Today the Christchurch City Council will vote whether to put $35.8m of forecast budget savings towards restoring the city’s remaining major earthquake-damaged heritage buildings, in what has been described as a “full and final” council commitment.

The proposal, put forward by Finance and Performance Committee Chair Sam MacDonald and Deputy Chair Jake McLellan, would use part of the $44.4m in forecast savings identified through the council’s annual budget process.

The money would be directed towards the restoration of the Canterbury Museum, Canterbury Provincial Chambers, Christ Church Cathedral and Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre.

Mayor Phil Mauger and councillors are considering 5,888 submissions on the issue as part of the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27 process, with the council expected to vote today.

Submitters were asked for their views on ratepayer support for the four heritage buildings, which have each remained central to Christchurch’s long-running post-earthquake rebuild debate.

Analysis presented to councillors shows broad support for restoring the buildings, although levels of backing differed for each project.

MacDonald, who chaired the workshop where councillors received the submission analysis, said the proposal would provide certainty to a complex funding process and help resolve some of the city’s most enduring rebuild questions.

“There comes a point where we need to make some decisions, provide certainty to the various players willing to bring funding to the table, and help fill these final holes at the heart of our city,” MacDonald said.

“This is our chance to finally put these long-running rebuild debates behind us once and for all, and is the council’s full and final commitment.”

He said using the forecast savings meant the proposal would not increase rates.

“Leadership means making hard decisions in the long-term interests of the city instead of leaving difficult issues unresolved year after year.

“Importantly, because we’d be using our $44.4 million surplus, our proposal wouldn’t increase rates and the balance would still go toward reducing the council’s debt.”

The combined funding shortfall between projected restoration costs and confirmed contributions for the four buildings is estimated at about $290m.

Closing that gap would require support from multiple sources, including central government. Normally, any council contribution of this scale would be expected to have an impact on rates increases.

Interim Chief Executive Bede Carran said the submissions showed support for restoring Christchurch’s heritage, but that support came with clear expectations around affordability and discipline.

“Our community emphasised that these buildings are a vital part of Christchurch’s identity, and represent some of the final missing pieces in our post-quake regeneration,” Carran said.

“For many, restoring them represents unfinished business and a chance to leave an intergenerational legacy.”

However, he said submitters also wanted council investment to be carefully managed.

“People want any investment to be affordable, disciplined and balanced against the community’s other priorities.

“That will be the challenge of this elected council as they prepare for next year’s Long Term Plan process, which is where the big funding decisions get made.”

Carran said while the consultation asked about the broader principle of supporting the buildings, many submitters also shared views on individual projects.

Canterbury Museum received strong support for council funding, with many submissions linked to the museum’s ‘Stand Up For Your Museum’ campaign.

Submitters highlighted the museum’s cultural, educational and tourism value, and its role as a major civic institution.

The Christ Church Cathedral attracted a different response, with submissions showing more explicit opposition to further council funding than for the other buildings.

Supporters of additional funding for the cathedral pointed to its significance to the city’s identity and its role as a wider community facility, beyond its religious function.

The decision comes as Christchurch continues to grapple with the final stages of its post-earthquake regeneration, more than 15 years after the Canterbury earthquakes damaged many of the city’s most recognisable heritage landmarks.

If approved, the proposal would mark a major step towards resolving the future of four of the city’s most prominent remaining rebuild projects, while leaving about $8.6m of the forecast savings to go towards reducing council debt.

You can watch today’s meeting here.