Red canoe at Toronto’s Canoe Landing Park destroyed in fire, police suspect arson
Posted April 2, 2025 9:36 am.
Last Updated April 2, 2025 1:35 pm.
The iconic red canoe at Toronto’s Canoe Landing Park has been destroyed in a fire.
Toronto Fire officials tell CityNews that crews responded to the park just after 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday for reports of a structure fire. They contained the flames and put out the fire.
Photos from the scene show the structure where the canoe once sat burned entirely to the ground. No injuries were reported.
Canoe Landing Park is located at Fort York Boulevard and Dan Leckie Way and can be observed from the Gardiner Expressway.
Toronto police say it’s unclear how the first started, adding they are investigating it as a “suspected arson.” No suspect info was immediately available. The Ontario Fire Marshal has been notified.
Deputy Mayor and Spadina-Fort York councillor Ausma Malik said she was disheartened and upset by the news of the fire.
“The Red Canoe is [a] beloved public art and iconic spot that I adore in one of our busiest downtown parks. I’m in touch with Toronto Fire to understand what happened and what we can do next,” Malik wrote on X.
Created by Canadian artist and author Douglas Coupland, the park showcases unique art installations, highlighted by the once-striking red canoe sculpture.
In 2020, the addition of the Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre expanded and introduced an indoor playground, a rooftop park with a basketball court and running track, and community gardens.
