REGINA, Sask. — The RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina is set to become Canada's 10th national museum after the federal government announced a commitment in Budget 2026, marking a major milestone in a campaign that has been underway since 2020.
The budget provides access to $3 million annually through 2029-30 to help the Heritage Centre transition to national museum status. The designation will require legislative changes, meaning the process is not yet complete.
CEO Sam Karikas said the announcement represents a significant step forward after years of work with the federal government.
“We have been working on being established as a national museum since 2020,” Karikas said. “So we're really pleased that government has made this investment and we're really pleased to be partnered with them and in building a strong and united Canada.”
Canada currently has nine national museums, with most located in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. The RCMP Heritage Centre would become the third outside the National Capital Region, joining the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.
Karikas said national designation would allow the Regina institution to expand its services and take on a broader responsibility for sharing Canadian history.
“This means consistent and reliable funding from the federal government for us, and it will allow us to tell Canadian stories and share Canadian history with a national mandate,” Karikas said.
The transition is also intended to strengthen the museum's ability to explore both the celebrated and difficult parts of the RCMP's history.
Karikas said the centre developed its vision through a nationwide engagement process that asked Canadians what they wanted from a national RCMP museum.
That vision is to be a place of “discovery, exploration, reflection and reconciliation,” she said, adding that the centre has been working to put those principles into practice throughout the designation process.
The engagement included Indigenous individuals and communities, 2SLGBTQ+ people, racialized and equity-deserving communities, as well as current and former RCMP members.
According to the Heritage Centre, 91 per cent of 6,400 people surveyed said it was important or very important for Canada to have a national RCMP museum that recognizes the force's contributions while also telling difficult stories with dignity and compassion.
The centre's engagement findings also showed support for a museum that reflects diverse perspectives and supports reconciliation between the RCMP and Indigenous Peoples.
Karikas said the federal commitment will allow the organization to build on that work and reach a wider audience.
“We're really excited to now have the funding and the investment from government to be able to expand on that vision and deliver a national mandate,” she said.
The federal budget describes the Heritage Centre as a place to explore shared history, reconcile with the past and celebrate Canada's future. It also identifies the need to consider the perspectives and experiences of Indigenous people, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and racialized communities as the museum transitions.
While the funding commitment has been announced, the timeline for formal designation remains unclear.
“There's a legislative process involved, so I don't know the exact timing of what that legislative process will be,” Karikas said.
She said the centre will continue working with the Department of Canadian Heritage on the legislative and administrative steps needed to establish the national museum.
The RCMP was established in 1873 as the North-West Mounted Police, and its history is closely tied to the development of Canada. The Heritage Centre in Regina has worked to preserve and share that history, with the planned national designation expected to expand its role beyond the province.
