The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario, has selected Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA) to lead a transformative redevelopment of its campus, the first major investment in the museum in over 40 years. The announcement was made during the opening night of the Art Toronto fair, where the museum hosted a fundraiser. The project, which includes expanded exhibition, education, and public programming spaces, is backed by up to C$50 million from the Ontario government (contingent on matching funds) and a previous C$25 million federal investment, though additional funding is still being sought.
This redevelopment matters because the McMichael is the only museum in Canada dedicated exclusively to Canadian art, housing the world's most important collection of works by the Group of Seven as well as significant Indigenous and contemporary Canadian art. The expansion and modernization, designed to meet Zero Carbon Building standards, will allow the institution to better serve diverse 21st-century audiences while honoring its iconic modernist timber-and-stone architecture. The project signals a major commitment to Canadian cultural heritage and reflects the growing importance of Indigenous art within the national narrative.