TORONTO — The provincial government has officially broken ground on the new Ontario Science Centre, one of the key components to the revitalized Ontario Place development and one of the most talked-about moves since the old facility was shuttered in 2024.
The new 400,000-square-foot facility is on track to open in 2029, explains a release, and will feature a mainland building, an integrated pod complex, interactive exhibits, an upgraded Cinesphere and more programming space than the previous site.
In February, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming awarded a contract of $1.04 billion to Ontario Science Partners to design, build, finance and maintain a new Ontario Science Centre facility.
The project team includes:
- Applicant leads: John Laing Limited, Sacyr Infrastructure Canada Inc. and Amico Major Projects Inc.
- Design team: Hariri Pontarini Architects & Snøhetta
- Construction team: Sacyr Canada Inc, and Amico Design Build Inc.
- Facilities management: Johnson Controls Canada L.P.
- Financial adviser: Agentis Capital Advisors
But while this milestone is being celebrated by the province and stakeholders, the decision to close the other facility was hotly contested, with many saying the money to build the new facility should have went into repairing the old one at 770 Don Mills Road.
It was discovered the former site had “serious structural deficiencies” with the roof of the building.
A business case based on a building condition assessment that was done by Pinchin Ltd. engineers in April 2022 concluded at least $478 million in capital repairs would be required to help repair and replace outdated infrastructure at the old facility.
The province decided to move in another direction and the Harbourfront Centre was selected to serve as the interim location for the science centre until its permanent home at Ontario Place is ready.
The current build will support more than 1,000 construction and tourism jobs, the release adds.
The broader Ontario Place development will feature more than 50 acres of free public trails, expanded green space, playgrounds, interactive fountains, new beaches, event spaces, a modernized marina and the redesigned RBC Amphitheatre.
Its final designs were unveiled in June 2025.
In addition to the public aspects of Ontario Place, Therme Canada is building a new waterpark and wellness facility on the West Island. Its designs were unveiled in July last year.
