Ford government looking at moving Ontario Place parking, canvassing new sites

Emails and meeting minutes obtained by Global News reveal meetings and discussions involving Toronto and Ontario considering where in Exhibition Place a new site could be built.

The Ford government is looking at moving its Ontario Place parking lot north, according to emails and documents obtained by Global News, and appears to be canvassing sites at Exhibition Place to build the garage it promised in its deal with a private spa.

A series of emails and meeting minutes accessed using freedom of information laws document meetings and discussions involving Toronto and Ontario considering where in Exhibition Place a new site could be built.

That would mean the province abandoning its original plan to build an underground parking lot directly beside Ontario Place as part of its redevelopment of the area to include a private spa, new music venue and relocated Ontario Place.

The idea of relocating the parking garage northwards was first suggested by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow at the end of 2023 as she tried to steer the government away from building it directly on the city’s waterfront.

The province agreed at the time, as part of a broader new deal with the city, to consider moving its garage but appeared to have made no promises.

An email from one Ministry of Infrastructure official sent last year, however, suggests an agreement is already in place.

“The New Deal between the Province and the City of Toronto, finalized in November 2023, commits the Province to change its current planned location for parking at the Ontario Place site and work with the City to establish an alternative parking solution at Exhibition Place,” the email said.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure told Global News that — despite the wording in the internal email — no final decision has been made.