Province denies ‘secret plan’ to pave part of Lake Ontario
Revamp to go ahead as unveiled last year, says infrastructure minister
Premier Doug Ford’s government is denying NDP claims it has “a secret plan to pave over Lake Ontario” as part of the controversial Ontario Place redevelopment.
Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said Wednesday the project remains as unveiled last year with a Therme spa, a relocated Ontario Science Centre and an expanded Live Nation concert theatre.
“What was presented in April, the full vision — the map with the new science centre, the amphitheatre, the waterpark — is what we are building,” said Surma, adding there would also be 50 acres of public parkland along the lakefront.
But she did not deny that, earlier in the planning stages, the Progressive Conservatives had considered retail shops and restaurants on the park’s East Island as well using landfill to expand the size of park.
“Of course you consider many things, but government made a decision,” the minister said, noting construction is already underway.
“There are many things that are considered when building a project of this size and scope. We probably reviewed hundreds of documents over the years,” she said.
“What we presented in April is what we are building today.”
Austria-based Therme is building a $350-million water spa on the West Island with provincial taxpayers on the hook for a massive underground parking garage with 2,100 spaces.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles, citing documents obtained through freedom of information requests and dated September 2020, said “Phase 2 of the Ontario Place redevelopment includes a plan to make the East Island part of the mainland by filling in the lake.”
“When was the premier going to tell the public his secret plan to pave over Lake Ontario?” Stiles told the legislature.
“The whole Ontario Place redevelopment scheme has been cloaked in secrecy from the beginning. The premier won’t tell the public the terms of the 95-year lease that they have with Therme,” she said.
Ford, for his part, countered that the New Democrats just say “‘no, no, no, no’ to everything we do.”
“Everyone in the world is talking about Ontario Place,” said Ford, pointing out the previous Liberal government shuttered the aging waterfront attraction to save $20 million annually in 2012.
“It just sat absolutely bare. (Under) our plan, that’s going to be the number one tourist attraction, not just in Ontario but in Canada. Mark my words.”
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said the entire Ontario Place debacle is “another sole source contract under the cloak of secrecy” by the Tories, reminiscent of the Greenbelt land swap now being investigated by the RCMP.
“We don’t have the information why was a 95-year lease granted to Therme spa or what’s happening on the East Island,” said Crombie.
“This is public land and the public needs to know. What are the plans for Ontario Place? What will it cost the people? And why are these contracts in secret and not being discussed openly?” she said.
What we presented in April is what we are building today. KINGA SURMA INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTER