Statement from the Office of the Mayor –McKenzie and Naismith Collections at Mill of Kintail Museum

August 13, 2025 

At our meeting last night, Council passed a motion related to the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority’s (MVCA) plans to divest the Dr. R. Tait McKenzie and Dr. James Naismith collections at the Mill of Kintail Museum. The motion has three parts: 

• Requests an opportunity for me to make a delegation at the next available MVCA Board of Directors meeting;
• Authorizes me to engage in conversations with potential funding partners, organizations, historical groups, etc. to advocate for the proper care and preservation of these collections; and 
• Directs our staff to request any plans, studies or documents that led to the creation of the Mill of Kintail Strategy, particularly those related to the 2021 resolutions of the board.  

As background, the MVCA tabled a report in July – an update to the Mill of Kintail Museum Strategic Plan – that would see the R. Tait McKenzie and James Naismith collections divested. Mississippi Mills Council has not been given an opportunity for meaningful discussion with the MVCA about their plans.  

In anticipation of changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, the MVCA struck a Special Advisory Committee to look at potential options for the Museum. I was co-chair of that committee in 2019-2021.  There was robust engagement and communication, and the result was three recommendations that kept the collections in place at the Mill of Kintail were tabled by the Board in 2021.  

When the provincial changes to the Conservation Authorities Act were confirmed, it was clear that non-core mandate services like the Museum collections, could continue to be supported by the MVCA, but required an agreement from each municipality.  All 11-member municipalities of the MVCA signed 5-year agreements that were effective January 1, 2024.   

This doesn’t seem to be a legislative problem. So what has changed? I don’t understand. 

Mississippi Millians are very proud and very aware of the significant international contributions made by Dr. R. Tait McKenzie and Dr. James Naismith, and it’s important for the 18 members of the MVCA Board to have that same information. Positive conversation is good place to start.    

The Municipality is a willing partner and is eager to help collaborate on the goal of finding a solution that doesn’t erase vital pieces of our local heritage. These artifacts, the Mill and the lands they sit on, are all irreplaceable threads in the fabric of Canadian history, entrusted to the MVCA by the Leys and Naismith families who believed in the enduring value of public cultural stewardship. 

Museums exist to preserve, educate and inspire. Any decision to remove these collections must be approached with transparency and accountability. While I understand some of the pressures the MVCA faces, the question of divestiture must warrant meaningful discussion with municipal partners, stakeholders, the community at large, and most certainly the Leys and Naismith families.  

I urge the MVCA to pause the current process and engage in open dialogue to explore alternative solutions that protect the legacy we’ve inherited, not dismantle it. Solutions can always be found when we look for them.  

Thank you to the many residents who attended last night’s Council meeting, and to the many more who have reached out via email.  Many of you have asked what you can do. At this time, it is important to respond to the MVCA’s survey about the Mill of Kintail Strategic Plan Update, indicating if you do/or do not support this transition of the museum: https://mvc.on.ca/mill-of-kintail-strategic-plan-update/ 

If you would like to be notified of further actions by the Municipality and Council or to receive further information, please email info@mississippimills.ca.  

Sincerely,  

Mayor Christa Lowry
Municipality of Mississippi Mills