City Council learned earlier this week that the subsidy for Mosaic Place could be much higher than anticipated. 

The 2020 third-quarter financial report to city council showed the city is expecting a subsidy of around $1 million. The city had budgeted about $526,000. 

Members of council questioned why the expenses were so high when the facility was closed for months during the pandemic. 

City manager Jim Puffalt said the facility’s general manager, Ryan MacIvor, may have more details. Puffalt did, however, offer some plausible explanations. 

“Because Council will recall in 2020, we had some pretty extraordinary items that we had to manage through, including Ticket Rocket with some pretty substantial expenditures that are showing up into the accounts as well,” Puffalt said. 

The last major event to take place at Mosiac Place was a pair of concerts in mid-March before the province was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility reopened to the public in October.

The latest financial statements show the building running at a $700,000 deficit. 

Director of Financial Services Brian Acker also pointed out that Mosaic Place has run a deficit ever since Spectre Venue Management took over managing the building. 

For at least one councillor, the $1 million subsidy didn’t come a much of a surprise. 

“When we were first putting together budgets for Mosaic Place and it was felt around the DFFH table at that point in time that a realistic budget would be about $1 million a year and we tried to sell that and prove that and make that case for many years in a row to no avail. And here we are, it's $1 million a year,” said Coun. Heather Eby. 

Councillor Crystal Froese asked if there was a plan moving forward through the pandemic. Puffalt replied the MacIvor would have more details, but the city is waiting to see what happens with the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Western Hockey League as well as the possibility of a vaccine.