Residents, region staff flag concerns over Peel art gallery changing ownership to City of Brampton

Residents and some Peel Region staff are expressing concerns over proposed changes at a local art gallery and museum, saying there should have been more public consultation.

A motion approved approved at Peel Regional Council last month proposes control of the Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives (PAMA) be transferred to the City of Brampton, with a plan to enhance programming and modernize the funding model.

The site, which was originally the Peel County courthouse and jail, was built in 1867. But for more than 55 years it's housed thousands of pieces of art and artifacts representing the history of the region.

"People donate these things as a way to provide history and continuity of our culture," said Chuck Scott, who was PAMA's board chair for around 30 years.

"It would be a real breach of trust to let them go or change their status."

The motion was tabled by Brampton Coun. Rowena Santos in September.

“The point of this motion is to ensure that the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA), which has always been located in Brampton, can thrive as part of a broader, collaborative effort to strengthen the arts and culture ecosystem across the region and more specifically within the city’s growing downtown cultural hub," Santos said in a statement.

She said the process will ensure the collection is protected. However, Scott worries that the city is underestimating the complexities of taking on the role.

"Running a gallery is a complex thing," he said. "There's a lot of rules outside of just being an arm of a municipal government. I worry they don't have the technical skills to do it."

There should be more experts involved in the process, Mississauga resident Mark Hopkins said during a council meeting.

"I would like to see them open it up to a broader stakeholder engagement," he said.

"There's so many unknowns being explored, so they're making a decision based on not knowing the full implications, and particularly the cost and heritage implications."

According to Peel Region's CEO, Nando Iannicca, an intermunicipal working group will "address matters related to the assignment of assets, employee transition, and operational and financial responsibilities and bring it to council for approval early 2026."

He said: "There are no immediate changes to the services and programs offered by the gallery."