Christ Church Cathedral could get $15m ratepayer boost despite 14% public support

Wednesday, 13 May 2026

Christchurch’s Anglican cathedral is set to get $15 million of ratepayers’ money, despite receiving only 14% support from the public.

In a proposal to spend most of Christchurch City Council’s $44m surplus, Canterbury Museum would also get $15m, plus a $28.6m loan, with interest, to be paid back over 25 years via an international visitor charge.

The funding is contingent on the Government fronting up with similar grants.

The Christchurch School of Music is also expected to get $4m towards its new $12m base in the heart of the Performing Arts Precinct on Armagh St.

The Arts Centre and Canterbury Provincial Chambers miss out on funding at this point.

The remaining $10m of surplus would be spent reducing the council’s $2.8 billion debt.

The proposal has been developed by council finance committee chair Sam MacDonald and deputy chair Jake McLellan. They presented it to councillors at a briefing on Tuesday. It will have to be voted on by the full council, which is expected to happen on May 26.

At the same briefing, councillors were told that only 14% of 1229 people who submitted on the cathedral during recent consultation, supported the council putting more money into it. Some 35% were against and 51% did not state a preference.

The council asked residents for their views on funding four heritage projects - the cathedral, museum, Canterbury Provincial Chambers and the Arts Centre.

Of the 2878 that submitted on the museum, 68% supported more council funding. Of the 700 who mentioned the Arts Centre, 22% supported council funding, 4% opposed and 73% did not state a preference.

Some 12% of the 373 submitters supported funding for the Provincial Chambers while 17% opposed and 71% did not state a preference.

Council staff said opposition to cathedral funding was more clearly articulated than the responses for the other buildings.

However, the plan has Mayor Phil Mauger’s support.

He said the city needed to show leadership and make some decisions, which are in the city’s long-term interest.

“There has been debate about these buildings for over a decade and we finally need to draw a line in the sand and get on with it.”

MacDonald said the funding was likely to be polarising, especially regarding the cathedral.

“People will say ‘lets get on and fix it’ and people will say ‘lets argue about it for the next 30 years’.”

He said the proposal would see the cathedral get half what it had asked for, and the Anglican diocese would have to sell some of its assets to make up the difference.

The funding for all three projects would be “full and final”, MacDonald said.

“There’s no coming back for stage two.”

MacDonald reiterated the deals were contingent on all three projects finding the remaining money elsewhere.

“There is absolutely no point in the council giving the money if it does not fix the problem.”

The council has posted a surplus for the past few years, varying between $14m to $65m. The money has previously been spent on reducing debt and rates increases.

This year’s $44m surplus was due to reasons including savings in insurance costs, reduced staff costs due to vacancies, and lower landfill costs.

When asked why the council was not putting the full surplus into offsetting rates increases given the cost of living crisis, MacDonald said he shared that sentiment, but acknowledged that “sometimes you’ve got to make difficult decisions”.

Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd (CCRL), the joint venture company formed to restore the cathedral on behalf of the diocese, has asked ratepayers and/or taxpayers to fill $40m to $45m of the $95m needed to complete a pared-down restoration.

MacDonald said the council had been asked for $30m.

Taxpayers have already contributed $25m and $10m has been committed by ratepayers via a direct levy, although only $3m of that has been spent.

In March, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters pledged $15m from the Crown, but this would need coalition agreement under a new Government.

CCRL chairperson Steve Wakefield said the proposed $15m would be “gratefully received” and was “symbolic” for the cathedral’s reinstatement.

“With this potential additional contribution, we are in a much better position today to get the cathedral reopened and are thankful to the people of Christchurch for it.”

The mothballed cathedral, with its fences cutting through the square, has long been seen as a barrier to the area’s development. There are still several vacant sites bordering the square as owners wait for word on the cathedral reinstatement.

The museum’s $261.9m project has a $91.9m funding gap. It was seeking $32m each from central and local government over four years and said it would raise the rest via philanthropists, trusts and grants.

MacDonald said the plan to provide the $28.6m loan would drop the Government contribution needed to $15m, which he believed would be more palatable.

Canterbury Museum acting director Sarah Murray said the museum was “delighted and hugely grateful” for the support, which would maintain the project’s momentum.

She said the proposal reflected a “practical and considered” funding approach.

The city council has so far contributed $60m to the museum rebuild and the Government has given $35m.

The Government has previously been non-committal about additional funding for the cathedral and museum, saying it would have to be weighed up against other priorities like health, education and law and order.

Waimakariri National MP Matt Doocey said on Tuesday, the city’s rebuild could not be completed until there was an agreed pathway forward for progressing both the museum and cathedral.

“I’d like to see Canterbury MPs come together in a bipartisan approach to progressing the museum and the cathedral.”

“I will be asking the mayor to invite Canterbury MPs to a briefing on today’s announcement so that we can discuss a way forward for both central and local government.”