Burnaby council approves grant to keep Michael J. Fox Theatre open to the public — for now

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley at the Michael J. Fox Theatre on Tuesday. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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After thousands of artists, performers, technicians and theatregoers made a case to keep the Michael J. Fox Theatre open for the public, Burnaby city council has approved funds so it can operate for the next two years.

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There has been public attention on the theatre since it was abruptly announced in mid-April that, starting July 1, it would no longer accommodate the many community dance performances and productions that have regularly been booking the space for over three decades.

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Burnaby council had been assessing the theatre’s financial situation for more than a year. On Tuesday, it green-lit a one-time grant of up to $300,000 to cover operational budget shortfalls in 2026 and 2027.

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The city’s review found that the theatre also requires more than $700,000 in capital upgrades, beyond ongoing operating costs.  

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“We’re putting it out there that we’re willing to be part of the solution,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley.

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The funds will buy time for the Burnaby school district, which owns the theatre that is connected to Burnaby South Secondary, to come up with a longer-term plan, said Hurley.

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This could include reinvigorating some version of The Michael J. Fox Society that has ran the theatre for many years, so it can apply for arts grants and fundraise, he added.

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The district said in April that it was not “financially viable … to maintain usage of the theatre beyond school and district-related purposes.”

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The society operated the theatre on behalf of the school district going back to its opening in 1993. But in 2024, when several long-time members stepped back and the society discontinued, the school district turned to the city, which started to explore possibilities.

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In mid-April, about a dozen theatre technician staff at the theatre, who mainly support larger, community productions, got an 11-week layoff notice. In March, they had voted to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE union.

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“That’s when we learned the theatre was closing to the community,” said Will Gladman, international representative of IATSE.

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It joined a campaign to save the theatre that drew online support, including over 5,000 signatures from residents, performers, leaders of arts groups and others.

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Leading up to Tuesday’s announcement by council, Gladman said there had been positive conversations around finding a way to revive an independent, non-profit society that could apply for grants and fundraise to keep the theatre running.

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“We understand that the school district is unable to do this. It’s not in its educational mandate,” said Gladman. “But for the last two or three years of the society, it hadn’t been applying for grants that exist. We think there is a lot of potential to tap money that is on the table.”

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Hurley said the city taking a larger role in operating the theatre would impose significant costs and long-term liabilities on taxpayers without proper ownership or control.