Province says moving Ontario Science Centre would save $257M

The Government Ontario and Infrastructure Ontario (IO) released the business case for moving the Ontario Science Centre from its current location at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue, to Ontario Place.

With the partnership and participation of other government ministries, the Ontario Science Centre’s leadership and various third-party experts, the business case was prepared to help assess and identify the costs and options for relocating the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place.

The third-party assessment conducted by Pinchin Limited determined that the existing Ontario Science Centre facility requires significant capital investments. The facility is more than 50 years old and would require a minimum capital investment of at least $478 million to help repair and replace the outdated infrastructure.

Relocating the Ontario Science Centre to a new facility, including to Ontario Place, has been considered by various governments dating back to before Ontario Place was closed in 2012. Each review reached a similar conclusion that there were several benefits (including cost savings) through the construction of a new Ontario Science Centre facility.

The results of the business case analysis include:

1. The total capital investment required to remain at the Don Mills site exceeds the cost of constructing a new Ontario Science Centre facility at Ontario Place.
2. Relocating the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place will save taxpayers $257 million over a 50-year period when compared to remaining at the current site.
3. Ontario Science Centre relocation, and modernization can be a single capital investment the will benefit two government priorities:

• ensuring continued operations and long-term viability of the Ontario Science Centre;
• up to one million people will visit the brand-new facility every year, bringing new science based educational programming to the heart of the city, while saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process.

“This business case supports our government’s original vision for Ontario Place, which is to bring science-based programming to the heart of Toronto as part of a new world-class destination that offers a range of family-friendly, year-round activities and is easily accessible for families from across Toronto and Ontario,” said Ontario Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma, in a released statement.

“In addition to providing significant taxpayer savings, 40 per cent of the new Ontario Science Centre will be programmable space, compared to approximately 25 per cent at the current site. Once relocated to Ontario Place, up to one million people will visit the brand-new facility every year, bringing new science-based educational programming to the heart of the city and saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process.”

Featured image: (Ontario Science Centre)