additionally, the theatre requires more than $700,000 in capital upgrades.
Recognizing the value of the theatre to the community, the District was in ongoing negotiations with the City for more than 18 months with the aim of establishing a partnership where the City would manage the venue鈥檚 operations through a licensing agreement with the District. Access for students and staff was to be maintained through that agreement. After determining that taking on a larger role would , the City of 国产传媒 proposed a one-time grant of up to $150,000 per year over the next two years to maintain access for community productions.
Superintendent Karim Hachlaf says that the grant would not solve the financial and additional issues, including that District staff simply must put their full attention on education.
鈥淲e appreciate the City of 国产传媒鈥檚 collaboration throughout this process and absolutely respect their decision. Even with the City鈥檚 offer of a grant, it does not resolve the underlying financial and staffing pressures. We need to ensure our resources, including staff time, are aligned fully with our educational mandate.鈥
In January 2025 in a joint press release with the City, the District shared that due to management changes within the Michael J Fox Theatre Society, responsibility for the theatre changed, such that it rested solely with the Burnaby School District.
The City and District each conducted a comprehensive review of the theatre鈥檚 operational costs and required capital upgrades.
The Michael J Fox Theatre, which is located next to Burnaby South Secondary school, is an important learning and gathering space and will remain open for use by schools and the District, with reduced technical features.
Burnaby School District News Release, May 13, 2026
City of 国产传媒 News, Released May 12, 2026
Michael J Fox Theatre Usage Changing
Burnaby School District News Release, April 14, 2026
District and City of 国产传媒 Exploring Future Management of Michael J Fox Theatre
Joint News Release, City of 国产传媒 and Burnaby School District, January 14, 2025
Posted May 19, 2026