Moving Ontario Science Centre to temporary location could cost more than repairing roof: expert

Moving the Ontario Science Centre to a temporary location could cost the province more and take longer to open than repairing the current roof would, according to one expert.

The Ford government said it will take at least two years and cost $40 million to repair the roof of the science centre, but moving to the temporary location would cost $72 million, said Canadian Architect Magazine’s Else Lam, who did a deep dive into the government’s request for proposal for a new space.

“Relocating the centre is also just totally bonkers … it’s going be way more expensive,” said Lam, who also uncovered that the earliest a temporary facility will open is Jan. 2026.

“Getting that timeline for getting a temporary space ready is pretty optimistic,” she added. “You have to get the space prepared, you have to make it safe, you have to put in washrooms for people to use, office space, all of these things take time, it’s not like a popup at a farmer’s market where you can pop up a tent and put some things on a table.”

The abrupt closure of the beloved tourist attraction almost two weeks ago has sparked outrage, but the government has maintained keeping it open is a health and safety concern.

They have repeatedly cited a report that the more than 50-year-old building is at risk of potential roof panel failure due to the snow load this winter.

It blamed failing roof panels made with a material called reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, a lightweight form of concrete that was popular in the 1960s and ’70s.

“School children often are there and participating we have to make sure that facility is safe,” said Minister of Health Sylvia Jones.

Numerous architects, including the original designers of the science centre, have disputed claims that the building isn’t safe, concluding only five per cent of the roof is affected and can be safely repaired while keeping the centre open.

“They replaced the roof of the Toronto Eaton Centre without closing that for a day … there are many ways to do this that are standard practice,” said Lam.

The temporary space is also expected to be significantly smaller as the government is looking for a 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of commercial or retail space, quite the departure from the 500,000 square foot facility.

The request for proposals also says they are looking to lease that temporary space for four to eight years despite the fact the new permanent home for the science centre at Ontario Place is set to open in 2028.

Opposition leaders say the pressure is on the Ford government to reverse the decision.

“What we need the government to do is actually step up, repair, restore and reopen the Ontario Science Centre. That’s clearly what the people of Ontario want and Doug Ford is failing them,” said Green Party leader Mike Schreiner.

A spokesperson for the Minister of Infrastructure tells CityNews the roof isn’t the only thing in need of imminent repair at the facility

“The full capital investment to address outdated infrastructure and equipment would be at least $478 million,” read their statement.