Toronto report eyes province’s requirements under Ontario Science Centre lease

A new City of Toronto report says that the province’s lease for the Ontario Science Centre building allows the city to end the agreement early and leave Ontario on the hook for demolition costs if the building is no longer fit for use.

City council had asked staff to look into what legal requirements the province may have to operate the science centre, after it announced it was abruptly closing the facility, citing structural concerns.

The city and its conservation authority leased the land to the province in 1965 for 99 years, and the staff report says that while a science centre is the only permitted use for the site under the lease, it doesn’t require Ontario to operate one.

The report says that if Ontario wants to get out of the lease early, the province, the city and the conservation authority would have to negotiate, and if Toronto wants to end it early due to a state of disrepair, it could require Ontario to restore the site to its original condition at its own expense.

Provincial infrastructure officials have said the abrupt closure last month was necessary due to a risk of some roof panels collapsing and other critical repair needs, but the city report notes that Ontario had other options to address those problems beyond immediate, full closure.

A motion from Coun. Josh Matlow asking for the staff report had also requested the city look into the feasibility of taking over operations of the science centre, but staff concluded it would not be possible largely due to financial reasons.