Ontario Place redevelopment paused ahead of court challenge: Report

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Redevelopment of Ontario Place has been paused for at least a week, pending a hearing at Ontario Superior Court.

Ontario Place for All posted a letter from Ontario Place Protectors on Instagram that said the province has agreed to pause “any permanent destruction of any trees, shrubs or buildings” at the site until July 19 at 6 p.m. so it can challenge the constitutionality of the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act.

https://www.instagram.com/ontarioplace4all/p/C9R332IRhhB/

“The ramifications of the (act) go far beyond Ontario Place,” Ontario Place for All’s Instagram post said. “Left unchallenged, it will give the Ontario premier and cabinet a template to ignore Ontario’s heritage, environmental and planning laws and their responsibility to the public anywhere in the province.

“Furthermore, Ontario Place Protectors contend that this law violates the Canadian Constitution and seriously threatens Ontario’s democracy.”

A lawyer for Ontario Place Protectors, a group of residents, organizations and architectural interests opposing the development, told the Toronto Star the government “appears to be breaching the trust that is owed to the people of Ontario.

“Ontario Place doesn’t belong to the current government, it belongs to the people of Ontario and future generations,” Eric Gillespie told the Star.

The Star reported that the application includes, among others, affidavits from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and the Toronto Society of Architects.

Therme, an Austrian company, said it is spending about $450 million combined on a privately owned spa and waterpark on the West Island and to redevelop the land to include about 16 acres of public space and 3.4 acres of parkland and trails.

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The province began demolition at the site on June 23.

Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma refused to speculate on whether the court action could endanger the development when questioned by reporters at Queen’s Park.

“There is an action in place before the courts and so as you know I cannot comment,” Surma said, via the Star. “The hearing is taking place, though, on July 19. We look forward to July 19.”

The news came after Ontario Place for All had a legal challenge rejected by the Ontario Divisional Court. The group had wanted the province to conduct an environmental assessment of the West Island.