Ontario Science Centre Closure
Manufactured a structural crisis using a misleading roof report to justify closing the Science Centre and relocating it to Ontario Place to support the Therme spa deal.
📋 An in effect Contracts policy from June 2023 · Implemented · Partially sourced
Updated · Created
"Addressing Unsafe RAAC Panels"
The Ontario Science Centre must close due to safety concerns with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels in the roof structure.
"This is not a decision any of us wanted to make. ... I'm not going to risk the safety of workers and children."
— Kinga Surma, Infrastructure Minister, June 2024
"Clearing the Site for Developers"
Engineers recommended targeted repairs costing a fraction of demolition. Instead, the government chose relocation to Ontario Place, where the Science Centre would serve as an anchor tenant for Therme's private spa complex, freeing up 60+ acres of Don Mills land for redevelopment.
- Rimkus Engineering report recommended RAAC panel repairs, not demolitionsource
- Roof repair costs: ~$21-40M vs relocation costs: ~$700M (Auditor General, Dec 2024)source
- New location at Ontario Place is 1/10 the size of the originalsource
- 60+ acres of prime Don Mills land freed for future developmentsource
This section represents editorial interpretation of documented evidence.
Figures are approximate, using publicly available Ontario cost data.
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