On March 24, 2026, TO Live presented its capital budget update, outlining how nearly $170 million will be invested into the City’s three major civic theatres.
Picture taken by Dillan Payne from Creative Commons.
On March 24, 2026, TO Live presented its capital budget update, outlining how nearly $170 million will be invested into the City’s three major civic theatres.
City staff introduced the 2026 to 2035 capital plan, which includes 38 projects focused on state-of-good repair, accessibility and net zero initiatives.
TO Live is a City agency dedicated to managing the three civic theatres — Meridian Hall, Meridian Arts Centre and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.
In 2025, the City completed eight projects but spent 108 per cent of the planned budget despite the limited progress. Last year, Meridian Hall received $4.39 million, Meridian Arts Centre received $5.4 million and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts only received $700,000.
In 2026, the City has decided to invest more into the properties. It expects to spend approximately $17.9 million.
Of that budget, Meridian Hall will receive $8.5 million which will include enhancing the attendees’ experiences. The budget will also be allocated to making the facility net zero and there will be a sprinkler system expansion. City staff said construction is scheduled for 2027.
Meridian Arts Centre will receive $5.1 million which includes renovations to the George Weston Recital Hall. This will include new seating. The buildings will also see upgrades to its electrical and lighting systems.
Finally, the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts will receive $4.3 million as part of a revitalization project — the largest increase of all.
Members discussed timelines and funding opportunities. Staff said renovations to the George Weston Recital Hall should run from July to Sept. 2026 and reopen in November the same year.
The meeting largely focused on long-term investment in Toronto’s arts infrastructure.
Key takeaways
- City staff introduced the 2026 to 2035 capital plan, which includes 38 projects focused on state-of-good repair, accessibility and net zero initiatives.
- This year, Meridian Hall will receive $4.9 million, Meridian Arts Centre will receive $5.1 million and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts will receive $4.3 million.
- The meeting was largely dedicated to discussing upcoming budget plans for the three civic theatres.
On-the-ground observations from our documenter, RUSHIL MALIK
While the municipal government still seems to prioritize green buildings, the provincial government recently removed a 15-year-old bylaw mandating green roofs — a proven nature-based solution.
I’ve been to Meridian Hall and the Meridian Arts Centre several times (including when it was known as the Sony Centre of Performing Arts). Their programming offer sa variety of types of performances, including concerts, comedy, dance shows, political talks, family programming and more. I wasn’t aware that Meridian Hall and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts are publicly owned.
CHECK YOUR FACTS
Documenters:
Notes produced by Aia Jaber
Meeting documented by Rushil Malik
VIDEO SHORTS:
For more information, you can access The Green Line‘s story and video.