The P.E.I. government says a new provincial museum may cost as much as $41 million and it will be looking to the rest of the country to provide some of the money.
The ruling Liberals promised to build a provincial museum more than a year ago. P.E.I. is the only province in Canada without a centrally located museum.
Carolyn Bertram, the minister of communities, cultural affairs and labour, tabled a study in the legislature on Tuesday that laid out several sizes and configurations for a possible museum.
The largest and fanciest of those options would cost more than $41 million.
"Government now has to do some number crunching and see the best solution for Islanders and to secure the resources necessary," Bertram said.
"Again, $40 million is a lot of money right now when we look at the economy and the needs that are presented across our province."
She insisted the project was not dead and that the province hopes to get money from the federal government by linking the museum to 2014 and the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown conference that led to Confederation.
Bertram said any cost-sharing with Ottawa would likely happen under an infrastructure program.
"Government is continuing to work on this and it's very important in our department," she said.
Ian Scott, a heritage advocate and a former head of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, said he's disappointed the province isn't moving to build a museum right away, but he has hope it will still happen.
"It may not be on this year's capital list, but that's encouraging news that this is still a front-burner project for the provincial government," he said.
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