B.C. pledges $10M funding boost for Chinese Canadian Museum ahead of opening

Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport speaks during a press conference in Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Popham announced a $10 million fund from the province to support renovations and operating costs as the Chinese Canadian Museum prepares for its public opening on July 1 of this year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nono Shen

Vancouver's Chinese Canadian Museum will open its doors on July 1 on the 100th anniversary of racist legislation known as the Chinese Exclusion Act, after the province pledged an additional $10 million in funding.

Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, says the investment not only recognizes the contributions of the Chinese Canadian community but will also help revitalize Chinatown, a beloved part of Vancouver.

The Chinese Canadian Museum will be located in the Wing Sang Building on East Pender Street, one the oldest buildings in Chinatown.

Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the museum, says its opening will be a significant milestone for Chinese communities across Canada, and it will serve as a hub where people can learn more about the communities' intangible heritage.

The museum's opening will feature a national exhibition titled “The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act,” with July 1 marking the centennial of the passing of the Chinese Immigration Act, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act.

The legislation effectively eliminated Chinese immigration before being repealed in 1947.

The museum will also showcase an overview of Chinese Canadian migration and provide a glimpse into the life of Chinese Canadian businessman Yip Sang and his family.

The new funding, which brings the province's total spending on the museum to more than $48.5 million, will cover renovations and operating costs.

Grace Wong, board chair of the museum, says that by 2025, the building will not just operate as a museum, it will also be transformed into an educational space.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.