CNE insists rides are safe after photo of broken slide inflames concerns

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) made its return to Exhibition Place in Toronto on Friday following a two-year pandemic hiatus.

The excitement from organizers surrounding the anticipated comeback has been tempered with worries that an ongoing labour strike of safety inspectors could deter people from attending the fair.

The concerns were exacerbated this week when a ride had to be taken down due to a malfunction. A photo of the malfunctioning ‘Euroslide’ made the rounds on social media this week, causing a stir online with several users commenting and wondering if the labour action is to blame for the ride being shut down.

“We had a malfunction with our hydraulic lifting system that brings that slide up into the air,” says Scooter Korek of North American Midway Entertainment.

The slide sat in the malfunctioned position overnight before crews lowered the ride and took it out of service before the fair opened on Friday morning.

Officials have continued to insist the midway rides and other areas of the exhibition will meet the usual safety standards despite the fact that around 170 safety inspectors with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) walked off the job in July.

Members of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) have picketed outside the Exhibition grounds, calling on the TSSA to continue negotiations. The striking TSSA workers have been in negotiations since November of 2021.

The OPSEU says they are concerned rides and equipment may not be properly inspected due to the labour action.

CityNews reach out to both sides of the dispute but has not heard if negotiations have resumed.

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CNE CEO Darrell Brown says third-party safety engineers have been hired to provide additional inspections and TSSA supervisors been able to fill in for the striking inspectors.

“As far as we’re concerned it’s exactly the same as any other year, in terms of due diligence,” he says.

Korek has been working on the midway at the CNE for nearly 45 years and says it’s been business as usual despite the ongoing strike. Like Brown, he says supervisors have been stepping in and an inspections are still being done for each ride every morning.

“I’ll tell you right now, any one of my family members can go on any of our rides any day,” he says. “They go through a ride specific checklist of all the things they have to look for.”

Earlier this week, NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam also tweeted her concerns, saying TSSA safety inspectors “inspect every propane dispensing station, amusement ride and food truck.”

The gates for the CNE opened for the first time in three years at 10 a.m. on Friday. The fair runs until Sep. 5.