This ministry provides annual operating grants to eligible community museums across Ontario. These museums contribute to their communities' economic well-being as employers and tourist attractions, attracting over 2,300,000 visitors per year. This support strengthens their role in their communities as custodians and interpreters of the province's irreplaceable heritage collections. Museums that receive this support are required to meet the criteria established in Regulation 877, "Grants for Museums" under the Ontario Heritage Act and this ministry's Standards for Community Museums in Ontario.