Ontario breaks ground on $1B science centre at Ontario Place

The Ontario government has broken ground on a new, one billion dollar Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place in Toronto, with Premier Doug Ford committing to open the facility by 2029. The announcement marks a significant step in the province’s controversial plan to relocate the institution from its former home in the city’s east end.

The new science centre will occupy a smaller footprint than its predecessor but will include a building on the mainland, renovated pods, and an updated IMAX Cinesphere. The project is part of a broader revitalization of the Ontario Place waterfront site.

The province abruptly closed the original science centre in the summer of 2024, citing an engineering report that identified structural deficiencies with the roof. That decision has drawn ongoing criticism, with skeptics pointing out that the roof has withstood record snowfall during the past winter without apparent failure. The government had already been working to relocate the science centre to Ontario Place before the closure of the old facility.

A business case prepared for the relocation suggested that moving the science centre could help temper criticism of another major component of the...