The Standing Committee meeting of December 1st, 2025, raised far more questions than were answered – in part because our councillors did not ask them.
While some members emphasized keeping the festival free, there was little examination of whether the selected provider, MRG Live, would derive revenue from the event, and if so, whether the city and, by extension, taxpayers would receive any share of it.
If MRG Live’s business model includes profit generation through sponsorships, concessions, or VIP programming, councillors should have asked:
1. What revenue streams will MRG Live earn from a publicly owned asset — and will the city receive any share?
Spencer Smith Park is a premium waterfront venue built and maintained by taxpayers. Allowing a private operator to monetize it without revenue-sharing raises legitimate governance concerns.
Council members are fiduciaries. Stewardship is not merely about keeping admission free – it is about ensuring taxpayers receive fair value from public assets.
2. Is “free” truly free — or is the city subsidizing a private operator?
Mayor Meed Ward and Councillor Nissan appeared fixated on the idea that the event must remain free at the gate.
But “free” can simply mean that the public doesn’t pay – not that the event costs nothing.
Questions that should have been asked:
How much in-kind support (permits, policing, emergency services, parks support) will the city provide at no cost?
What are the projected cost recoveries – if any?
Is the festival genuinely sustainable without an ongoing subsidy?
Keeping the event free is admirable.
Ignoring the financial implications is not.
3. How does the volunteer model benefit the city – not just MRG Live?
Council praised volunteer involvement but never asked:
Who controls the volunteer program – the city or MRG Live?
Are volunteers being leveraged to reduce corporate labour costs?
What protections are in place for volunteers who previously served the Sound of Music but may now be effectively serving a private corporation?
What benefit accrues back to Burlington – community capacity-building or simply free labour for the operator?
Volunteerism is a community asset.
Councillors should ensure it is not quietly privatized.
4. Does the city retain any creative, financial, or strategic control over the festival?
By relying on delegated authority and presenting the committee with a “Receive and File,” staff signalled that:
The provider is already selected,
Council is not approving the operator.
Council has no role in shaping the event.
That structure demands oversight.
Missing questions include:
Does MRG Live receive exclusive annual rights?
What accountability measures exist if the event underperforms?
Will Council ever vote on a contract – or has that been fully delegated to staff?
5. Why was the name “Sound of Music” discussed without examining the legal, financial, and reputational implications?
The brand issue was raised repeatedly, yet no one asked:
Would using the name create liability or confusion?
Could the City be accused of benefitting from a legacy built by an organization it effectively displaced?
These omissions matter.
6. What “Receive and File” Means
A Receive and File motion is not an approval. It means:
Staff have already exercised delegated authority to choose the operator (MRG Live).
Council is merely receiving information, not making a decision.
No vote is taken to approve or reject the selection.
The selection stands unless Council removes staff’s delegated authority – something it did not do.
In other words:
Receive and File = Council acknowledges the decision but does not control it.
This is why several councillors stressed that this is not a council decision — despite the public perception that it is.
Conclusion
Burlington residents want a successful, free waterfront festival – and they deserve one.
But they also deserve transparent governance, clear financial stewardship, and accountability for decisions made about public spaces and public dollars.
The questions left unasked on December 1 are the ones that matter most:
Who profits?
Who pays?
Who decides?
And who is ensuring the city’s interests – not just the operator’s – are protected?
Until those are answered, the public can only hope that “free” does not end up costing more than anyone expects.
Read the official statement from the Sound of Music organization: https://soundofmusic.ca/news/
For more information on MRG Live Events click here: https://events.mrglive.com/
Discover more from Focus Burlington
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.