Ford wants Ontario Place to be top tourist spot, says science centre location is ‘sleepy’

The premier said he planned to make Ontario Place the country’s best tourist attraction and claimed the science centre’s current location is “a sleepy little neighbourhood.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford further dug in on his decision to close the science centre and touted his plans to overhaul Ontario Place on Monday, claiming he wants the waterfront attraction to become the country’s top tourist destination.

Speaking at an unrelated event on Monday morning, the premier said he planned to make Ontario Place the country’s best tourist attraction and claimed the Ontario Science Centre’s current location was “a sleepy little neighbourhood.”

Ford said he believed that once the redevelopment of Ontario Place — which includes a revamped music stage, spa and a new home for the science centre — is complete, it will become more popular with tourists than the CN Tower.

“Mark my words, it will be the number one tourist attraction in all of Canada,” Ford said.

“The CN Tower has about 1.2 million people, let’s all agree that’s a pretty good tourist attraction, but with Live Nation, with the bands… we have the waterpark there and still there’s a whole part of Ontario Place that hasn’t been developed. Once they see it, people, their jaws will drop and more and more tourists will come there.”

The premier did not elaborate on which parts of Ontario Place have not yet been developed or if he plans to develop them further.

Internal government documents previously obtained by the Ontario NDP had hinted at a “phase two” for the Ontario Place expansion, which could have included filling a portion of Lake Ontario. A September 2020 document explained, “Phase II contemplates development of a large-scale entertainment, retail and restaurant destination on a portion of the East island and mainland.”

The infrastructure minister ruled that out earlier in the year, saying that the public vision announced in April 2023 is “what we are building today.”