There is growing resistance to plans to build a new art gallery on the Halifax waterfront.
The provincial government has earmarked $70 to $80 million for the project, and the premier says he would like construction to begin as early as next year.
But in a province where some people say there's a healthcare crisis, there are also those who believe the gallery money could be better spent.
Even artist Liz Mac, whose first instinct two weeks ago was to be excited when she learned Nova Scotia was investing in a new art gallery.
“But then my second thought was, ‘why now?’” Mac said. “You know, we have a lot of other things that need to be taken care of.”
Premier Stephen McNeil says the new art gallery “will continue to change and enhance the activity on our waterfront.”
The proposed 142,000 square-foot facility would almost double the size of the current Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
The facility will rise in prime real estate on the water, replacing a parking lot, but even passersby aren't entirely sure it's the best way to spend the money.
“I think they could use that $70 million to help early childhood education and the health care crisis,” one Halifax resident said.
“Money into the arts is wonderful, but we've got a very urgent crisis in the health care system, so that should be number one,” said another.
But the province insists spending on health and culture aren't mutually exclusive, pointing out health spending is already 40 per cent of the budget -- and 13,000 Nova Scotians make a living in the arts sector.
“That provides both economic opportunity, also cultural opportunity, and we know that when recruiting professionals like physicians, that things like this - services within communities are an important feature as well,” said health minister Randy Delorey.
But Natalie Edinger also understands shortages in the healthcare system.
“I understand that different money gets allocated to different-things,” she said.
A diabetic since she was four, she took the extraordinary step of launching an online petition to convince the government to change course on the plan.
Thousands have already signed it.
“I'm hoping I'll get a lot more,” she said. “I'm hoping I'll have at least one signature for every person that's waiting for a doctor right now.”
Mac says she wouldn’t scrape the idea entirely, but doesn’t think it shouldn't happen right now.
“It's the wrong time, and I don't think we can afford it,” Mac said. “We can't afford to fix the healthcare problem, then why are we trying to fix the arts problem?”
The project isn't entirely a provincial initiative: Ottawa is kicking in $30 million and the gallery itself is expecting to fundraise about the same amount.
The province says it'll be looking for public feedback as it starts to design the new gallery, but officials just may get more than they bargained for at some of those public sessions.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko.
